 The British developed the first air-dropped lifeboat; a wooden canoe-shaped boat designed in 1943 by Uffa Fox was to be dropped by RAF Avro Lancaster heavy bombers for the rescue of aircrew downed in the Channel.The lifeboat was dropped from a height of , and its descent to the water was slowed by six parachutes.It was balanced so that it would right itself if it overturned—all subsequent airborne lifeboats were given this feature.