paul devereux Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Blimey! I have just heard of this, despite being interested in flight all my life. I'm posting this just in case it is unknown to others, as it is so interesting: http://www.historicracer.com/aviation/accidental-fighter-pilot/ Edited By paul devereux on 02/10/2018 14:42:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 How odd! I just happened to watch this earlier today...perhaps it was advertised on a You Tube page linked to from this forum? Edited By Martin Harris on 02/10/2018 14:45:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul devereux Posted October 2, 2018 Author Share Posted October 2, 2018 It an amazing story! He had only previous flying experience in a Harvard, and suddenly finds himself flying a Lightning on re-heat! After a few exciting seconds on the ground,narrowly missing a fuel bowser and a Canberra, and running out of runway, he has to take off and learn to fly a fast jet! Then he returned to work! Amazing guy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Oh - the video I saw said he learnt on a Tiger Moth and had flown Chipmunks - no mention of the Harvard - but great story nonetheless... This was it - but your story seems authoritive... Edited By Martin Harris on 02/10/2018 16:48:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Christy Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I remember reading the story in the papers at the time. Apparently he got a severe bo.., er, telling off from his CO for being so careless, and a medal for saving an expensive aeroplane! -- Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Seems like that wigging was rather a formality and a friendly chat with the boss once the official business had been quickly concluded. "I stood in front of Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Porter, he read the proceedings, asked me if I agreed with his view that “With the limited flying experience that I had, the test would have been better left to an experienced and current Lightning test pilot.” I agreed of course. He then told me to remove my hat, sit down and proceeded to tell me some of his unfortunate flying incidents in Mesopotamia in the Middle East." Edited By Martin Harris on 02/10/2018 16:53:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brokenenglish Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I switched off quickly 'cos I found the American presenter painful. What should be a nice, easy commentary... sounds like he's selling domestic detergents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul devereux Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 The link I give in the first post will take you to his own testimony ( I don't know how to create a hyperlink here). Or you can just Google Taffy Holden.Wing Commander. I incorrectly said he missed a Canberra, it was a Comet. He joined the RAF, gained wings, having learnt to fly on biplanes, Chipmunks, and finally on Harvards. He decided he wanted an engineering career and at the time of the incident was investigating an electrical fault on the EE Lightning. He had given up flying. He was allowed short ground runs to diagnose why this particular plane shut down an electrical circuit on take off runs. (it turned out that the acceleration allowed loose wires to short circuit). On the third run, he inadvertently pushed the throttle to reheat, which made take off inevitable. It was pure chance that a colleague told him how to turn off re-heat as it was not part of their duties- they were not jet pilots. During his twelve minute career as a fast jet pilot, he says he faced imminent death at least five times- twice on the ground as a bowser and Comet trundled before him, and three times as he tried to land. He landed as trail dragger, as that was his experience, so accidently destroyed the drogue chute, and was lucky not to over-run the runway! He returned to work immediately,and had a successful career, but later in life had two short psychiatric admissions for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as he became distressed about fast jets. A Legend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 This link is a blog by Taffy Holden's grandson, I think the story in link in the OP was copied from this blog. But the blog also contains a Youtube video of Taffy during a visit with his family to Duxford to see Lightning XM135 in 2013 about 3 years before he passed away. IMO this Youtube video is well worth watching. Edited By PatMc on 03/10/2018 23:22:05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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