Low Flying under bridges (Updated)
Fobotsco,
The article appears to refute the claim that it had been done during WWII, quote:
"After another wonderful meal and a couple of bottles of so-so French wine, he came up with his next brainstorm. We should fly the airplane through the arches of the Eiffel Tower. I pointed out it wasn't really worth doing as it had been done during World War II, at least according to my faint memory. He insisted no one had ever flown under the tower and set out to prove it. (Later, Fenwic became president of the French Aero club and all agreed the tower had cables to prevent exactly what we had in mind all during the war.)"
The article appears to refute the claim that it had been done during WWII, quote:
"After another wonderful meal and a couple of bottles of so-so French wine, he came up with his next brainstorm. We should fly the airplane through the arches of the Eiffel Tower. I pointed out it wasn't really worth doing as it had been done during World War II, at least according to my faint memory. He insisted no one had ever flown under the tower and set out to prove it. (Later, Fenwic became president of the French Aero club and all agreed the tower had cables to prevent exactly what we had in mind all during the war.)"
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Thanks John, I had spotted that with some disappointment. I was pretty sure that a Spitfire tried/did it after liberation but that it may not have had a happy ending....
They could be right I suppose. They ought to know.
I've an Ex FAF contact over there who may have been the guy who told me. I'll get around to calling him in the next week or two. Any change, I'll get back.
But back to the Clifton Suspension Bridge/Vampire event, this site has a lot of general information about the Bridge including a long description of the under-flight. This is an extract:
The aircraft might have been from 501 Squadron given that you mentioned Filton which never had operational units (501 was a reserve squadron). The Royal Auxiliary Air Force disbanded in 1957, so putting two and two together I assumed an unauthorised flight by a pilot shortly due to leave the RAF (he would only have been a week-end flyer). In the event it looks a touch sadder. Here are the details.
The aircraft was a Vampire FB Mk 9 WR260 of 501 Sqn at Filton and the date was 3rd February 1957. The pilot was Flying Officer John Greenwood Crossley RAuxAF aged 27 years. The reference that I have on the accident (from 'To Fly No More' by Colin Cummings) reads as follows: "The Royal Auxiliary Air Force was about to disband. This pilot took off without authority and did not wear a helmet nor did he secure his harness and parachute and he left the pitot cover in place. After about 20 minutes, he flew under the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the Avon Gorge near Bristol. Having passed beneath the bridge he pulled up into a slow roll and entered cloud. He emerged from cloud inverted and rolled out slowly losing height. He then turned to port, levelled the wings and began to lose height more rapidly before striking the side of the gorge." (In case you don't know the pitot is an open-ended tube, usually on the wing, which by allowing air in gives you your airspeed. You cannot fly properly without knowing your airspeed and you certainly can only land with great risk.) Incidentally the speed you suggest is too high [originally 450 mph] and would probably have been nearer 250 knots. My guess would be suicide
He would still only be 73. A sad tale.
They could be right I suppose. They ought to know.
I've an Ex FAF contact over there who may have been the guy who told me. I'll get around to calling him in the next week or two. Any change, I'll get back.
But back to the Clifton Suspension Bridge/Vampire event, this site has a lot of general information about the Bridge including a long description of the under-flight. This is an extract:
The aircraft might have been from 501 Squadron given that you mentioned Filton which never had operational units (501 was a reserve squadron). The Royal Auxiliary Air Force disbanded in 1957, so putting two and two together I assumed an unauthorised flight by a pilot shortly due to leave the RAF (he would only have been a week-end flyer). In the event it looks a touch sadder. Here are the details.
The aircraft was a Vampire FB Mk 9 WR260 of 501 Sqn at Filton and the date was 3rd February 1957. The pilot was Flying Officer John Greenwood Crossley RAuxAF aged 27 years. The reference that I have on the accident (from 'To Fly No More' by Colin Cummings) reads as follows: "The Royal Auxiliary Air Force was about to disband. This pilot took off without authority and did not wear a helmet nor did he secure his harness and parachute and he left the pitot cover in place. After about 20 minutes, he flew under the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the Avon Gorge near Bristol. Having passed beneath the bridge he pulled up into a slow roll and entered cloud. He emerged from cloud inverted and rolled out slowly losing height. He then turned to port, levelled the wings and began to lose height more rapidly before striking the side of the gorge." (In case you don't know the pitot is an open-ended tube, usually on the wing, which by allowing air in gives you your airspeed. You cannot fly properly without knowing your airspeed and you certainly can only land with great risk.) Incidentally the speed you suggest is too high [originally 450 mph] and would probably have been nearer 250 knots. My guess would be suicide
He would still only be 73. A sad tale.
Last edited by fobotcso; 19th Jul 2003 at 19:13.
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I seem to remember reading about a guy who looped a Spitfire through the Forth Rail Bridge. Wasnt traced but RAF took the flack for it. Apparently it was done in the one and only RN Spitfire.
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MajorMadMax
I haven't tried doing it myself, but I'm told you can create a still pic from DVD.
The pic will need to be on a website before you can post it here. If you email me the file of the pic I can help with that stage.
I haven't tried doing it myself, but I'm told you can create a still pic from DVD.
The pic will need to be on a website before you can post it here. If you email me the file of the pic I can help with that stage.
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Only that it's there....... and that a certain individual allegedly went thru..... Like the MoD, I can neither confirm or deny that this incident ever took place - It definitely wasn't me!!!
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AUTOBAHN BRIDGES
In the late 70's and early 80's as a Sqn pilot, Flt Comd and Sqn Comd, flight under autobahn bridges during tactical exercises was endorsed and also practised during training. Never did it at night, this was pre NVG. Surely this falls into the same bracket as flight under wires - now I have done that on NVG and there is NVG Video of this taking place during a trial in '92.
Bet there's a few other Pruners out there who can admit to both wires and autobahn bridges.
Low Ball
In the late 70's and early 80's as a Sqn pilot, Flt Comd and Sqn Comd, flight under autobahn bridges during tactical exercises was endorsed and also practised during training. Never did it at night, this was pre NVG. Surely this falls into the same bracket as flight under wires - now I have done that on NVG and there is NVG Video of this taking place during a trial in '92.
Bet there's a few other Pruners out there who can admit to both wires and autobahn bridges.
Low Ball
Don't forget the great shots in "The Blue Max" of the flying through the arch of a viaduct. If you ever get the chance to hear Derek Piggott give a lecture on flying for films, this is one that he talks about. Fascinating stuff.
No-one has yet mentioned "Spitfire Bridge" on the old Winchester bypass. There are stories about an aircraft, alledgedley a Spitfire but actually a P40 I believe, flying under this bridge and coming face-to-face with a lorry! I believe that it hit the bridge and was from a local airfield around Winchester area. Anyone any more details?
No-one has yet mentioned "Spitfire Bridge" on the old Winchester bypass. There are stories about an aircraft, alledgedley a Spitfire but actually a P40 I believe, flying under this bridge and coming face-to-face with a lorry! I believe that it hit the bridge and was from a local airfield around Winchester area. Anyone any more details?
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Under bridge flying.... Menai Bridge...... at night....... NVGs ....... Hmmmmmmmmm what fun even if it was a search for a bridge jumper................
Hoist to crew winching over and out!
Hoist to crew winching over and out!
Spitfires & Hangars
Deep C
My father trained at Cardington and he has often told me of the time a Hurricane flew through wide open hangar doors, problem is my memory is not too good and a little voice tells me it was at Digby where the a/c went through the hangar. It is entirley possible I'm wrong of course and the size of the Cardington hangars would make such a feat possible. Dad never worked on Spitfires so I guess if he says Hurricane I'll believe him. Shame there are no pictures as that would be a stunning image, Hurri or Spit.
My father trained at Cardington and he has often told me of the time a Hurricane flew through wide open hangar doors, problem is my memory is not too good and a little voice tells me it was at Digby where the a/c went through the hangar. It is entirley possible I'm wrong of course and the size of the Cardington hangars would make such a feat possible. Dad never worked on Spitfires so I guess if he says Hurricane I'll believe him. Shame there are no pictures as that would be a stunning image, Hurri or Spit.
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Low Flying under bridges (Updated)
My father used to sail across the Channel with an eternally modest ex-pilot who we knew had flown spitfires in the latter part of WW2 and had been awarded the DFC - more than once I gather. He has never spoken to us about his experiences, but as they sailed up the Kiel canal on one of their trips and approached a huge bridge, Dad reports he was seen to smile and muttered: "I think I flew under that one..."
ISTR that flying under the Kiel Bridges was not that uncommon in 2TAF days, Allegedly the Court Martial of a Canberra pilot collapsed when the German witness was asked if he saw a Canberra on the day in question fly under a particular bridge and he answered "which one?; there were a number that day!"
No-one has yet mentioned "Spitfire Bridge" on the old Winchester bypass. There are stories about an aircraft, alledgedley a Spitfire but actually a P40 I believe, flying under this bridge and coming face-to-face with a lorry! I believe that it hit the bridge and was from a local airfield around Winchester area. Anyone any more details?
http://http://www.hampshireairfields.../hancrash.html
At the other end of the country, I heard talk some years ago of a SAR crew doing a Role Demo at Queensferry and arriving via a horizontal 8 around both Forth Bridges and departing via the same...
KenV,
I would love to see some pics of the "under" part of that statement, all of the Blue Angel displays in SF that I have seen (since the A4 days) some were between the towers but not below the deck.
Regards,
f
BTW, the best is the sneaky fast solo at v. low altitude, there is a great youtube of one a few years ago.
I would love to see some pics of the "under" part of that statement, all of the Blue Angel displays in SF that I have seen (since the A4 days) some were between the towers but not below the deck.
Regards,
f
BTW, the best is the sneaky fast solo at v. low altitude, there is a great youtube of one a few years ago.