Urban legend or true story?
Can anybody tell me whether the following is a true story or just urban legend? I heard it from somebody in the bar at RAF Binbrook, about 1982.
The story as told to me as far as I can remember was that an FE was sitting in the cockpit doing some run up checks in a Lightning in one of the QR sheds at the end of the runway. One engine (or maybe both) ran away, the Lightning powered over its chocks and launched itself down the runway. The engineer was not strapped in so could not eject. As the aircraft accelerated he realised he had no choice but to take off. His only flying experience was supposedly a few hours in a Chipmunk, but he managed to guide the Lightning around the circuit and onto long finals, then turn off the fuel cocks, and glide it in. After that he allegedly had a nervous breakdown and had to leave the RAF.
Now I probably believed it at the time being young and impressionable but I am not so convinced now!