I seem to remember be told a dissimilar story by a Gp Capt Nav (Gp Capt Cadets at Cranwell in 1990??) who, as an FO on 9 Vulcans, helped nick 617's bit of the Tirpitz. As they got airborne they got a Grade One div back to Scampers. They declared a Mayday with an engine fire indications (false), divved into Wittering, shut down in the bondu and chucked the scrap iron over the hedge. He went back that night in his motor and re-acquired it for the squadron. OC 9 very happy. OC 617 less so. Or was it the other way round?
Err no. The 9 squadron crew arrived at Waddington an a UK ranger. The captain, P**e A*ms****g, approached me in the briefing room and asked if I knew a place where he could hire a van. I thought nothing of it and suggested a couple of local companies. That evening the the station was "invaded" for want of a better term, by 617 sqn who were seeking the return of "their property". The Waddington residents decided that this was a 617/9 spat and declined to get involved, sitting back to watch the entertainment. Nothing was found and I am pretty sure that the 9 sqn crew had already made themselves scarce. When the 9 sqn aircraft was due to depart for Akrotiri (next morning?) a search was carried out but revealed no rusty old bits of battleship secreted on board. They got airborne and straight away diverted to Cottesmore or Wittering (cannot recall which) where they refuelled and loaded the pre-positioned scrap iron and then departed for Akrotiri.
The tale of the subsequent 617 "mission" to reacquire the old bit of boiler plate is even more entertaining, but as I have only had it related to me 2nd hand I shall not re-tell. I shall try and get a friend who was on Bomber Wing at the time to provide an account.
YS