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1964

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How an unqualified engineer accidentally flew an XM135 fighter jet
Fighter jets are seriously intense airplanes. Make no mistake, the G-Force that they thrust puts all cars to shame. The afterburners alone are enough to strike fear into established pilots.
Taffy Holden would find that out the hard way.
One Lightning XM135 fighter jet under Holden’s care suffered persistent cockpit power failures during takeoff runs, and he was running standard checks, driving it down the runway.

However, one day, he accidentally engaged the afterburners and had no option but to pull up into the air.
Only qualified to fly tame planes, this otherworldly beast rocked his world as he fizzed off into the skies.

People have passed out in the co-pilot seats, while even some Navy experts have been candid about how difficult they are to control.
So you can only imagine his surprise. He had no canopy, helmet, radio, or parachute, leaving only one option…
Thankfully, Holden managed to get it back on the ground. After two failed attempts, the engineer managed to make a soft landing.
The baptized pilot also escaped retribution, as holes in the legislation meant it wasn’t strictly illegal.
As for the jet, it remained in action until 1974 and is now housed at the Imperial War Museum in the UK.

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