Taffy Holden, the Accidental Lightning Pilot

In the United Kingdom in 1966, an RAF ground crewman conducting an electrical test suddenly finds himself airborne. Taffy Holden, the accidental Lightning pilot, deserves to be remembered.
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The episode is intended for educational purposes. All events are portrayed in historical context.
#ukhistory #aviation #thehistoryguy

[@Aeronaut1975]

A pilot once joked about the lightning that the only only reason it had wings was to keep the navigation lights apart.

[@LaurieMB]

As the son of a Lightning pilot - I absolutely love this :-)

[@av8tor261]

Same as the F-104

[@Aeronaut1975]

@@av8tor261 true, but the Lightning can manoeuvre

[@edwinhoffman141]

Absolutely true.

[@Psycandy]

there's an active lightning here, taking tourists up to some crazy altitude. seems the quickest way to get there is to point a lightning up, then press go. .. you get the impression the wings were added because some safety legislation insisted that wingless craft be termed rockets. no no, this is an airplane, look, see? wings! navigation lights!

[@kellyarnsdorf5083]

Reminds me of the ground crewman who got hung up on the tail of a Spitfire in North Africa 1943. He ended up doing a circuit around the airfield hanging on for dear life as the pilot, horrified by the image of him dangling in the air, attempted to land and not kill the man upon landing. The crewman only had a few broken limbs after landing and of course falling off when the plane touched the ground. A little later in the war the crewman was sent home after the Wing Commander learned the crewman had survived a Stuka attack in Italy that killed everyone around him and left him unscathed even though the bomb detonated only few meters away. The commander said "I don't need a third clue that God wants this man alive. Send him home...."

[@wbnc66]

That is he second best story I have heard today :) thank ya Kindly...

[@edwinhoffman141]

I can imagine that. Most of our flight officers were a little crazy, i thing that is why the battle of Britain was won.

[@dawhat84]

crazy brave is more like it. we all owe our lives to those WWII Vets or we would all be speaking Japanese or Nazi German right now. my father was at Pearl Harbor. his family had his funeral and gave away his stuff to those that needed clothes. they found him a week later floating amongst the debris. he even made the news papers as the first man to die in war from Greensboro. I still have the old news paper with the article of his passing. he passed in his sleep in 1984. I miss my father. Joseph C Glenn SR. BM first class. he would always refuse a raise in rank because he said he would not be able to be in the fight if he kept accepting rank advances. after retiring from the Navy after the Korean war fiasco. he retired again from the civil service. he was and still is my Hero. as is my Mother. Thank you for these great little stories. @@edwinhoffman141

[@whatevernamegoeshere3644]

@@dawhat84 "we all owe our lives to those WWII Vets or we would all be speaking Japanese or Nazi German right now." I mean... half of europe was under soviet control, they DID actually do mandatory russian language studies in schools and today, nobody speaks russian pretty much. I get what the saying means but it still wouldn't happen. Also nazi german is not a language :p

[@mikejensen3473]

JESUS CHRIST!!! i'd a sent the poor bastard home too!!

[@stewartnicol3028]

Thanks for retelling this story. Holden was so traumatised by the episode that he was off work for two years with PTSD. His doctor state that "Holden went home and thought about what had happened, if he had gone straight to the mess and drunk a bottle of Whisky he would have been fine."

[@bigdmac33]

Brilliant. "109mph, somewhat slower than 1300mph" ... real understatement! lol

[@jimdecamp7204]

Brits used to be known for understatement.

[@bethbartlett5692]

109 mph, (am howling - Mother was right, I did drive as if I was intending "Take off"!) Who knew, that 1977 Buick Century, (Candy Apple Red, w Factory installed Chrome Mags, that merely shown 85 mph, on the dash Speed Register, (it was during the petro conserving, gas shortage years of reduced Speed Limits to 55 mph) ...and I got a *"Warning Ticket"* from Tennessee State Trooper, Elmer Hatley, for doing "103.5 in a 55" - "But it only registers 85!", I said with clear astonishment. "It'll-go-faster Missey!", Replied Officer Hatley ... ...and I say:, that *Warning Ticket" "Is History worth Remembering"* ...

[@Peoples_Republic_of_Devonshire]

Could be an honourary Brit for that understatement

[@christianbuczko1481]

No helmet, no canopy, no radio, no ejector seat strapped into one of the most difficult to fly aircraft must of been terrifying. I'm glad he managed to land it ok...

[@Irobert1115HD]

actulay it is impresive that the british managed to copy one of the most creative bombers of all time (the dornier do335 was a bomber with a similiar configuration and the f104 was actualy planned for a similiar use but the lightning interceptor sounds like the better plane compared to the f104).

[@marinetech262]

lrobert, are you sure you mean the Do 335 and not another model? The Do 335 was a twin prop engine, heavy fighter/bomber with the engines set up in a pusher/puller configuration. It bears no resemblance to the English Electric Lightning.

[@opheliabawles9646]

An unqualified bloke basically perched on just an enormous jet engine with wings. Sounds entertaining.

[@GFRzeszutek]

Truly Impressive!!! He knew how to fly, and knew landing was the hardest part. The landing speed of that Lightning is much higher than the top speed of either of the aircraft he was trained on. They should have upgraded his pilot's license. After all, He managed to land it and not make a mess (except for his shorts).

[@jeffstanley4593]

Landing is the easiest part unless you mean landing in one big piece. After all, what goes up must come down.

[@Retired_Gentleman]

As a retired school teacher that include many years teaching history I can say your videos are excellent because you so often tell of the human element and not mere dates and places. That is, events from our past are not best understood by mere numbers and names but rather by learning of the the people who were there. It's people that make history come alive.

[@robertqueberg4612]

RPM , Absolutely! And it is the people that have altered the path of our planet, “for better or for worse, until death do us part.” The human part of the equation needs to be shared in order to understand not only that something good or bad happened, but how to prevent or reproduce the results as needed. Maybe these 3D Technicolor videos should be stirred into our educational experiences.

[@kenycharles8600]

Excellent point RPM.

[@lukejo7994]

As a student it is long and boring

[@Richard-zc1cj]

If only schools had more people like him I think we'd have a lot better students.

[@SoddingaboutSi]

I was told this story 30 years or so ago by a friends Dad. I was later told be someone else it was fictitious and not possible. I now have it confirmed here.Thank you for confirming such a wonderful story.

[@steveskouson9620]

Thank you for this story. PTSD is a REAL thing! Most people just think "you just need to toughen up!" Yes, been there. steve

[@jeffreystroman2811]

Steve Skouson had a run in tonight with an officer (good men, both of us) that took me right back to an event that is the source of my ptsd. Having trauma appear in one's psyche and psychology from an encounter reminds me just how real it is.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

I served my country and in no way have ptsd or as my friend calls it Pussy’s Tell Stories Damn it Toughen up get a thick skin what ever it takes.

[@scottabc72]

@@prepperjonpnw6482 People that talk like you on KZbin are almost universally fakes

[@nobackhands]

I was working at a VA hospital and walking behind a WWII veteran and overheard: My wife and I were at a restaurant and heard one veteran was telling another how to fake PTSD. Moreover, he was getting over $3000 per month tax free. He went on, I have never considered filing a claim but, if the government is giving money away...my family can use it.

[@ALLASALAMI666]

You are welcome Sir. I’m an ex submarine gunner Navy Seal, Admiral, Ninja, test pilot for the Lightning fighter jet, and floral patio chair cushion cover designer! Thank me for my service. You’re welcome 😂 🥇🎖️🏅🥉🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🏅🏅🎖️🏅🎖️🏅 I was ordered the constipational medal of Oder by President Lincoln.

[@jserra17]

In 2006 I was working as a helicopter-ski guide in Alaska. It was a very part-time gig - most of the time I was a corporate lawyer, but that was a bit boring so in 1994 I accepted the part time ski guide job. On Friday April 13 I was buried 2 meters deep in an avalanche for 13 minutes (until another guide was able to dig down to me - it took nearly an hour to dig all the way to my feet and release the ski bindings). Afterward, the migraine headaches that I’d had occasionally since childhood became so constant that I was unable to continue to practice law. Not PTSD - none of the secondary indicators was present. My doctor’s analysis - a 13 minute adrenaline surge sensitized my cranial vascular system and subsequently, even a small surge of adrenaline caused the dilation and contraction cycle associated with migraines.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Wow- I did not know that could happen at all. Is there treatment? I am sorry, that must be awful.

[@archerpiperii2690]

Can you imagine the conversation when Taffy Holden got home from work and his wife said: "Hello dear, how was your day?"

[@tyson31415]

It was.. um.. that's classified information.

[@skywayminicabs6292]

EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT , AND DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD BELIVE IT EITHER ? Oh "TAFFY YOU AND YOUR LITTLE JOKES DEAR"

[@tenhirankei]

Think of how it would have gone if he was still living at home. "Did our boy have any trouble today?" "No, "our boy" didn't. But would like to hear what your son did that nearly gave me a heart-attack?" When he's your son "only" you know the news isn't good.

[@Peoples_Republic_of_Devonshire]

"Good and bad....."

[@havenhemmings3574]

After he tells her: Wife: OK, now tell me the truth.

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this air port, aboard this rocket ship.

[@americanswan]

👍

[@Jerubarbaruah]

Excellent storytelling. Former USAF electrician who had to chase his fair number of difficult sparks I could well sympathize with needing to fix something in a crunch. It's a marvel he survived and no one got hurt, but a seeming miracle he kept his career, lol. And thanks for not leaving out the bit about what was causing the malfunction.

[@glengustafson6959]

You tell the story so well it made my toes curl. In '73 I was a student pilot at the flying club on naval air station Key West with only a few hours in a Cessna 150. The phone rang in the club office and it was the tower ordering all of our general aviation aircraft be moved behind the hangar within an hour. A C5 was making an unscheduled landing and they were afraid the wake would damage them. Another student and I were the only ones there so we grabbed all of the keys and had to start and taxi twin engine planes and whatnot hoping we didn't accidentally retract the landing gear. I can't imagine being launched in an open cockpit fighter jet without training....wow.

[@madcapmagician3130]

I work at what was RAF Lyneham, it’s now operated by the Army, but I love learning about the history of the place. Military trucks now carry out brake tests and recovery operations on the tarmac that Holden ‘taxied’ down.

[@MrTombenzie]

After retiring from the RAF Taffy went on to work for GEC Marconi Avionics in Milton Keynes. I joined the company in 1986 as a graduate Engineer and Taffy Holden became my first ever boss. A true gentleman and still an inspiration so many years later. RIP Taffy. Thank You.

[@davidrodgersNJ]

"His second near-death experience and he was still not yet airborne" : )

[@ceterfo]

You sir, know how to tell a historical tale. Thank you for being here.

[@ALLASALAMI666]

You’re welcome Sir. I’m an ex submarine gunner Navy Seal, Admiral, Ninja, test pilot for the Lightning fighter jet, and floral patio chair cushion cover designer! Thank me for my service. You’re welcome 😂 🥇🎖️🏅🥉🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🏅🏅🎖️🏅🎖️🏅 I was ordered the constipational medal of Oder by President Lincoln.

[@hertsish]

I grew up in a RAF family on bases with Lightnings. My father would take me to the end of the runway to watch them take-off. The mention of its ability to go vertical after take-off is absolutely true. It blew my mind watching this as they would disappear from sight in that vertical climb. I also remember asking my father why they called it the flying brick and his response was that once it ran out of fuel it shared the same flying qualities as a brick.

[@edwinhoffman141]

Exactly

[@1337flite]

@Herbert Norkus F4 Phantom or F104 Starfighter - IU'm guessing the latter because I don't think the Starfighter was a great glider.....

[@Britcarjunkie]

@Jtan163: Chuck Yeager flew F-4's in Vietnam, and confirmed what a friend of mine (he was a F-4 instructor in the '70's) once said...F-4's are proof that with big enough engines, you can make anything fly. They're also said to have the glide ratio of a brick - about 1000' per mile. However, the F-104 was worse: lose the engine = eject.

[@Twirlyhead]

Reminds me of the time I accidentally got on the wrong train after work and ended up getting home an hour late. What a stressful episode that was; brings me out in a cold sweat just thinlking about it.

[@todd3285]

Wow a hour late .

[@Gruntos]

My old flight instructor as a Lightening pilot. The first time he took off the ATC asked him to report passing 35000, he replied sorry just passed 45000 ft.

[@sidoney101]

Fantastic! A very British story. I chuckled at Taffy describing the kick as "Remarkable". Classic British understatement

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

And his first landing attempt as "ridiculous." They do have the gift of understatement

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

R.I.P., Taffy. You done good, dude. As Chuck Yeager has said, YOU had "The Real Stuff"....

[@DataWaveTaGo]

It's The_Right_Stuff I believe...

[@LTLoudpack7100]

"How was your day hun?" "Oh, uuummm... It was good.. I uh accidentally flew a jet today.."

[@dalemoskalyk1227]

That is one of the funniest comments Iv'e read in a loooooooooong time.

[@hightea2546]

History Guy I have re played this so many times ,, it’s just as you said a Rip Roaring Story. ,, your Best Ever ,, poor Taffy ,, I’m sorry he had such a Time Later ,, Still Excellent Rip Roaring Story What a aa Ride!!!

[@kenycharles8600]

An unforgettable and traumatizing experience for Taffy Holden, and an amazing tale for me to hear. Thank you for your enthusiastic telling of this tale.

[@mikeperth8027]

This brought me to tears with laughter, when I was visualizing the accidental takeoff and all the near misses he had.

[@maxlutz3674]

Me too. I bet it was slightly less amusing for Taffy Holden though.

[@ALLASALAMI666]

I’m an ex submarine gunner Navy Seal, Admiral, Ninja, test pilot for the Lightning fighter jet, and floral patio chair cushion cover designer! Thank me for my service. You’re welcome 😂 🥇🎖️🏅🥉🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🏅🏅🎖️🏅🎖️🏅 I was ordered the constipational medal of Oder by President Lincoln.

[@mikeperth8027]

@@ALLASALAMI666 Sounds legit.

[@michaelkennedy5803]

A very British story, extremely well told sir.

[@terrygrossmann2295]

A great story. The mere fact that he didn’t panic is amazing enough. The fact that he survived the ordeal is truly amazing. I’m sure if I had to make the decision as to punishment, I would have said he went through enough and to let him be.

[@keithpugh6761]

I remember being told this story by an instructor about 15 years ago. Never knew whether to believe it until now.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

At the end I say that Wing Commander Holden spent two years in the hospital. In fact, he spent two periods in the hospital, both much shorter than a year. I am sorry for the mistake. Some viewers have reminded me that the proper designation is runway 3-6, not runway thirty six.

[@beemail6983]

Please ditch the annoying music, otherwise you have a perfect show/format

[@GoodGnewsGary]

Another great show, keep them coming!

[@colinp2238]

Here is a quote from your intro,"an RAF ground crewman", I think he was hardly a crewman but the unit CO. A link from his grandson's blog about a visit to Duxford by the man himself, telling the story for the visitors: www.danrostron.com/2013/10/14/wing-commander-taffy-holdens-inadvertant-flight-in-lightning-xm135/

[@markmidwest7092]

THC: Music's great.

[@thebonesaw..4634]

I'm in agreement with Mark... there is nothing wrong with the music. What's annoying is that someone would complain about it considering that the only place it exists is during the "Like, Share, Subscribe" portion at the very end.

[@bigblue6917]

I have seen the Lightning a number of times. In fact it was the last aircraft, apart from the air sea rescue Sea Kings, to be stationed at RAF Leconfield, not far from where I live. It was so fast that it went supersonic while climbing just after takeoff for its very first flight. And despite the claims of others it was the first aircraft to use supercruise, the ability to go supersonic without the use of the afterburner. Saw it give a display at the BAE factory at Brough. It flow past just and the noise from it was awesome.

[@zipz8423]

@FooBar Maximus You have a massive chip on your shoulder.

[@steveastrouk]

I watched this with real tears running down my face. What an utterly amazing story, of an amazing man. Its well that he is remembered here.

[@Houndini]

Same here. But I sure would not change seats with Taffy. I really kind of feel sorry for poor guy. I just about got covered up in a mining blast. I got under best close thick metal I could find. Saved my life.

[@jonpopelka]

Over a the past two weeks, I’ve binge-watched every single THG video and thoroughly enjoyed them all. Thank you for your insights, your non-partisanship, your passion for history, and for taking the time to make this wonderful series of videos which encourages others to love history as much as you do.

[@user-td1zo3tv9p]

Sir, what an INCREDIBLE story!! As a retired aircraft mechanic myself, I've had a few hairy moments while testing aircraft for a variety of reasons. But NOTHING like what you portray here! To say the gentleman in the story was terrified at the time could be the understatement of a lifetime! What I wouldn't give to sit and talk with him, not only about his incident but how he came to grips with the fright at the time. Just knowing that he was living on borrowed time could make for a life altering experience. Sadly, he passed away some two years ago but I pray he is able to RIP and (no pun intended) soar with the Angel's. Lord knows that he deserves to. In closing, I wish to thank you so very much for your channel. I came upon it quite by accident and now I cannot get enough of your offerings. Have a great day and a SPLENDID weekend!

[@Houndini]

I still once or twice a year love watch this 1. Poor Taffy. He was trying his best. Wrong place Wrong time.

[@disme2072]

GREAT STORY! HOPE THAT ONE IS NEVER FORGETTING!

[@Nick-ho9hi]

When I was a kid I went to an airshow where Lightnings landed and took off immediately going into a vertical climb. It was an awesome sight.

[@paulsimmons5726]

Talk about keeping your head during an emergency, this man was a cool customer!

[@abeelvago]

You can't make this up... near death experience, again, again and again

[@Ironhandjohn]

“So far, so good...” That’s usually when the wheels come off. the ground, in Taffy’s case.

[@TheLittleMako]

I half expected a group of workmen to be carrying a huge glass panel across the runway next. Maybe a fruit cart? (OT, but I recently found out about the HMS Zubian for the first time the other day - she sounds like prime forgotten history materiel to me!)

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Frankenship!

[@naverilllang]

Maybe an old cabbage vendor

[@mikeyoung9810]

Wow, the laughter your statement just caused was "remarkable".

[@fourthdrawerdown6297]

A woman with a pram ?

[@rosspharlanmiller5316]

The image of a series of glass panel carriers, mothers with prams, old ladies with walking frames, children playing ball and parked icecream vans etc one after the next, immediately shouted comedy sketch. There should be a driving experience game called Taffys Traffic Tuition, were you get to drive a lightning down roads n highways lol

[@boatrat]

Accidental afterburner. With no canopy! AND no helmet! And in an unfamiliar cockpit? Yeah, I guess that would possibly cause some "Traumatic Stress". Let alone the specter of collision with a passenger airliner. Yeeks!

[@gardensofthegods]

Plus he was facing several Villages and he was trying to avoid them and trying to not get killed

[@dsandoval9396]

I also assume since he was at an airport/airfield at the same time all this was going on he was trying to look out for other planes landing or taking off. From a plane called a "Chipmunk" to a plane called "Lightning".

[@diceman199]

When the tower realised the issue they would have grounded all traffic and put incoming into a holding pattern.

[@arodrigues2843]

I am not very convinced of that "no canopy".!!! Why remove the canopy, to check electrical problems.???

[@arodrigues2843]

@@jamespfitz No, his asshole was so tightly closed, that don't even thinking will pass through it.!!! That's why no brown pants.!!!

[@peterfarrelly483]

One of the reasons we love HISTORY

[@michaelevans205]

It's a good job Taffy managed to get the throttles out of reheat. Not only because landing with reheats engaged might have been problematic but because of that short range you alluded tovand the increased fuel consumption; quote from Lightning drivers, 'shortage of fuel was never a problem with the Lightning - until you started the engines.' Thanks for your channel - a recent and highly informative discovery.

[@tracycurtright2671]

I had a career as an aircraft mechanic. I had the parking brake release while running up a 250 MPH turboprop plane. It was a terrifying 30 feet before I reapplied brake and got it stopped. I can imagine his ride.

[@tncorgi92]

I can only imagine what it would have been like had he been unable to shut off the afterburner. With no canopy.

[@terrywaters6186]

Yeah, almost the same thing as accidentally taking off with afterburner in a Mach 2 fighter jet.

[@obfuscated3090]

THAT is why we covered the pedals with our feet during engine runs! (former F-16 motor toad here.)

[@CMDRSweeper]

If it is anything like a civilian airliner, when you run the engine at take off power, the brakes can't hold the plane still alone. You need to block those wheels, else it is going to run off on you.

[@robertheinkel6225]

We have had to do power runs on the KC-135 tanker aircraft. Doing this on icy parking spots, with only wheel chocks to hold it, didn't always keep the plane in place.

[@jamesbunn751]

Well done Taffy. Jolly good. My British DNA wants a cup of tea after this. Thanks History Guy. Brilliant video.

[@markblix6880]

Why are scones so hard and tasteless? I prefer a warm biscuit with my tea.

[@tonymaiettasr.7340]

Lightnings used to buzz my communications tower when I was stationed in Germany. I love aircraft and would watch them swing by. Sometimes they would come so low and close that you could see the pilot and he'd wave at me. Nice memories

[@Mark13091961]

I recall reading this in the Sunday Express in the mid 70’s - amazing story

[@erikkunkle9574]

I am going to use this at our next flight call to show the importance of waiting (rushing causes unforseen circumstances and cost more time,in the end), situational awareness, following yoyr training to think on yoyr feet when in a pickle, and because it is an all around good story. Thank you

[@andyrichardsvideovlogs8835]

The Lightning.... Also known as "the flying blowtorch" unequalled in vertical climb by anything that wasn't made by NASA or the Soviet Space Agency. Top speed - way more than the "official" M2. A telling point is that when current generation fast interceptors were being developed, British Aerospace had to purchase back from Oman and Saudia Lightning T66 trainers which were the only operational aircraft left in the world that were fast enough to fly chase. Yes, even the heavier, far less aerodynamic twin seat trainer was M2 capable. A great shame the illustrations don't do justice to the article largely showing aircraft awaiting scrap at the end of their lives. Those who knew the aircraft in their glory days will never forget them. Flawed, yes but awesome in a way that nothing since has ever been.

[@ahorsewithnoname643]

I don't know if it is true but I read once that the lightning was the first aircraft to accelerate in a vertical climb. This was pointed out due to claims that the F15 had 50,000lbs of thrust in an aircraft weighing 40,000lbs and could accelerate going vertical.

[@drewthompson7457]

I read an article, years ago, (from 1985), about a car magazine took some joy rides in military jets. The author wrote that even then, 1985, the top spaeed of the Lightning was still classified. Another article mentions a Lightning intercepting a U2. The States claim the U2 was already descending. On another note, the CF 105, Mk2, also had a power to weight ratio better than 1, with an estimated speed of M 2.5, without the putty in the windows softening too much. (Chopped up in 1959)

[@billbeeton1868]

I heard a story about Concorde challenging the USAF to send up their best fighter aircraft to catch her! After they all failed along came a Lightning to wobble her wings to Capt Bannister in Concorde!!!

[@marktrevett881]

Andy, the Saudi Lightnings were single seat F53 and twin seat F55, there was never a T66 designation. And yes, I worked on Lightnings at RAF Binbrook for 5 years. Peace bud.

[@rayrichards5375]

My late father was at Lyneham when this happened. Nice to hear the actual story. Thanks for posting

[@waynehullihen3066]

If I had a history teacher like you when I was in school I would be a history teacher now. I can't stop watching. Thanks

[@michaeldougfir9807]

Fine story. Glad Taffy kept his wits about him. How scary!

[@itsjohndell]

Amazing story, the first take away is that he did what was taught to every Pilot on the first day even in a Tigermoth. Don’t panic and first fly the aircraft. Duxford is truly a must and if you are lucky enough to do it the annual Airshow is probably the best in the world. Another great video!

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Absolutely- he kept his head, remembered his training, and did something truly exceptional. Many others would have panicked.

[@bennylofgren3208]

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered Is that a rare photo of you in the wild and in "civilian" clothes we saw there at the end of this video, History Guy? 😃 I absolutely agree on Duxford being worth seeing. But is should be noted that it is so big that just one full day won't do it justice. If you are an aviation nut like me, plan on at least a two-day visit!

[@jimblake3574]

I've been to the awesome museum at Duxford a couple times and have seen that Lightning. Hadn't heard this story, so THANK YOU for telling it!

[@marcbiff2192]

@FooBar Maximus You sound like a right barrel of laughs.

[@Musketeer009]

Wow. What a story. Well done Taffy.

[@arponto]

Duxford is an amazing museum. I'll have to look for this airplane on my next visit.

[@guyfawkes9951]

I want to take a second to publicly thank you for what you do. We are surrounded by negativity on all sides, it seems. Your channel is an oasis, free from all that drama. You are obviously passionate about what you present and are one of the best teachers I've ever run across. You are passionate and it shows. Thank you for all you do and congratulations on 100k subs. You deserve a hundred times more.

[@fdmackey3666]

A dear friend of mine, now passed on, was a Cold War/Vietnam era U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. His favorite plane, in U.S. inventory, was the F-104 "Starfighter" and least favorite the F-100 "Super Saber" (think the infamous "Saber Dance"). Toward the end of his life, due to lung cancer, he often reflected on his career and stated that the only two jet fighters in the world that ever really "bothered" him....Assuming either one had ended up in enemy hands...Were the RAF "Lighting" and the U.S. Navy "Crusader". this video brought back memories of a friend that I made late in his life and a hero in my book. Thanks for, yet another, excellent video!

[@beemail6983]

Interesting fact, Canada's main fighter is based on the Starfighter, but it's heavily upgraded and maintained, when it fought the f35, it went 20-0 and upheld it's 17 year straight victory's over USAF in joint training and exercise

[@stevensowers8913]

Bee Mail What planet are you talking about...? Canada has not flown F 104 for a long long time...their main fighter is an FA 18 variant...interesting facts need to actually be facts...

[@Markle2k]

+Bee Mail You sure seem to have in your possession a lot of "facts" that don't match up with reality. The CF-104 wasn't used as a dogfighter and it was retired a decade before the Joint Strike Fighter program that resulted in the F-35 went out for bid on development of prototypes. In addition, the CF-104 was only used in Red Flag exercises 3 times.

[@pudmina]

+Bee Mail - Interesting fact, your consumption of hallucinogens is causing you to live in a delusional state :) ... steven sowers & Markle2k do have it right. Incidentally, Interesting fact, our main (and only) fighter, the MD CF-18 (CF-188), was derived, in part, from design studies starting from the Northrup F-5 "Freedom Fighter" which was also in Canada's inventory, built under license by Canadair as the CF-5 (CF-116)

[@mfree80286]

Bee Mail Whatever you're smoking, you should consider quitting while you're still speaking English.

[@ckom0007]

If you ever get tired of this history gig you’ve got a future in comedy! Those twelve minutes were funnier than any stand up routine I’ve seen in decades!

[@paulcmillerfilms]

What an amazing story. I hope Taffy found some peace in dealing with PTSD....

[@gordonlawrence4749]

The "ripping yarn" line made me think of "ripping yarns" on the BBC which was a comedy series which was hilarious.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Michael Palin and Terry Jones.

[@gordonlawrence4749]

Yep it was a follow on to Monty Python in theory but went in a different direction.

[@RockinRedRover]

Gordon Lawrence "Golden Gordon Laurence ;-)" -- and being shown on UK tv again now, and why not !

[@liberate72000]

What an amazing story!

[@PhantomLover007]

Truly loved the story THG. The EE/BAC Lightning is one of my favorite Cold War fighters of British design. I call it the ‘double barrel shotgun’. Taffy got 12 minutes of pure exhilaration through every bit of Murphy’s Law

[@rorykeegan1895]

Had the pleasure of a short ride in a Lighting once. As we rolled on to the runaway my RAF jockey said, and I quote ... " This aircraft has a tendency to flame out, if I say eject and you say what? You'll be talking to yourself!". That is the most exciting ride I ever had, and I learnt to fly on a P51D Mustang. The Lighting was the ultimate wounded angel.

[@crystalrock18]

When I was assigned to RAF Mildenhall 11 years ago I walked right passed that fighter jet and didn’t think anything of it. I was in awe of the black they had on display which was a black bird assigned to Mildenhall. Thank you for the video history guy that was a cool one!!!!

[@MrZzyzxx]

no-one deserves 100K subscriptions more than this channel - so congrats to both you and to the 100K smart enough to simply click the button and be both entertained and enlightened by the wonderful "snippets of history that deserve to be remembered"

[@samuelbiskin3416]

Amazing airplane for the time it was designed. I was lucky enough to go to the duxford museum. Excellent and worth the trip. Thanks for the history.

[@ianlamb1677]

Renowned story at Lyneham. Whatever the circumstances were to take off in the first place, much earned respect to land this tricky aircraft. Well done Taffy 👍🏻

[@chrisarcher4098]

That was one of my favorites!

[@gregrobbeloth8926]

I saw a Lightning fly past me when I was 6 and living on the island of Rhodes Greece. I was several hundred feet up on a hill and it was almost level with me and less than a quarter mile away. The memory of it is still quite alive. I had no idea they were such a Badass fighter at the time.

[@Miata822]

What a great little story. Thanks for sharing it. As someone who has suffered on and off for decades from the aftereffects of a brief life or death experience I know something of what Taffy went through later in his life. It's an odd thing, PTSD, and very hard to explain to others. While I have been in perhaps more danger both before and after my experience there is something about it that lives on in me and in a heartbeat I can be "back in the moment." It's an odd creature, the human mind.

[@sadiqmohamed681]

I knew this story, but you have a fun way of telling it. I'm old enough to have seen operational Lightnings doing airshows. Watching one zoom down the runway and then go vertical upwards was stunning. And very loud! My favourite Lightning story is when Concorde was doing it's first afterburner tests. They used a Lightning as a chase plane, and when the Concorde pilot went to full reheat the Lightning could not keep up!

[@darrenbrashaw8409]

Still the fastest fighter the RAF ever flew. In April 1985 during NATO tests with Concorde the only aircraft out of Mirage, F104, F14, F15, F16 and Lightning to overtake her in a rear interception was the Lightning. The same aircraft XR749 also allegedly intercepted U2 at 80,000 feet!

[@gosborg]

Darren Brashaw Fascinating! They don’t make ‘em like they used to, and that goes for Concorde as well as the Lightning.

[@johnsmith-nk1tp]

it swooped down on the U2 from 90,000ft!

[@RB747domme]

Darren Brashaw yes someone else just mentioned it, in this thread, but the Lightning could speed climb to nearly 90,000 feet and swoop down on targets. It would Accelerate to Mach 2.2 at 50000 feet and then pull vertical and Climb with full after burners until it reached about 80 to 85,000 feet, just as the engines were starting to choke due to the thin atmosphere, and the momentum carried it the rest of the way. When it reach the top of the parabola it had just enough speed to exact air pressure on the flight surfaces in order to change direction and swoop down, picking up speed and allowing the engines to throttle up again on its way down - but crucially, also giving it time to achieve a missile lock on a target down below.

[@USSEnterpriseCVBB1]

What about the TSR2?

[@marcbiff2192]

@FooBar Maximus Not for the pilot he had a ride and a half.

[@8219366]

Thank you for this story. Having spent 30 years in the Royal Air Force I have heard many different versions of this story. Thank you for finally telling me the truth.

[@brianartillery]

Duxford is a superb museum - their airshows are excellent, too.

[@davidhouston4810]

Good old Taffy, History needs to be remembered, Nice one History Guy.

[@RedRoosterParty]

The photo used to illustrate reheat/afterburner at 2:33 is a J58, the engine that powered the SR-71.

[@comicmania2008]

Brilliant! I'm ex RAF but didn't hear this story until after I left! Thanks for a nice clear and precise account! Taffy Holden must have been a very brave soul indeed!

[@richardvernon317]

I heard it as an air cadet while working for a day on Lightning's of No 5 Squadron during a Summer Camp at RAF Binbrook in 1982. The story teller however just said that a ground crew flew the aircraft and that no Ejection seat was fitted to the aircraft. Turned out that a member of my squadron's Civilian committee knew the story as well as her husband had been on the maintenance staff of the Air Fighting Development Squadron at RAF Coltishall and he had actually signed off the paperwork for XM135 after its delivery flight to the station from Warton by Jimmy Dell.

[@ALLASALAMI666]

I’m an ex submarine gunner Navy Seal, Admiral, Ninja, test pilot for the Lightning fighter jet, and floral patio chair cushion cover designer! Thank me for my service. You’re welcome 😂 🥇🎖️🏅🥉🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🏅🏅🎖️🏅🎖️🏅 I was ordered the constipational medal of Oder by President Lincoln.

[@comicmania2008]

@@ALLASALAMI666Nice one, cunnthead.

[@comicmania2008]

@@ALLASALAMI666No one cares what you think.

[@charlottemace1810]

I AM A HISTORY BUFF; AND I ENJOY YOUR SHORT STORIES.

[@NoferTrunions]

What a wonderful and amazing story. A chain of events which reminded me of the F106A that landed itself after the pilot ejected from an unrecoverable flat spin (!)

[@mattwilliams3456]

@The History Guy Considering you mentioned the Victor bomber it is interesting to note that the last time one of them flew it was an accident as well. In 2009 on which was in taxiable condition but not considered flightworthy was supposed to make a high speed taxi run down a runway at an airshow for the crowd, but not go airborne. The non-pilot in the copilots seat was handling the throttles and panicked, advancing them to far and then freezing. Thankfully the man in the pilots seat, Bob Prothero, had flown the Victor in the 80's and managed to take control and get the plane into the air as it was drifting off the runway and successfully brought it around the airfield for a safe landing. Spectator video of the event is available here on youtube.

[@KB4QAA]

MW: The Victor did not go around the field. Merely lifted off and settled back on the runway. The copilot was in fact a formerly qualified pilot. He goofed.

[@Vigo327]

Another great video. I teared up a bit thinking of the hilarity and terror of the man's predicament. He truly made the best of bad circumstances and saved his own life and maybe a few more in the process. Keep up the good work! I contribute every month.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

An astonishing story.- probably the greatest "My grandfather did this....." story I've ever heard.

[@Andrew-yb1uv]

An amazing plane and a fantastic story.

[@grahamariss2111]

Thank you, I remember reading about this story in the 70s as a school boy. One thing that saved him was the superb handling of the Lightening, unlike most fighters of the period i.e. F104, it was actually quite easy to fly if you could cope with the acceleration. It had a large wing area for a mach 2 fighter to give it good agility at high altitude, which when coming into land with the ground effect literally rounds it out to a smooth landing. Of course he almost got caught out by one of its few vices, its thin high pressure tyres (to fit in the thin wing) offered little grip, so stopping it was a problem. Also all service Lightnings had mach 2 capability, the idea the F1 was limited to mach 1.5 was because when working up for service some pilots experienced stability issues over mach 1.5 so a temporary limit was imposed, but was lifted after a mod to the power controls and the F1 had full mach 2 capability by the time it was declared fully operational.

[@grahamariss2111]

@Nick Maclachlan I think I read it in World of Wonder or similar ( at some point World of Wonder was replaced by another magazine who's name I forget even though I preferred it) a children's magazine for "Geeky" children, but I guess it is the same source, no doubt a journalist pushing his story to publications with space to fill.

[@millimetreperfect]

Most people in this situation would be given letters after their name. ...........RIP...

[@fredsmith5473]

Thanks for this. I worked with people, ex-RAF, who'd been Lightning groundcrew, and they described it as a seat on top of two jet engines.

[@nucleargaz1]

I was a cop a few years ago in Cheshire & worked with Taffy Holdens son Nigel (an Ex Royal Marine & top bloke) we once talked about his Dads experiences that day, I can also remember an article in the Look & Learn magazine depicting the event which I showed Nigel much to his amusement!.

[@sarjim4381]

He may not have been a test pilot before he took off but he surely was when he finally managed to land. Holden had flow more than the Tiger Moth. He qualified on the Harvard, or T-6, a much more powerful airplane, although still a tail dragger. He was qualified on the twin engine Airspeed Oxford, yet another tail dragger, and had flown as the co-pilot on the P-2 Neptune, a much larger twin engine aircraft, and one which finally had tricycle landing gear. He had flown as a second seater in the Javelin, a subsonic British fighter, and the Canberra bomber, but only assisting other qualified pilots. The whole concept of safely taking off and landing an aircraft like the Lightning is like a ten year old being able to successfully drive a Formula One car. One bit of correction. Holden didn't spend two years in the hospital. He spent two periods of a couple weeks each in the hospital over a period of a couple years getting psychiatric help for the extreme anxiety of that 12 minutes of flight. [Edited to correct my usual typos]

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Wow- I did misread that. He says "two periods in hospital. " Thanks for the correction! Two years did seem quite a lot.

[@sarjim4381]

Indeed, although I would have needed at least two years in the hospital to get over that. Some guys are just natural pilots, and Holden seems to have been one of them.

[@mfree80286]

Sar Jim " The whole concept of safely taking off and landing an aircraft like the Lightning is like a ten year old being able to successfully drive a Formula One car. " You can shorten it to getting the F1 car moving via clutch. Although stopping in the 'pit box' was probably just as skillfully lucky...

[@sarjim4381]

Michael Free I was just thinking about Holden's feat again today, trying to decide how many times I would have been hollering "Oh Shit !!!" during that twelve minute flight.

[@rvasquez8057]

That is one of the best examples of an "Oooh Crap" moment !!! Great Job....

[@charliemanson4808]

Ex RAF here and live just up the road from RAF Duxford. Great place to visit especially the air shows. Personally I love sitting in my garden watching the old war birds circling and playing whilst waiting to fly by Duxford for the show, they get a couple of fly bys and i get a 20 minute show, from each plane all day Peace Charlie 🇬🇧

[@alexanderkarl4025]

What a great story told by a GREAT storyteller- The History Guy! Well done Sir!

[@jakethomas574]

simply loving these videos!

[@chrisosh9574]

I vaguely remember this but either didn't know or had forgotten the details. I'm not surprised Taffy had 'emotional' issues, I have watched the Lightning fly at a number of airshows and the performance is staggering compared to any of it's contemporaries, no canopy, no radio to ask for guidance, I can't imagine the relief he must have felt when it not only landed but finally stopped. I have a few hours flying under my belt as an engineer, landing anything is 'emotional' !

[@andrewemery4272]

chris osh - I believe the seat had to be replaced.....

[@seadog4330]

Thanks for another gem! (“Conducting” an electrical test. Priceless.)

[@RN-wi8fi]

You never cease to amaze. From a fan for life.

[@BB-oj9uy]

THG, you had all my classes laughing so hard! First was the fear of crashing, then the hilarity of the whole thing. One of the girls was laughing so hard (she says this story seems to be her life - one crisis after another in rapid succession) she had to use the restroom - went in and walked into one of the stall doors.... I'm NOT kidding! Thanks so much for your videos... :)

[@markn2904]

OOPS or Operational Oversight Procedural Situation...

[@Paladin1873]

Wow, what a movie that would make.

[@timhancock6626]

The first time I saw a Lightning display was at Teesside Airport air show in 1968 when I was 14. The display was short but spectacular. The pilot took off and stood the aircraft on its tail and blasted off into the blue until it was a little dot. Then he came down again and did a few passes as fast as he was allowed to go, then he landed. He had to keep enough fuel for a diversion in case of an emergency blocking the runway. It was not an easy aircraft to manage, though its flying characteristics were excellent as long as it was the pilot in charge of the aircraft and not the other way round.