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!

I remember a similar story being reported in the press, when i was a kid.

Sorry, don't have a reference, but IIRC it happened.

Lightning XM135, inadvertant flight by W/Cdr Holden [Archive] - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums

...scroll down to the post from "L10Mike" :ok:

It certainly did happen, although I don't have any references to hand. It was actually OC Eng Wg in the cockpit, and not only wasn't he strapped in, but the seat was either inert or had been replaced with a makeshift stand-in (stories vary), the canopy had been removed and he had no radio. Apparently he was helping attempts to find a sporadic fault that only showed up during take-off, accidentally got one engine into reheat, and found himself heading towards a bowser that was crossing the runway. He landed under power after a couple of circuits and did indeed have a nervous breakdown, but as I understand it eventually returned to duty.

Hopefully having learned that 'management by getting stuck in with the troops', whilst usually admirable, does have its limits...

EDIT Ah, several other people have posted much more detailed and accurate versions of the story, including Wg Cdr Holden's own words.

Thanks for those links - fascinating to find that it is actually a true story!

He was Wg Cdr Walter 'Taffy' Holden, and was CO of No.33 MU at Lyneham. He was an Eng branch officer, but had done a flying course (on Chipmunks and Harvards) so wore wings.

Lyneham was about to close as an MU, and the last (or one of the last) 'inmates' (XM135, the Lightning now at Duxford) had a persistant snag that only showed itself under acceleration. Lyneham then had no TP, and had to wait for someone to pitch up from elsewhere, so the decision was taken that Holden himself would make a couple of runs along the runway.....

Which is why he did it in blues, with no helmet, not strapped in, and with pins still in the seat. So when he inadvertently pushed the throttles past the detent into reheat and was not immediately able to disengage, he had no option other than to take off, and once airborne, had no option other than to try to land.

Mercifully, he got down safely (after two circuits, IIRC).

He ended his career as OC Basic Studies Wing (again IIRC) in the late 1970s.

Yes, It's a true story - look at the airbus berks trying much the same thing runnning up an A3--with huge power.

While the chap in the Lighting got it down, he took several attempts - as one would ! Before a succesful landing - he had no seat,( just a box to sit on ) canopy or harness - simulate that !

Personaly I think he deservered a medal, as did the ground crew-chief who flew a Spitfire back to a safe base in I think Malta or some sandy wartime spot... both were met by 'rollockings' instead of ' Well done '...

The Lightning chap suffered considerably afterwards.




DZ

I arrived at Lyneham about May 68 and heard obout all this sort of stuff trom the SATCO at the time one Sqn Ldr "Happy" Day. OC the MU earned a Green Endorsement and an AOC's interview.

Gosh such good times.

3P:ok:

Of COURSE it's true - you heard it in the bar!!!! :}

I understand that the aircraft suffered some sort of 'tail scrape' but this in no way reduces my admiration for the feat achieved in getting it back on the ground at all! My guess is that AOA was too high/airspeed too low; did he even know what the correct speed was?! Even experienced Lightning pilots were known to scrape the tail, never mind OC the MU! Well done Sir!

I think the tailscrape occurred because his only piloting experience had been on tailwheel aircraft and he "three pointed" it, as he knew no better.

In the Lightning the chute cables were routed through the tail bumper and so a tailscrape usually led to a chute failure as the cables got severed - as happened in this case. Just another complication ...........

HLV

Yes,

I heard about the tailscrape too.

I'd have been very proud to get away with just that, and the debriefing guys could find me by the sprint footprints to the 'loo then bar !

The Wattisham Lightning Story may have come from this:
LF

I first read the Lightning story in a copy of Playboy/Mayfair that was stashed in my dads bottom drawer, around the early 80's. IIRC, they mentioned the canopy was missing and he was sat on a milk crate as the seat had been removed.

Hear it first hand:
YouTube - Lightning XM135 inadvertant flight by W/Cdr "Taffy" Holden

Brian

dirtygc - What were you doing reading aircraft articles in Mayfair??!! :}

He didn't get it from Mayfair. His copy was camouflaged by a Flight Safety magazine and he was confused about which pages he was reading.

Which pages where sticky?

Actual aircraft in Duxford
 

I was wandering around Duxford this afternoon and there she was. The actual Lightning with a short account of the event on the placard.