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Imagine the discussion such an incident would
create on this list today. Not an unknown happening though.
ACW Margaret Horton was stationed at Hibaldstow, Lincs. One
windy day in 1945, she sat on the tail of a Spitfire as it taxied out for
take-off. Now the custom was for the ground crew member to slip off, and then
wiggle the elevator as a signal to the pilot. In this case, the pilot made an
unexpected gesture with his hand, and she thought he was telling her to stay on.
The next thing she knew, she was lying across the fuselage, hanging on to the
tail, as the pilot roared away. The pilot complained to the control tower about
his aircraft being heavy, so they told him to land again without explaining why.
When the Spitfire stopped on the runway, Margaret dropped off. Finding that the
controls were now lighter, the pilot took off again still ignorant of the cause
of the problem.
The only damage was Margaret's strained arm, from hanging on
for dear life, literally. Later the pilot visited her with a bunch of flowers,
pleased to find that she was not badly hurt.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 11:26
PM
Subject: [Aus-soaring] Stories
The thing is
Patch, I reckon the story is true.
I was at home out
front on the nature strip around September 1973 with my friend Richard
working on our Libelle trailer in anticipation of taking delivery of the new
Libelle later in the year. It is Sunday around 1 pm and I go in for
lunch with Dick left finishing one or two things before coming in. We
are waiting for Dick to come in and join us. He is dragging his heels a
bit I think but then through the dining room window I can see him out on the
lawn talking to a fellow from just a few doors up the street, Mr
Waldron.
Dick eventually
comes in and explains that Mr Waldron has told to him about having flown on a
glider; not in a glider but on a glider. Yes apparently he had been
strapped across the top of the Golden Eagle leading edge to trailing edge and
winch launched. Yes impressing a certain desirable female was the
driving force. However I don't think this show of bravado won Waldron
the chick. Jack Iggulden was the glider pilot I
believe.
Cheers Roger
Druce
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