Flying through Tower Bridge
 

On the 25th November 1951 an aircraft was flown through Tower Bridge (Flight Magazine reported the following week but did not have a name). The info I have is that it was a chemist from Chingford. Can anyone help with an aircraft type and the name of the pilot please? Have tried some searching on the web but the info has alluded me so far.
Many thanks.

I think it was an Auster and he flew under something like 14 bridges on the Thames.

Tower bridge
 

Most probably it was when the Mad Major flew under most of the Thames bridges in Auster G-AGYD from Herts & Essex Aero Club at broxbourne Herts -- he was fined & expelled from the club.
More info if you want
Greenview

As reported in the press at the time in 1951:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...-Nov1951-1.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...-Nov1951-2.jpg

Am I dreaming, or did an HS-125 go through Tower Bridge in the 1960's ?


SHJ

flying through tower bridge
 

thought i remembered something similar to this, found this on Wiki.
Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Hawker Hunter was flown through the central span and the pilot was at the receiving end of a one way conversation sans biccies before his departure from the RAF. The only reported casualty was a cyclist who fell off his bike and ripped his trousers. He most probably rendered them unwearable too but only his dry cleaner would be able to verify that.

There isn't a photo AFAIK however there was a commemorative painting. Could a Ppruner possibly post an image ?

I understand that the pilot paid for the repair to the trousers.....so that's ok then.

Hunter Tower Bridge fly-through.

Flt. Lt. Alan Richard Pollock the pilot of the Hunter that flew through Tower Bridge in April 1968 wrote an article " Why I Flew my Hunter Through Tower Bridge - 5th April 1968" for "Flypast" magazine.

His article can be seen here: Jever Steam Laundry - 4 Sqn personnel Pollock 004

Tower Bridge painting
 

There are photos of my 2 tower bridge Hunter paintings out there somewhere. The first painting was commissioned by "The Brawdy Balloonists" and presented to the squadron in 1975. The second version was commissioned by the pilot, Al Pollock, after seeing the original and is in his private collection.
This post is my permission to use the copyright images on PRuNe if anyone can scan them in.

Flying through Tower bridge
 

Thanks for all the responses people, had read about the Mad Major and the gentleman in the Hunter. The info that Warmtoast posted seems to hit the mark. If Al Pollock flew through once, the Mad Major twice and the "Chigwell Chemist" once by my (admittedly rudimentary) maths that makes 4. Was the other one the Dominie in 1964 or is there another name in the frame out there to make the 5?

Many thanks. BL

G-AHBO
 

The original question asked about the 1951 incident that involved Taylorcraft Plus D (Auster I) G-AHBO which, although owned by The Wycombe Flying Club at the time, was hired for the flight at Denham.

In 1954 an American, Gene Thompson, performed a similar feat using Plus D G-AHAI also hired from Denham.

The more celebrated/infamous incident involved Auster J/1 Autocrat G-AGYD flown by Draper who had advised the press of his intentions beforehand.

I have a recollection that an aircraft went through Tower Bridge in the early 70s. The pilot then taking the aircraft up to the Lakes. Can anyone provide details?
Just googled it. August 73 and a Beagle Pup.

Hello Roundout.

"There are photos of my 2 tower bridge Hunter paintings..."

Not seen you since the Colt Jag Reunion.

Hunter through Tower Bridge
 

Al Pollock did this in his Hunter, I understand it was after a Royal fly-past and a form of demonstration against defence cuts.

He also joined the circuit inverted at 200' at some airfields on the way back !

There is an artist's impression of the event at the museum, though it sadly does not illustrate the cyclist.

Apparently A.P. Was hoping to have his say at a Court Martial; the RAF got around this by retiring him on medical grounds, which I must say I tend to agree with, considering the risk to the public he took ( the story goes, he went through at full throttle ).

At Tangmere Museum there are 2 pretty good ' simulators ' each offering one to try flying a Hunter through Tower Bridge, and add-on software to stich onto F.S.2004 for sale ( with other aircraft such as the world speed record Meteor & record reheated Hunter as well as the Tower Bridge escapade; both real speed record aircraft are on display there among others).

As the saying goes, I'm not on commission...

I have not personally met Al Pollock yet, but he visits now & again for a recreation of his flight !

Hunter through Tower Bridge
 

Never heard of this story before, but i must say i was fascinated by it!

Sorry to hear that the pilot involved never really had his say & never flew with the RAF again. After reading the various acounts of the incident, including Mr Pollock's, i can't help thinking that the RAF must have been under political pressure to "quietly get rid of him", i also really hope that within the RAF they were very proud of him!

Putting aside the safety aspects for a moment, for someone to be able to fly a high performance jet aircraft under Tower Bridge, totally unplanned according to the various reports, must speak volumes for the standard of RAF flying training & the calibre of its pilots:ok:

To do this in a light aircraft is one thing, but to do it in a Hunter is quite another. I realise only to well that there are plenty who will say "if it had gone wrong, dozens died, not clever" etc, and on that point i can't argue, but what sort of world would we live in if noboby ever took any risks? :bored:

Double Zero
I don't know anything about the incident apart from what I've read here. What was the risk to the public? ie Actual risk, not fanciful risk.

The width between the two towers is more than 200 feet and the height between the bridge span (road) and the upper walkways is about 100 feet.
A Hunter wingspan is just over 33 feet.Has any former Hunter pilot (or any other fast jet pilot) failed to get safely through Tower Bridge when flying the sim?

Chris Draper reckoned he could easily have taken a formation of three light aircraft safely through Tower Bridge on both occasions that he did it.

..... up to a point Heliport. But surely you (in particular!) should recognise that the Thames at Tower Bridge is - and was in 1968 - part of the London Helilanes. And (IIRC) in them days that part of the lanes had a maximum height of 700' agl....... could have ruined yer whole day ....

One was a fresh-faced trainee at the time, but ISTR the buzz was (and I haven't yet read the linked article) that Pollock was protesting that there wasn't a Royal (or any other) flypast in London to mark the RAF's 50th birthday ....

The very airframe was in Bahrein in 70/71 (8 or 208 Sqn), and was identified by a dayglo Tower Bridge zap!

- on that basis, we could fly a 747 through there. Where would you like this to stop? I think you should talk to someone with legal background - Flying Lawyer, perhaps - about 'actual risk' - isn't all 'risk' when no accident occurs, 'fanciful'? With someone of Al's abilities, I would say 'minimal' ACTUAL risk, but............ what if's -

There was a cable or whatever hanging down from the top for construction work and a blokey hanging on to it?

The pilot mis-judged the flying? Al himself says he was quite concerned he might have taken off his fin as he went through?

What about 'shock' for those on the bridge and any ensuing road accident?

What about the (very small) risk of aircraft malfunction?

What about jet blast?

What about 'teetering's' helis?

etc etc?

I met Al in 1970 at Chivenor, and he seemed a pretty 'normal' RAF fighter pilot to me - whatever that is:) As a serving RAF pilot in 1968 I must say he boosted moral just a touch for us at the time!