Danny Tells a Tall Tale.
We are getting near the end of my time at Strubby; here's a short story before I forget it:
I do not know the Canberra at all, I have never flown it, or in it, and have had nothing to do with it in any way. But there was an Apocryphal Story of a happening shortly before my arrival in '55, which I shall now relate without any warranty of its truth, stated or implied.
I'm told that it is possible to mismanage the fuel system in such a way that the aircraft is left teetering with the CoG. almost exactly above the axles. On the day in question, it was flown by two VSO students at the College. These two, who doubtless would have been wiry young men twenty years before, had put on a pound or two in the intervening period. Together in the cockpit they added up to a considerable counterpoise well forward of the mainwheels.
But having landed back from their exercise, they put the Canberra back on the line and, not without difficulty, struggled down out of the hatch. As VSO No.2 abandoned ship........the Canberra settled back comfortably on its haunches, to the consternation of the bystanders.
As it was now see-sawing in the gentle afternoon breeze, and thumping its tail on the tarmac, a posse of AFS studes was hastily assembled, the Canberra nose lassooed and hauled down and held down until they got a refueller up pronto to restore order. Much damage ? - don't think so.
Did it happen ? Was it even possible ? Don't know. (Ask a Canberra man).
Evenin' all,
Danny42C
Heigh, ho, and up she rises !