Rescue Tank (1968)

Portsmouth, Hampshire. At the Vernon shorebase we see men preparing for an exercise in the rescue tank. The two men are shut in a container (the Aircrew Underwater Escape Trainer)in the tank to simulate a helicopter crash in the sea; the container starts to fill with water then turns over and the men have to sit patiently until the container is completely upside down, then take a last breath and fight their way out of the container through a window. We see underwater footage of the escape. Two divers are in the tank to help in case of emergency. In another exercise a man sits in a mock cockpit that is lowered into the water tank; a frogman dives into the water to pull out the pilot. This test was devised to rescue pilots who crash after taking off from an aircraft carrier. Note: the underwater footage was shot by Southern Television cameraman Slim McDonnell. There is correspondence and cameraman s notes on file. Brief cuts exist see separate record. FILM A VIDEO FROM BRI