Peter Jenkins Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 How this cameraman survived is a good question! Click here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Fairly sure that first one is indeed Ray Hannah getting a little closer to Alain de Cadanet in the take than he had in the rehearsal! (Probably ought to give a warning on the language in the video for anyone of a sensitive disposition...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOB GADD Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 The Spitfire flying under the river bridge was in fact the great Ray Hanna. The bridge was in fact the Winston Bridge in County Durham. The shot was done for the film 'Piece of Cake', the bridge span is 200ft, and the speed of the aircraft was 200mph, permission was given for one go only. BOB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 This is low: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster prop Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 For me the ultimate low flying escapade was when an RAF pilot flew a Hunter through Tower Bridge. It happened in 1968 and is described in the book 'Empire of the Clouds' which I have but have lent out. Anyway, Fighter Command was being amalgamated into the new Strike Command and also RAF Tangmere was closing. A flight of Hunter pilots from 1Sqn had been to Tangmere for a mess dinner and the next morning were due to fly back to their base in Lincolnshire (forget which one, its in the book). The government of the day had forbidden any official flypast so one of the pilots a Flt/Lt Alan Pollock decided to mark the occasion himself with a flypast of MOD. After they took off, he gave the others the slip, flew up across Sussex, Surrey and into London from the west. He followed the Thames to Westminster and flew a couple of low circuits to wake up the desk warriors then set out heading east to eventually turn north towards his base. As he flew fast and very low along the Thames, Tower Bridge loomed into view. Now Flt/Lt Pollock was an experienced ground attack pilot and decided to fly through the bridge! Apparently a double decker bus was beginning to cross as he slammed through. It must have scared everyone on the bridge witless. Obviously the incident ended his RAF career and I think he was given an ultimatum, medical retirement or a dishonourable discharge. As far as I know no photos exist. When I get the book back I'll check my facts but that's more or less how it happened. You have to admire the man, wonder where he is now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Jenkins Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Buster Prop - Al Pollock's story is here. Strangely, a few years later I had that particular Hunter on my charge at RAF Brawdy! I wish I had a photograph of me beside it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster prop Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Thanks for that Peter, a fascinating story. Al Pollock was a hero in my book! Of course, April 1968 was the 50th anniversary of the RAF. Back to the thread subject, it was an awsome feat of low flying. I think others have flown through Tower Bridge but that was the only time it's been done with a jet. Edited By buster prop on 10/02/2014 17:47:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Fairgrieve Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 No idea if this is genuine or not!!! Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Stratton Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Hi Kev, it's not, apparently it was on stands! And there are a few other shots around of different aircraft flying through the same hanger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 having done a bit of hang-glidng in my past, I rather like this. watch from about 2:00: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0o6gJmjlEQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Buster prop, I was in head office at Waterloo when that low flying hunter did that stunt and I looked down from my window onto the top of the aircraft. As I understand it the pilot was reprimanded by the C.O. and that was the only sanction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Ah! Having read the full report above I see that the chap was in fact given an unenviable choice. Just goes to show 'Don't believe all you read in the newspapers'. (And I always thought that you could trust them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tweddle Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Posted by Barrie Dav 2 on 11/02/2014 13:48:20: Just goes to show 'Don't believe all you read in the newspapers'. (And I always thought that you could trust them). I Had no problems with the Beano mate. Must have been good as Dad always got in first. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 But David, did your dad pay for it or did it come out of your pocket money. Possession is............................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Reynaud Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Years ago (1974/6 approx) I was in Malta (RAF Luqua) with 5(F) Sqn Lightnings for the annual Armament Practice Camp. When a couple of the aircraft had to depart back to Binbrook (a non-stop flight with overwing tanks and air-to-air refuelling from Victor Tankers), one of the pilots who was on his last tour of duty and very close to his end of time in the RAF buzzed the airfield after takeoff. He came down across the airfield, past our huts at about roof level and down into the valley breside the airfied before pulling up and going home! Very spectacular, but not caught on camera. The pilot (Flt Lt Al Gaunt, I seem to remember) was met with a car at Binbrrok and taken straigh to the CO's office for a reprimand! The first few second of This gives an idea of the beginning of the event. After he left the RAF he started a business doing cavity wall insulation - he did our house in Grimsby! I was also in the middle of the dispersal pan in Cyprus (Akrotiri) a couple of years before that and a lightning went over very fast and low, about 30 to 50 feet and many knots - very loud and very scary!! Edited By Toni Reynaud on 11/02/2014 16:45:38 Edited By Toni Reynaud on 11/02/2014 16:46:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Wow Toni ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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