Brakes Backwards
A very old "War Story"
Many many years ago as a very young space cadet I was trying to bum a ride at RAF Abingdon.
The Squadron (can't remember which!) operated Blackburn Beverleys.
As we were being escorted out to our steed of the day for a low level navex arround the south of England we saw a Bev powering back, first time I had ever seen an aircraft move backwards under its own power.
I asked the Loadmaster who was escorting us how it was able to do that and he explained about Beta range propellors etc. Being an irritating little ****** I asked how the pilot could see and he explained that the loadie watched from the rear doors and told the pilot to tuen left or right etc.
As we watched an RAF jeep shot past the rear of the aircraft. Obviously the loadie shouted stop. Instead of moving the prop levers forward the pilot stood on the brakes!!
The aircraft pivoted over its main wheels and the tail boom and endplate fins got closer and closer to the ground, the nose wheel must have been at least 6 feet off the ground.
The pilot realised what he had done and released the brakes. The nose wheel hit the ground with a resounding crash that could be heard above the sound of the engines.
The aircraft was shut down and the crew climbed out and clustered around the nose gear.
The aircraft was last seen by us as we taxied out in our Bev, being towed very slowly towards the maintenance hangar, where I believe it stayed for several weeks.
Moral of this story- POWERBACKS BAD, using brakes whilst moving backwards even worse. If the tail doesn't hit the ground the nose gear will.
Surf Bum