[Gunrunner2]

Just a minor point of order: There is no "co-pilot" in a fighter. Normally, there is the pilot and there is the backseater (Weapon Systems Operator--WSO).

During the ejection sequence, normally the back-seater goes first, through an authomatic sequence to ensure a) the front and back seat do not collide, and b) the front seater does not go first thereby fry his WSO's widdle-brain when his rockets pass over the WSO.

If the SQ/CC was flying in the back seat, he was along for the ride, as the pilot in front does all the stick and rudder stuff. However, as I always briefed my WSO's--as pilot I had 51% of the vote when it came to flying but they had a veto (command ejection).

Cheers

[First_Salute]

The crash was a B-52H, code name: "Czar 52."

If I recall the video correctly, it did appear that a backseater, starboard side, ejected --- that was the hatch which popped (I could swear it was aft the co-pilot's hatch) and clearly, the trajectory of the ejecting crewmember can be followed briefly prior to the flames and debris of the crashing aircraft overtaking him. It seemed that the navigator had escaped briefly, but it may have been the co-pilot; I don't recall exactly and cannot quickly locate my copy of the tape.