This chap flew by, the other day, while we sat on the edge of the gorge. Very exciting it was too.
There's something about bridges that seems to attract aeroplanes. The best-known flight under the Clifton Suspension Bridge was one that ended in disaster; a Vampire jet fighter, that safely flew under the bridge but then appeared to attempt a roll and crashed into the cliff on the Leigh Woods side of the gorge.
Looking around over on PPRUNE, though, it seems that several other jets had previously flown under this bridge, too. Including a Gloster Meteor, a Canberra B2, and possibly a Hawker Hunter. One poster reckoned that it was quite a popular activity, and the pilots would fly low until well out over the Bristol Channel to remain invisible to radar, to avoid being identified and reprimanded....
the Hunter
A bit like a drive through the Highlands where it is not unusual for a jet to whiz past below you close enough to see into the cockpit.
ReplyDeleteInteresting word "cockpit"!
Ha! Nice bit of photoshopping.
ReplyDeleteThe "other day" bit gave the game away given that Gloster Javelins went out of service over forty years ago. :-)
Please tell me you photoshopped that!
ReplyDeletePhotoshop or not, that sort of behavior is not unknown to testosterone fueled military pilots. Remember the US Marine pilot who severed the aerial tramway cable in Cavalese Italy, when he tried to fly under it? 20 people plunged to their death. Despite orders to keep above 1,000 ft. in that area, he was flying at a speed of 540 MPH at an altitude of beween 260 to 330 ft.
ReplyDeleteLikewise Wales, Caroline. I've often sat on a high mountain ridge and watched RAF jets zip by below me, jolly nice too.
ReplyDeleteWell spotted, WW! I may do a series of recreations of fly-unders of the CSB. The Canberra, if true, must have been blooming impressive.
Photoshop, Anne? Moi?
I do remember that, Melissa. Shocking stupid, wasn't it?
Well I thought it was real and it certainly wasn't surprising, especially as regards Melissa's comment.
ReplyDelete