Winston Bridge (Spitfire Bridge!?)
Jul 13, 2018 17:58:45 GMT 12
Dave Homewood, flyinkiwi, and 3 more like this
Post by planecrazy on Jul 13, 2018 17:58:45 GMT 12
Heading south, the drive from Scotland to Cambridge is over 6 hours,
didn’t fancy this in one hop so found accommodation around half way
near Middlesbrough.
It just so happens around this area is a famous bridge, now there are
many famous brides in the UK, this one famous for perhaps one of
the most daring stunts performed in a WW II fighter in modern times.
Featured in a couple of TV series, Peace of Cake and Foyne’s War, Ray
Hanna flies his MK IX Spitfire MH 434 under the Winston Bridge.
Moggie under Winston Bridge.
Foyne’s War under Winston Bridge.
Had to call by and check it out, just so happened I had a copy of a UK mag
that had a feature on MH 434. Took this along to add a bit of a theme to my
photograph thinking there wouldn’t be anything there to mark the event.
Well I was proven wrong, a cast metal Spitfire is mounted to the bridge!
Awesome that there is a memento of this event, also great it is acknowledged
for plane nuts like me. When you are up close and personal you realise this
stunt was no mean feat. I am no pilot so please take my comments with this
in mind, the arch of the bridge fits a Spitfire with a bit to spare. To be honest
the tight bit looks like the approach with all the trees over hanging the river.
You don’t see it in the Utube clips, there is an island with some smaller trees
which are in the line of flight! Perhaps back when the flight was done these
would have been smaller. It looks like some of the footage was shot from this
island.
Looking north-west up the River Tees from the bridge.
Looking South-east down the River Tees, the island/obstacle in the flight line is obvious.
Bit of trivia I know, next stop flying Legends, weather has been great and looks
a bit iffy for the weekend, hope not?
didn’t fancy this in one hop so found accommodation around half way
near Middlesbrough.
It just so happens around this area is a famous bridge, now there are
many famous brides in the UK, this one famous for perhaps one of
the most daring stunts performed in a WW II fighter in modern times.
Featured in a couple of TV series, Peace of Cake and Foyne’s War, Ray
Hanna flies his MK IX Spitfire MH 434 under the Winston Bridge.
Moggie under Winston Bridge.
Foyne’s War under Winston Bridge.
Had to call by and check it out, just so happened I had a copy of a UK mag
that had a feature on MH 434. Took this along to add a bit of a theme to my
photograph thinking there wouldn’t be anything there to mark the event.
Well I was proven wrong, a cast metal Spitfire is mounted to the bridge!
Awesome that there is a memento of this event, also great it is acknowledged
for plane nuts like me. When you are up close and personal you realise this
stunt was no mean feat. I am no pilot so please take my comments with this
in mind, the arch of the bridge fits a Spitfire with a bit to spare. To be honest
the tight bit looks like the approach with all the trees over hanging the river.
You don’t see it in the Utube clips, there is an island with some smaller trees
which are in the line of flight! Perhaps back when the flight was done these
would have been smaller. It looks like some of the footage was shot from this
island.
Looking north-west up the River Tees from the bridge.
Looking South-east down the River Tees, the island/obstacle in the flight line is obvious.
Bit of trivia I know, next stop flying Legends, weather has been great and looks
a bit iffy for the weekend, hope not?
