Monday, April 2, 2018

Happy Birthday to the Royal Air Force

100 years old today.  There are a great many great stories from that century of daring-do, but this is one I just ran across:
Just after midday on 5 April 1968 RAF pilot Alan Pollock, senior operational flight commander on No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron, flew Hawker Hunter FGA.9 jet XF442 through the span of Tower Bridge in London. The unauthorised action - which cost him his air force career - was part of a personal protest against the RAF's decision not to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a flypast over the capital.
Here's a mockup of what it would have looked like, although eye witnesses said that the plane was even closer to the top span than shown here:


Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us.  Click through to read the amazing story, which is very well told.

Hat tip: Samizdata.

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