DH Hornets fly under bridge

[Gladiator65]

Hi guys,

In March 1949 two DH Hornets from 64 Squadron reportedly flew under the Forth Rail Bridge during Operation Forth/Clyde. There is no mention of this in the Squadron ORB. Would anyone have any further details of this incident? Looking for pilots names if possible.

Thanks.

[Lordflasheart]

64 had Hornet F.3s in 1949, based at Linton.

These folk may know more. https://www.a-e-g.org.uk/under-the-bridge-fliers.html

Not the sort of event one would normally expect to see in the squadron authorisation book.

OTOH, close enough to be done within the timing of an ostensibly routine SCT sortie, or 'accidentally' as part of the apparent big air defence exercise the OP mentions.

The Scotsman 03 March 1949 -
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1900-01-01/1949-12-31?basicsearch=royal%20observer%20corps&somesearch=royal%20observer%20corps&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&place=edinburgh%2C%20midlothian%2C%20scotland&page=2

"Forth-Clyde area defence test air operations on big scale day and night attacks on docks and harbours"

LFH

[chevvron]

Woild hardly have been the Forth Road Bridge; that hadn't been built in '49.

[DaveReidUK]

Who said anything about the Forth Road Bridge?

[treadigraph]

I'm sure I've seen a story in the past about such an event, though it might have involved Vampires/Venoms/Meteors - my source was probably Flypast or Aeroplane Monthly. Or possibly even on PPRuNe!

[Vampiredave]

The Air Britain book on the DH Hornet has an entry for 64 Squadron in 1949: "During March 6, 12 and 13, Op 'Forth/Clyde involved the squadron to Bishopbriggs and Abbotsinch, when PII J Hartley with his No.2 flew under the Forth Bridge, taking cine film in the process. On his return he faced a cool reception, explaining in his defence that briefing had clearly stipulated not flying above 50 feet"

[Gladiator65]

Hi guys,
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated.

[Union Jack]

I hesitate to appear to black cat the OP's story, but the attached link may also be of interest regarding a flight under not just the Forth Bridge but the Forth Road Bridge as well by by no fewer than four Fleet Air Arm Buccaneers under cover of darkness https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11986627.flying-under-bridges. Of course, the Royal Navy had been there much earlier, as evidenced by the attached report of a particularly daring flight by a local boy, no less than Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown, in a Seafire - an amazing feat that was evidently blamed on the Royal Air Force! https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-scottish-mail-on-sunday/20150802/282372628323512. I'm a local boy too and somehow can't help feeling that there must have been many other, unrecorded flights under the original bridge, especially considering what a tempting prospect that must have been with such a prominent landmark.

A couple of footnotes: firstly, and whilst I can understand a possible need for additional clarity now that there are three bridges over the Forth between South and North Queensferry, the rail bridge is *the* Forth Bridge and not the Forth Rail Bridge. Secondly, there was apparently a rather different problem during WWII when an American destroyer received orders to anchor one nautical mile above the Forth Bridge. On subsequently receiving an urgent message seeking clarification as to why he had not obeyed the order, and seemed to be about to ram the Kincardine Bridge, some miles further upstream, the American captain allegedly signalled back, "Your message not understood. Have only passed the first bridge"!

Jack

[chevvron]

The article states that a Hunter flew under London Bridge.
If he had done that, he would be dead with a big hole in the Bridge; the Hunter actually flew through Tower Bridge where more recently, a helicopter flew through during filming for the opening of the 2012 Olympics.
Prior to these two, in 1953, the 'Mad Major', Maj Christopher Draper, flew under no less than 15 of London's bridges in an Auster.

[DaveReidUK]

The article states that a Hunter flew under London Bridge.
If he had done that, he would be dead with a big hole in the Bridge; it was Tower Bridge where more recently, a helicopter flew through during filming for the opening of the 2012 Olympics.

Just shows that the Scots and English get confused about each other's bridges. :O

Incidentally, as I pointed out some years ago in these columns, a surprising number of airline passengers have flown under one particular bridge - I'll leave identifying which one as an exercise for the interested reader ...

[Self loading bear]

Just shows that the Scots and English get confused about each other's bridges. :O

Incidentally, as I pointed out some years ago in these columns, a surprising number of airline passengers have flown under one particular bridge - I'll leave identifying which one as an exercise for the interested reader ...

Flown or perhaps better travelled in an airplane?
Assuming you mean the Gatwick crossover airbridge?

[ShyTorque]

RAF SH regs for crossing under HT wires required a minimum clearance of just six metres above the aircraft and two metres below, with a lateral clearance of three metres from any support pylon. We were required to practice every month.

[DaveReidUK]

Flown or perhaps better travelled in an airplane?
Assuming you mean the Gatwick crossover airbridge?

No, I mean flown.

[treadigraph]

Just shows that the Scots and English get confused about each other's bridges. :O

Incidentally, as I pointed out some years ago in these columns, a surprising number of airline passengers have flown under one particular bridge - I'll leave identifying which one as an exercise for the interested reader ...

I presume you don't mean the New York seaplane taxi operation which used to fly down the East River and duck under Brooklyn Bridge before alighting adjacent to the Manhattan Heliport?

Sydney Harbour Bridge?

[chevvron]

RAF SH regs for crossing under HT wires required a minimum clearance of just six metres above the aircraft and two metres below, with a lateral clearance of three metres from any support pylon. We were required to practice every month.
Did it on my one Chinook trip.

[DaveReidUK]

I presume you don't mean the New York seaplane taxi operation which used to fly down the East River and duck under Brooklyn Bridge before alighting adjacent to the Manhattan Heliport?

No, though a seaplane was indeed involved. It was a scheduled international flight to a US destination, though the bridge involved was on departure.

[blue up]

Many a happy session in the 767 Sim going under the Gatwick 'Bridge' before a rapid 180 and return. 8 feet on the Radalt with Gear Up just about did it. 747-400 was a bit more of a struggle.

[sycamore]

Maybe the Lisbon one...?

[Warmtoast]

Wiki has an interesting article about Alan Pollock's flight through Tower Bridge in the 1960's.
See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hunter_Tower_Bridge_incident

[DaveReidUK]

Maybe the Lisbon one...?

No, I'm just a little too young to have flown on Pan Am's Boeing 314s from Cabo Ruivo. :O

[treadigraph]

Hmmm, wouldn't be a Chalk's Mallard from Nassau Harbour would it - the Paradise Island bridges look as though they might offer enough room underneath?

[DaveReidUK]

Hmmm, wouldn't be a Chalk's Mallard from Nassau Harbour would it - the Paradise Island bridges look as though they might offer enough room underneath?

Indeed it was, although at the time (mid to late 80s) the second bridge hadn't yet been built.

[treadigraph]

Blimey!

I was over in Miami a few times around 1990 and each time planned to do a trip with Chalk's on a Mallard "next time" which eventually was 1999 - and they weren't flying at the time! I was over again a couple of years later when they were flying, though not from Watson Island. There never was a "next time"...

[Herod]

Wiki has an interesting article about Alan Pollock's flight through Tower Bridge in the 1950's.
See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hunter_Tower_Bridge_incident

Actually 5th April 1968. He was more than a little upset that very little had been done to commemorate the 50th of the RAF. More was done for the hundredth, perhaps to avoid another. Many of us wished we had done it, but never had the aircraft or the guts. I never flew fast jets, and wasn't that brave/stupid. Well done Alan

[sycamore]

DRUK,I recall that in the mid `60`s an RAF Shackleton MK3 had an engine problem ,possibly en-route to/from Gib. and diverted to Montijo,going under the bridge,virtually in `ground effect`,as they couldn`t start one of the `jets` (4 Griffons+2Vipers)..

[Aerials]

That event was described in post #55 here https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/96306-low-flying-under-bridges-updated-3.html
There are several interesting tales that closely relate to those in this thread.