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From Maintenance to Mayhem: RAF Engineer Triggers Fighter Jet Takeoff by Mistake

Photo Credit: Alisdair MacDonald / Daily Mirror / Mirrorpix / Getty Images (Colorized by Palette.fm)

Not all RAF personnel are pilots; lot of attention is also given to the crew responsible for ensuring the aircraft remains in top-notch condition. One such crew member, engineer Walter Holden, found himself in a risky scenario during a routine maintenance check on an English Electric Lightning. While he was inside the cockpit, he inadvertently initiated a takeoff sequence as the aircraft accelerated down the runway.

Walter Holden trained as a pilot

No. 111 Squadron RAF with an English Electric Lightning, 1965. (Photo Credit: Peter Warren / Daily Mirror / Mirrorpix / Getty Images)

In 1943, Walter “Taffy” Holden enlisted in the RAF and pursued mechanical engineering at the same time as his university studies. Although his original plans did not involve piloting, he underwent mandatory flight training on a de Havilland Tiger Moth and later on a Harvard aircraft. Following his successful training, he was awarded his pilot’s wings and proceeded to pilot a de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk.

Performing routine maintenance

English Electric Lightning F1s of No. 74 Squadron RAF, at RAF Coltishall, 1961. (Photo Cedit: Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

Walter Holden shifted his attention from aviation to focusing on his career in RAF engineering. Excelling in his duties, he advanced to lead the No. 33 Maintenance Unit RAF at RAF Lyneham by 1966. The unit played a key role in the upkeep of aircraft like the English Electric Lightning, slated for retirement, as well as Canberras and the Gloster Meteor.

Needing to test aircraft XM135

Members of No. 74 Squadron RAF walking past a row of English Electric Lightning at the Farnborough Airshow, 1961. (Photo Credit: Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

To formally retire the fleet, Walter Holden required a pilot to evaluate aircraft XM135, but it would be over a week before one could arrive. Not wanting to delay, he decided to do it himself. His task was simply to taxi the Lightning on the ground to check different electrical systems—reaching high RPMs, shutting down the engine, and braking.

Since there was no plan for takeoff, Holden skipped the helmet and radio, using hand signals instead to coordinate with his ground crew. The plane lacked a canopy, the landing gear was fixed in the down position, and the ejector seat was non-operational.

Things take a turn…

English Electric Lightning F1 with No. 74 Squadron RAF at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, 1961. (Photo Credit: Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

The initial test proceeded without issues. However, during the second one, Walter Holden accidentally pushed the throttle beyond the afterburner gate. Lacking experience with the Lightning, he was unsure how to disengage it.

Before long, the aircraft began accelerating swiftly. He narrowly avoided a fuel tanker and a low-flying de Havilland Comet, but he was rapidly approaching a village at the end of the runway. With no way to halt and precious little time remaining, Holden had no choice but to take off.

A touchy landing

English Electric Lightning XM135. (Photo Credit: Alan Wilson / Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)

Once Walter Holden was airborne, he turned off the afterburner and began to focus on landing. He attempted it twice but couldn’t position the Lightning correctly. On his third try, he succeeded, but his lack of experience led him to land the aircraft as if it were a taildragger. Because of this, the tail struck the runway, breaking off the drogue parachute that could have helped in slowing him down.

Despite this, Holden managed to bring XM135 to a stop with just 300 feet of runway remaining. His entire flight lasted approximately 12 minutes.

Walter Holden wasn’t punished for the incident

English Electric Lightning F1 XM740 with the RAF 74 Tiger Squad landing after a formation flying routine at the 1962 SBAC show at Farnborough. (Photo Credit: Victor Crawshaw / Daily Mirror / Mirrorpix / Getty Images)

Despite the way he landed, the Lightning was repaired and returned to service until 1974, when it was put on display at Imperial War Museum Duxford. Holden emerged without a scratch, but was put on leave in Italy after the media caught wind of the story. He wasn’t punished, and only had to admit that he should have left the test to a pilot familiar with Lightnings.

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With this small slap on the wrist, he continued serving with the RAF until the early 1980s.

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Rosemary Giles: Rosemary Giles is a history content writer with Hive Media. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. Her research focused on military, environmental, and Canadian history with a specific focus on the Second World War. As a student, she worked in a variety of research positions, including as an archivist. She also worked as a teaching assistant in the History Department. Since completing her degrees, she has decided to take a step back from academia to focus her career on writing and sharing history in a more accessible way. With a passion for historical learning and historical education, her writing interests include social history, and war history, especially researching obscure facts about the Second World War. In her spare time, Rosemary enjoys spending time with her partner, her cats, and her horse, or sitting down to read a good book.