Tower Bridge Fighter Jet Incident | Tales From the Bottle

This jet pilot decided to stage a protest in the skies of London, but his actions became more well known for an incident that occurred on his journey home.
"The Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident occurred on 5 April 1968 when Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hunter pilot Alan Pollock performed unauthorised low flying over several London landmarks and then flew through the span of Tower Bridge on the Thames. His actions were to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the RAF and as a demonstration against the Ministry of Defence for not recognising it.
Upon landing he was arrested and later invalided out of the RAF on medical grounds, which avoided a court martial."
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[@Qxir]

Yes, I know it's pronounced "Tems" lol Second Channel: kzbin.info/door/t93hxFmjppL5nLRAX94UrA Merch: teespring.com/stores/qxir Patreon: www.patreon.com/qxir Twitter: twitter.com/QxirYT Discord: discord.gg/jZzvvwJ Twitch: www.twitch.tv/qxiryt/ Subreddit: www.reddit.com/r/Qxir/

[@luichinplaystation610]

Of course 2nd channel about gaming hell yea!

[@fischer-felix]

What happened to ya twitter?

[@lunarbeetlejuice9768]

lmao what the fuck did you get banned on Twitter for?

[@losvega5004]

Mmm yes I love you daddy qxir. Ok no homo but I have watched every single one of your videos n love em. My mom laughed at the guy who flew his plane into the tax mans office!

[@rrshowtime3900]

Solid Proof of all Claims Required.

[@Samouraii]

I feel bad for the lad who went to the pub that night telling his mates he saw a jet fly under Tower Bridge and they all called him a lying bastard

[@comettamer]

Ikr. And how many must've (drunkenly) sworn they could prove it lol?

[@yamby6709]

Then there was that drunken new yorker that stole a plane and landed it at the streets of new york, *TWICE*

[@DMack6464]

@@yamby6709 whaaaa

[@Derkiboi]

@@DMack6464 search it, I think it was a single engine prop plane ircc

[@telescopesfs-officialchann3897]

Best fucking comment ever

[@muzzaball]

"Years of fast, low level strike flying made the decision simple" - you can't really argue with that; it's what he was trained for!

[@Yuuni_Shiroza]

I agree it's like every Ace combat player will do the same whenever they see a tunnel.

[@blackcatback3779]

Yuuni Shiroza Ch. /Vtuber Dev lmao I played on my psp

[@jakedee4117]

He was trained to follow orders not terrorize his own people.

[@joedingo7022]

@@jakedee4117 To be fair, training only entails how to fly that plane and what you SHOULD use it for, you COULD use it for many, many other things with those skills. Besides, they earned it.

[@jakedee4117]

@@joedingo7022 No he didn't earn it. Before the specific task of any service member, driving shooting flying etc. they are trained in the fundamental code of conduct of the military. Follow orders, the desires of any single man are not as great as the mission at hand. There is a very old and very important deal between the military and the population. The military are maintained at public expense, they get positions of power and prestige but in return for that they must follow orders and do what ever is need to protect the people when the time comes. There are many other tales of men who psychologically break and then go on a rampage. We usually only hear about them if someone gets killed. Allen Pollock came very close to doing that. I believe his talk about honoring the RAF is a self serving justification. He is like a man who was turned down for a promotion, flies into a rage, smashes up the office, drops his pants and takes a dump on the boss's desk. That's kinda funny in a juvenile sort of a way. This was a man who went on a rampage with a very powerful multi-million dollar weapon system who came within a fraction of a second of a mass casualty incident. Not funny, not cool.

[@dogeisqt8633]

At least the guy wanted to make the 50th anniversary a true 50th anniversary

[@trooperodst6880]

What a great way to do it!!!

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

I could understand why Britain cut the military as they came off WWII and aren't in a place to really fund it properly and had to rebuild war still give you a pain in the ass even after it over But not anyone remembering the anniversary I'm like how

[@luichinplaystation610]

A different tale from game companies that not even acknowledge the 25th 30th or 35th anniversary of their franchise

[@robertojofre15]

they gotta do some wild stuff for the 100th anniversary

[@blopp6240]

@@luichinplaystation610 you compare video game anniversary to this? You kids are something else

[@AdenThie]

A similar story occurred here in Sydney. In the mid 70s, a family friend John Cameron was planning a flyby over Sydney Harbour with some other pilots in memorial of friend and local aviation royalty Sid Marshall. As the date approached, pilots pulled out the aerial display and it was cancelled. John decided to get in his tiger moth VH-AJA down to Sydney himself. He flew from Bankstown along the river toward Sydney, acquiring none of the required clearances to do so. He flew underneath the Gladesville bridge which stands only 41 metres above the water and onward to and underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In port at the Sydney Naval Base on this day was an American aircraft carrier. He lined up on the carrier to perform a touch and go but pulled out at the last moment as the runway was obstructed. He turned back around and flew toward Bankstown where he was met by the police, spending (i believe) 2 days in jail and losing his license for 12 months. I know him personally and have had the pleasure to fly with him. There's another story of John in this tigermoth (at this stage painted hot pink) whereby he had a friend sit in the front cockpit and filled the entire cockpit with roses for valentines day. They flew over Hyde Park throwing roses.

[@Tonio-Flonio]

2200 bruvva, Bankstown bruvva

[@creatrixZBD]

Legend

[@sammo2560]

Love this story! What a madlad!

[@medea27]

Don't know which one would give me more of a heart attack.... seeing a Tiger Moth dive underneath the Gladesville or the Harbour Bridge as I was driving over it! ✈✈ These days he'd probably get fined a hundred bucks for not using an eTag to pay the bridge toll too.... 🚦💸

[@kgoulding1237]

Its nice to have the occasional story that has no violence or loss of life.

[@OldSethOnetooth]

What's wrong with violence and loss of life?

[@manuntvg01]

@@OldSethOnetooth nothing, but there are plenty of those already

[@RuvianCSPlays]

I can tell you a trillion stories that have no violence or loss of life. But I guarantee you won't want to listen to them. Here's one. The other day I went to my friends house. I was driving pretty slow at first, but I wanted to make it before dark so I went faster towards the end of the trip. I made it there and they were eating some Thanksgiving dinner goodies. I had a piece of pie with them, then we made some noise. The cops were called on us but no one was arrested. The end.

[@fauxpinkytoo]

Agreed. Some of these stories are heartbreaking... It's always nice to see a bloke 'stick it to the man', as it were. Great video, Qxir!

[@LovableCoolGuy]

@@RuvianCSPlays thanks! i actually really like these kinda stories, no one got hurt or anything!

[@RangerHouston]

RAF: “that was incredibly dangerous, your outta here!” *Literally Everyone:* “He’s a cheeky lad and we love him!” RAF: “Fine…he didn’t do anything wrong.”

[@ferretyluv]

*you’re

[@CheeseMiser]

@@ferretyluv get bent

[@RobertJarecki]

​@@ferretyluv Here in the United States of America, we are kindly tolerant of typographical errors of anyone with "Houston" in their name.

[@potato1341]

The absolute chad. Infatuated by the RAF, grows up to be a highly respected pilot in it, then when his iconic air force aren't given the proper celebration it deserves, he decides to scare the shit out of the politicians as act of protest. Then when he gets arrested and quietly dismissed, he shouts it from the rooftops. AND people love him for it!

[@crimsonlion100]

absolute chad energy

[@TheEsdaniel]

@@crimsonlion100 sigma male grindset

[@natthekiwi7074]

I mean… he did kinda risk ppls lives. Not very chad of him

[@moery2435]

@@natthekiwi7074 sigma grindset rule 277: dont let people stand in your way

[@WhuDhat]

@@natthekiwi7074 I think that is very chad of him, chads don't care about other people, unless their name is Stacy 🇹🇩

[@ianrowley5762]

I actually saw this guy flying his jet. I was out in the garden and he flew right over my mum & dads house. I was only a kid at the time and I thought for years I had imagined it, so it’s nice to know that I wasn’t losing my mind at that early age.

[@alexcisneros2980]

No only much later

[@alfonso365]

What a British way to protest: Annoy them with loud noise for a few minutes... that'll show them! What a legend.

[@johnladuke6475]

When I hear about the rattling windows in Parliament during a debate, I picture the "buzz the tower" scene from Top Gun. Only with a bunch of stuffy British aristocrats.

[@jowesterman6476]

That reminds me of the chap with the bagpipes who played at the insulate Britain twats.

[@arisaga822]

But try that in Canada and Justin Castro - sorry, Trudeau, will stamp his little feet.

[@ChazCharlie1]

@@arisaga822 No! It's not fair! Only I'm allowed to imprison people!

[@nashooo5903]

right? I mean if you re going to betray your country you should just go ahead and open fire

[@OrcCorp]

What a fucking legend! 👌🏼😆

[@diegoviniciomejiaquesada4754]

Absolute Madlad.

[@PRIMITIVEPLAYZ12345]

What a guy

[@jsthereforfun1648]

Legend he is

[@thomaskamp9365]

German Airforce say "Respekt for this flight......he know´s what he can do."

[@PutsOnSneakers]

he wasn't fucking, he was flying

[@pickles3128]

Reminds me of the pilot who flew through the St. Louis Arch. He was anonymous for decades until his grandkids posthumously told his story (so he couldn't be arrested.)

[@bellefastbelle5686]

We had a parachuter land on it. He planned to then basically BASE jump. And didn’t factor in the wind. That was 1980. In 1990 a mad lad climbed it with suction cups and then did a BASE jump. He lived. Charged with 2 misdemeanor offenses. And history at the Arch says a fixed wing aircraft hasn’t flown beneath it since the 70s. I have a sibling that’s worked there for 20+ years so I get to hear all the stupid stories.

[@rwaitt14153]

Back in WW2, as legends go, some madman based out of Geiger Field flew a B-17 under the Sunset Street bridge in Spokane Washington. It was one of the main training bases for the B-17 bomber crews and the bridge is very near the field, now KGEG. Asking around has led me to believe that it did happen though who did it is still a mystery.

[@phantomaviator1318]

@@rwaitt14153 B-17 is actually small As big as an F-15

[@phantomaviator1318]

@@robertcrawshaw9978 under

[@Arterexius]

@@robertcrawshaw9978 Has to be under, as the triangular spacings between the beams are so small that only a commercially sold drone would be able to fly through. Attempt it with a jet and you get mangled steel and a burning wreckage, as well as a dead pilot

[@maximusd26]

2:30 "the weather in London was beautiful" now i'm doubting the whole story

[@MarmaLloyd]

I used to work at Dunsfold Aerodrome. We used to race on the runway on the way in and out to work. Great times. All you can hear on your breaks was the top gear guys doing their thing in the hanger just over

[@aydankhaliq2967]

R.I.P Dunsfold track.

[@MarmaLloyd]

@@aydankhaliq2967 Random side story(s) about the place: When my parents moved in to the area they went towards the aerodrome by mistake and were turned around by armed guards (late 70's when it was still active military base) I was working for a PC recycling firm called ActisAM and our boss rented out the car park for two weeks so a p*rno company could film a movie on a plane. Hope my car made the final cut XD

[@-xirx-]

What were you racing there?

[@MarmaLloyd]

@@-xirx- To get to the warehouse / hanger you had to drive on part of the old runway. When we clocked out we ran to our cars like rat-race to see who was first out the gate. My two competing cars while I was there was the Rover 214SLI (twin cam won me almost every time) then I get a 1979 mini with about 80bhp. I never won in that but I did it in style

[@MarmaLloyd]

@@-xirx- most competitors were fiestas / novas / volvos (first time drivers cars) etc. My rover may have looked like a grandad car but it could shift even in high gear

[@Smothtiger]

All missing is he flew through a tunnel and he'd be a real-life Ace Combat pilot. Still an absolute Ace of a pilot.

[@Palmtop_User]

Took to long to find this

[@johnladuke6475]

There's one thing missing from the story. It needs an acknowledgement to the design team at Hawker who created the Hunter. Because it's truly impressive that the jet was able to maintain control even when unbalanced by the load of the pilot's enormous brass balls.

[@SeriousBusinessman.]

Well said good commenter. Well said.

[@_nuclearism3433]

lmao that went from 0 to 100 real quick

[@captainsplashtail2627]

lmaooo

[@johnladuke6475]

@@weakspirit_ They're not hard to find if you know where to look.

[@aniruddhxie2k215]

My 1 like and it goes to 1k

[@lax1dude940]

Fun fact the airfield at 2:25 was the Top Gear test track where they tested every car they reviewed on the show and also the where all the celebrities raced in the "big star in a reasonably priced car" segment of each episode

[@aitor9158]

i knew that image looked familiar!

[@Rick_Sanchez_G420]

Hes a national hero, there should be statues of him.

[@mikewizz1895]

Agreed

[@yourtrappedinmygenjutsu]

A national hero ? For what ? Going on a joy ride ?

[@HazeVI]

@@yourtrappedinmygenjutsu Yup, on par with most British values

[@molly9582]

Of Qxir? Yes absolutely

[@Dan-zc7ut]

Could’ve gone very wrong but yes it’s pretty cool

[@rehetzelprdxyw3317]

I was privileged to meet Alan Pollock later in his life. He was a true gentleman, and always ready to support good causes, such as the war widows.

[@wikihowfrog9034]

Not in the best mood but seeing that Qxir uploaded has certainly cheered me up quite a bit

[@snipertf2229]

Feel that one, hope whatever got you down gets better. Keep ya head up Chief, and you dropped this 👑

[@wikihowfrog9034]

@@snipertf2229 thanks dude

[@LadyAdakStillStands]

#74 agrees. Lots of "not in the best mood" today...

[@samholdsworth420]

He ain't bad for potato eating man

[@lucvkl]

Oof, hope you feel better soon :^)

[@redkaven]

As a serving member of the RAF, I salute this man

[@artur6912]

For what ? Taking a joyride and doing a dangerous maneuver around pedestrians ? He admitted himself that for a moment he was unsure if his tail won't collide with the bridge. ONE small mistake and this would be a story about a domestic terrorist attack.

[@cabbenge3734]

@@artur6912 wow... i cannot believe you. literally everything has a chance to go horribly wrong, admire the fact that he wanted people to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the RAF and those who served.

[@Year_of_the_Dell]

Late to ask...but has it gotten better? Or worse? Or did it stay the same

[@artur6912]

@@cabbenge3734 Yes, literally everything can go bad, that's why you asses risks. Here I see a guy risking colliding a jet with a bridge that had pedestrians on it just to stroke his own ego. That's both irresponsible and juvenile so I refuse to drink the "but muh celebration" cool aid. Isn't the job of a soldier to protect civilians, not risk their lives in a stupid stunt ?

[@dannyengineer9862]

The fighter jet pilot: I bet this is what the commander meant by seeing London!

[@TheTrainMaster15]

Fun fact for those who don’t know, Dunsfold Aerodrome is the Top Gear Test Track that is being demolished

[@repletereplete8002]

Ah the mighty river Thayms. Tis one of the greatest rivers along with the Danubby, Rinny and the Nilly;]

[@sharonrigs7999]

Can't forget the Amoozon and the Vulga

[@DaimlerSleeveValve]

During training for their Dambusting raid, 617 Squadron pilots would commonly follow waterways and fly UNDER the power cables stretching across. That was until one Lancaster, doing exactly that, was passed by another, which was flying UNDERNEATH IT.

[@andrewbrown6786]

The infamous acts of Les Munro - as retold by Johnny Johnson 😂

[@DanGoodShotHD]

I've already heard this story, but it's such a great story and you're a pretty good storyteller. I had to give it a listen!

[@JTA1961]

Same here

[@DalerMehndisTurban]

Cool story bro. You're a pretty good storyteller too.

[@mortified776]

Salute to an absolute madlad. Needless to say, they didn't make the same mistake with the centenary in 2018! My grandfather was an aircraft technician in the Royal Navy fleet air arm who used the Hunter T.8 with an arrestor hook for simulated carrier landings as their trainer. He said it was a joy to maintain because the layout of the systems was really well thought out and easy to access compared to other aircraft of the time.

[@andrewince8824]

Hawker had some of the best airframes, fact. They had technical knowledge going way back to 1913 when it was Sopwith. In 1920 Harry Hawker bought the bankrupt company and renamed it Hawker. As such they can boast some of the most influential aircraft including the Camel, Snipe, Pup and Triplane (as Sopwith) and the Tempest, Typhoon and Hurricane (as Hawker, piston engine). They ultimately gave the world the only successful V/STOL aircraft, the legendary Harrier "jump jet". No one did it better than Hawker, bloody shame we're now stuck with yank crap, the F35c is already reported to suffer corrosion problems. Bloody Harriers didn't rust on the flight deck and Hurricanes could get home with more holes than a Swiss cheese.

[@Bianchiboy]

Yes! We need more of this ! How about having a look into Jack Churchill and doing us a similar video to watch? The guy carried a sword into battle and took a pill box single handed when all the other soldiers carried guns!

[@Stoner075C]

Mad Jack is a perfect subject for Qxir.

[@Gaybraham.Lincoln]

Oh yeah the bloke we all already know about

[@Bianchiboy]

@@Gaybraham.Lincoln have a day off from watching stuff on the internet then… perhaps you could find something completely new for us all to have a look at

[@ipellaers]

@@Bianchiboy To be fair mate, every history channel's worth their salt has already done a piece on him. Most pieces on here are not THAT well known.

[@Bianchiboy]

@@ipellaers probably depends on your age and interests. I’m ancient and seem to have seen all sorts on all sorts of channels!!! It’s a suggestion, take it or leave it !! 🤘

[@PlanetaryCitizen]

I must be one of the few people that remember seeing the jet as it flew over! I didn't see it fly under the bridge, but it flew over my school twice. I was a pupil at Beaufoy Technical School at Lollard Street in Kennington at the time and in a Maths class overlooking the Sports Hall. Suddenly there was this terrific roaring sound and all the boys rushed over to the window to see what it was. We saw the plane flying low (and I mean REALLY low!) over the rooftops. It wasn't till later on that day that we realised what it was when it was reported in the national news. There was no internet then and no mobile phones, so news took a while to trickle through! I was in touch by email with Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock some years ago and we discussed it.

[@gintautassickus6390]

If I remember correctly some pilot did the same thing in France in 1918 because the pilots didn't recieve recognition for ww1.

[@rockmusicman21]

I believe Mark Felton made a video about it

[@maxwellharris507]

@@rockmusicman21 He did, even found surviving film footage of the stunt

[@dylanfinucane7193]

I love the real interview/video clip you always add at the end.

[@RealistikDash]

honestly this would've been really interesting to experience first hand, i can only imagine a few burst ear drums though

[@ryanmacs2486]

Thank you for sharing this story. I don't come here for the aviation, I come here for the dark comedy that is life, that only you capture so well. So I was plenty surprised when I watched a story I had never heard in aviation. Thank you.

[@zorktxandnand3774]

Yes if he would have hit the bridge and crashed, it would have been a very different story. The line between hero and villain can be a fine one indeed.

[@fl0cbitter611]

Yes but he was very experienced so it was highly unlikely he would have ever hit the bridge its not like a 50/50 chance

[@Bianchiboy]

@@fl0cbitter611 dude has become a legend due to not crashing

[@zorktxandnand3774]

@@fl0cbitter611 well the fact that he thought he might have had a tail strike, gives me the impression it was not as safe as you make it out to be. This plus the fact it was a split second decision.

[@killerbug05]

@@zorktxandnand3774 eh 🤷it all worked out, why are you worrying about a multiple decade old mostly meaningless story? And split second decision are often the best or at least not as bad as you think, your instincts rarely lead you astray while the longer you over thing something the more likely you are to get it wrong.

[@davesmith9325]

How can anyone bear the risk of getting out of bed in the morning. The risk of a front line raf pilot failing to get an aircraft like the hunter through a gap that large is practically zero. The only issue js that he wasn't supposed to, not that it was dangerous.

[@denisrivarola2387]

Loved this dude, love your channel and stories, but your drawings are the best factor. Cheers from Uruguay.

[@Pikernik]

a good story to cover would be that of Taffy holden, an engineer that accidenrly took off in a jet plane.

[@Dez456]

Yeah and in an English Electric Lightning !

[@mbryson2899]

Qxir, the way you presented this beautiful tale is perfect! Thank you for elaborating on it, I had only previously read hints, feagments, and vague references.

[@tonypeaches454]

I love this story and im over joyed you made a video for it

[@aregularperson7573]

The uk back in 1968: Fighter jets flying under London bridge nearly hitting a bus in the process The uk in 2021:OY MATE DO YOU HAVE A LICENSE FOR THAT BUTTERKNIFE

[@chri-k]

Do you have a license to for that brick in your house wall? Bricks could be used as weapons.

[@beeftec5862]

Licence for a knife? Bot

[@chibani-]

Wasn't the Uk gov' almost disband the whole RAF in the 60's 70's ? The point of the governement was that the russian wouldn't use bombers but ICBM

[@andreww2098]

@@chibani- they wanted to replace the RAF with SAM and AAA sites, they thought the fighter was a waste of time compared to the new guided missiles, until someone explained about low level attacks and jamming, the USSR still had large Nuclear Bomber squadrons even in the 70's so they had to keep the RAF

[@paulm749]

That must be related to my current KZbin favorite: OY MATE, YOU CAN'T PARK THERE!!!

[@mrs-chief]

as an ex-USAF airman, from one airman to another, thank you.

[@John.McMillan]

Im glad Quixr doesnt do the premier and live stream thing with new uploads. You see notification, you get full video. Simple. And top quality too.

[@rebralhunter6069]

Yeah I hate that new trend

[@Amon26]

Jet junkie as I am, I have NEVER heard about this stunt! Fantastic story!

[@paddyjoe1884]

As I recall the Irish navy had an anniversary recently and even they got a fly past (even tho our fleet's a couple of patrol boats and the airforce is mostly helicopters and trainers). So you can understand what he was a bit cheesed off.

[@Dan-zc7ut]

Irish navy and Air Force may as well be canal boats and gliders

[@Philip-b9r]

@@Dan-zc7ut you forgot our pigeons

[@digitalutopia1]

When your country puts more effort into honoring the 50th anniversary of a TV show, than a military branch, that's a problem

[@paddyjoe1884]

@@Dan-zc7ut Now come on, one of the boats has a gun on it, the others they've got planks of wood with a nail it in ;)

[@paddyjoe1884]

@@Dan-zc7ut Seriously tho, I read once that the Irish navy ships are more designed with sea keeping in mind than combat. So, much like the Icelandic navy during the Cod wars, the logic is that any other navy won't be able to control a sea space indefinitely. At some point they'll have to give up and go home, conceding the sea space to the Irish navy. So its sort of a way to win without having to fight

[@CristiNeagu]

When I had my first solo flight, as I was on downwind, I looked at the empty seat to my right and I thought: "You know... if I just keep going now instead of coming in for landing... there is nothing anyone can do about it until I run out of fuel".

[@Emigdiosback]

Pollack felt the need… The NEED FOR SPEED!

[@georgeprout42]

Negative ghost rider, the pattern is full

[@chatteyj]

@@georgeprout42 Haha

[@Dez456]

The need for speed, was replaced, by a need, for speed..

[@gangstagarf]

EPIC STUNT!!!! also this kinda reminds me of the sky king incident. maybe you could make a video on that?

[@dhelix85]

Fly high skyking!

[@gangstagarf]

@@dhelix85 'He didn't go up there to die, he went up there to live.' Fly high indeed

[@whyharambedie]

"How high do you think I have to be for a barrel roll?" "He cleared the ocean by about ten feet"

[@dhelix85]

@@whyharambedie his comment about having played PlayStation a bunch was funny af too. It's weird; I envy skyking. The guy wanted to fly he couldn't make it happen through normal channels so he did it. He also paid with his life, but he did it.

[@whyharambedie]

@@dhelix85 Yea he said a lot of funny things. I can't find the audio from the F15 pilots like the quote where the one fighter jet guy says to the other 'he cleared by about 10 feet' but I remember listening to those a little after it happened. Yea it's hard not to want to do dangerous stunts but I don't think it can be worth it if it means prison or worse

[@absolutemattlad2701]

I doubt you'll read this, but where do you find all the stories you make your videos on? They never fail to keep me entertained and fascinated!

[@Notimp0rtant523]

Wow, I get in here after one minute! Excited to watch this one

[@dogeisqt8633]

I got here 46 seconds after release

[@paultheaudaciousbradford6772]

21st comment.

[@WarhawkplaysMC]

Every time I watch your videos it's something I've never heard about and it manages to grab my attention as well as keep it for the entire duration of the video. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing another amazing story and I can't wait for the next one (:

[@trj1442]

Another excellent episode. A great way to start a Saturday morning downunder. Thankyou for your awesome content. I love the graphics.

[@ArcFixer]

My uncle was a Navy pilot. Flew combat in Korea. When he came to visit us in our small Texas town, he landed the USAF base 50 miles away. To let us know to come and get him, he would make a couple of low passes down our alley. Inverted. An F 8 Crusader flying over your head upside down at 50 feet is hard to miss. Then we'd jump in the car and go pick him up.

[@shootingstarproductions2530]

Goverment: NOOO! You can't just fly around, providing dangers for other people whilst flying through a bridge! This madlad: *Ha ha, 50th-anniversary flight go brrrrrr.*

[@dietznutz1]

Haha old

[@andrewince8824]

British government: flying like that could hurt someone Also British government: some Saudi, Yemeni, Jordanian and Egyptian nationals blew up an American building on the orders of a Saudi living in Pakistan who was trained by the CIA. Go over to Afghanistan and blow up some innocent people.

[@kangobango2115]

One of my great grand uncles was in the RAF as a New Zealand volunteer in WW2. He was a fighter pilot during the air raids in London and after a successful mission, on the way back he had flown under the London Bridge. After which he had gotten himself kicked out of the RAF.

[@stratac30]

It’s possible, but the old London Bridge during WW2 was a smaller multi span bridge so it’s highly unlikely, plus the wharves then on either side of the Thames between Tower and London bridges had lots of activity with ship’s and barges so I think it would have been impossible to get a direct low flight path without hitting something on the river.

[@kangobango2115]

Did not clarify. Through the bridge not under

[@vustvaleo8068]

Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone can be heard as he is doing the stunts.

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

Nah, God Save the King, since this was way before Top Gun. Fairly older jet, but still beautiful.

[@nik_evdokimov]

One of the moments in history when intrusive thoughts win I mean, if I was a pilot and wanted a 50th anniversary to be memorable, then I would totally do that, especially when having relevant experience

[@cameronbrown9080]

What a great man. We must have more people in charge of the country like him. And you know it would be fun

[@mattmarzula]

Naw. It gets pretty old having people who don't respect rules and laws designed for safety being in charge of anything and putting other's lives at risk. How many sonic booms and shattered windows would it take until you demanded a stop to it? Perhaps a stray round or two through your bedroom? Basically, it's easy to claim you like mavericks and think they should run things right up until it affects you negatively. You... A hero worshipping wannabe who probably hasn't so much as prevented a kitchen fire.

[@jg.g5977]

@@mattmarzula it’s not that deep

[@joedingo7022]

@@mattmarzula Also Hunter going supersonic lmao. Absolute killjoy.

[@james23a]

Dude you really are my favorite fecking KZbinr. Your stories and how you tell them kill me everytime.

[@twitterisstupid6947]

Great video Qxir, love this channel so much thanks!

[@joenichols3901]

This dude is an absolute legend . Civilized yet lethal

[@yeoldeseawitch]

The Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 was a class of streamlined electric locomotives built for the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), in the northeastern United States. The class was known for its striking art deco shell, its ability to pull trains at up to 100 mph, and its long operating career of more than 50 years. Between 1934 and 1943, General Electric and the PRR's Altoona Works built 139 GG1s. The GG1 entered service with the PRR in 1935 and later ran on successor railroads Penn Central, Conrail, and Amtrak. The last GG1 was retired by New Jersey Transit in 1983. Most have been scrapped, but 16 are in museums.

[@OrangeYTT]

How fast do you type...the video is 30 seconds old

[@joedirt7604]

@@OrangeYTT I was thinking the same 🤣

[@FRT_TRF.07]

This is a video about British Aircraft...... why did you bring up the GG1

[@yeoldeseawitch]

i did this because i want Qxir to cover the federal express runaway train in 1953, when one of these GG1 locomotives crashed into Union Station during the inauguration of president Dwight D Eisenhower.

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

@@yeoldeseawitch wasn't Eisenhower a general in WW2 as well?

[@nintendiehard]

Don't let Dark Skies find out you're getting into their territory! Great video as always!

[@jasperlawrence5361]

Thanks, you have done some great videos but my favourite is still the meth addled soldier in Finland during WW2.

[@alun7006]

Pollock was an absolute champ. The RAF made damn sure not to overlook the centenary in 2018. The Hawker Hunter is one of the most gorgeous aircraft ever built. Absolutely perfect. Can't think of a better machine to use for such a stunt!

[@militarymeerkat520]

Protesting really has gone downhill recently, bring back flying planes close to the Houses of Parliament, or why not go full Guy Fawkes

[@panadatm]

flying near buildings isnt exactly a smart plan

[@iiiiiiii3359]

I can only imagine the the phone call between the officials... "Mate, would you care to explain why theres a bloody RAF fighter out my office window?"

[@computethis1533]

I'm surprised his jet could even fly when the pilot had balls that big

[@Ronin4614]

Retired Career USAF here, and well done, Alan Pollard! Blue Skies, amigo.

[@Lozoot2]

There are times where you know, deep down in your heart - you just gotta *send it*

[@JunohNebula]

I do respect the utter tenacity of "There's not gonna be an airshow? Then I'm gonna be the airshow!"

[@jackrotz2139]

I liked this story alot especially the outcome being more of a happy ending than some other acts of rebellion (I'm looking at you killdozer) This really put a smile on me and being an American, I probably wouldn't have heard this story otherwise, so again thank you for sharing it.

[@Detah_]

when he mentioned Dunsfold I started immediately hearing the Top Gear theme in my head

[@zettour.]

3:40 GTA V Players: *Relatable.*

[@purplehaze2358]

Just remember: There's at least one alternate universe where he accidentally crashed into the tower bridge and had his attempt at celebration misunderstood as a terrorist attack.

[@CivilEngineerWroxton]

YES! This guy ROCKS! If I were ever to have that same opportunity in those circumstances, I would have done the very same thing. This pilot showed his pride in his country and Air Force and he deserves a medal for his skills and the way he demonstrated his skills. I'm SO impressed by this performance. And that's exactly what it was.....a performance. The inversion was incredible. This whole set of stunts he performed makes him a military hero. My hat's off to this man's man. 😁👌

[@maniUSArmy]

The black and white video footage was amazing, hand-drawn and all.

[@zenex1741]

"Sorry, the freebird solo started playing and I just had to" "Understandable, as you were".

[@barlb0se301]

The best weekly uploader on youtube! Btw, how many of these stories come from you and yer mates late at night drunk chatting shite about random shit?

[@hippopotamus86]

My girlfriends grandad has a fantastic story of how he swapped identities with someone in during the war, and ended up being arrested and suspected of being a Russian spy, all so he could see a woman. He was on the front page of the news of the world at the time. A lot of people in his life still think he has the other guys name. Recently the government contacted him again as they found out he had two national insurance numbers, but quietly swept it under the rug.

[@Cuestrupaster]

Whenever talking about London politics I remember about V for Vengeance, wich not only is a AMAZING critic movie about England governament but to all governaments in the world, everyone should watch the movie and learn that aren't we who work for them, are them that should very well fear us and do what we ask for, after all, a nation isn't a nation without his people...

[@MyCatInABox]

I swear this is the best channel on KZbin

[@scottlewisparsons9551]

This is a great story. I have known about it for some time. When I was very young, the first model plane I made was the Hawker Hunter, with the help of my sister. I think that the authorities have always had some problems with trained fighters, whether on the ground, at sea or in the air. They teach them to fight and then get upset when they don’t like the results! In this case I think Alan Pollock’s protest was justified, the government decided not to honour the RAF and they should have. The government also did not treat Dowding or Harris very well either. Enough said. Merry Christmas everyone.

[@HECKproductions]

fun fact: dunsfold is where the top gear track and studio used to be

[@sonsoffalstaff2600]

True Brit. Really love QXIR. By the way......Thames is pronounced TEMMS.

[@Antoinemalone]

The pause, then saying "he was arrested " got me 😂 I was like "wait for it.... wait for it..." lol

[@tomsenior7405]

Great story. And what a Damn Hero the guy is. Having done the minimal amount of research required, I can find no Rank by the name of "Lootennant" in the RAF. Perhaps you meant "Loo Attendant"? But why would a Loo Attendant be flying a Jet? No wonder he wanted to protest the decline the RAF, if they were forcing Lavatorial Staff to go up in the air!

[@johnladuke6475]

I think he might have been half in the bag doing the voice over... I'm sure he must know that the River Thames isn't pronounces They Mes River.

[@tomsenior7405]

@@johnladuke6475 Excellent call. Yeah, I spotted that one too, but felt his other comment was more egregious. I think he was leaning on his lovely Irish Accent for his overseas markets? Whatever his reasons, I laughed out loud at "They Mes River..." . Half in the Bag; Love it.

[@JimJimWACA]

In case you actually don't know, it's called lieutenant

[@tomsenior7405]

@@JimJimWACA Absolutely correct. It may well be spelled "Lieutenant", but we weird Brits have decided to pronounce it " Lieutenant" and not "Lieutenant". An incorrect pronunciation of "Lieutenant" is a derogatory term for a Criminal's Right hand man. For example, a Mafioso may have a his "Lieutenants", but the RAF have their Flight "Lieutenants" I hope this helps clarify the situation.

[@watchinyoutube8919]

Honestly one of my favorite channels

[@chatteyj]

Haha what a cool story, thanks for letting us know, I doubt I would have ever known about it otherwise. The RAF chap had a point and he made it known.

[@PoopSnoot]

In the late 50s my Dad flew this plane for the Royal Dutch A.F. (just across the puddle 😉). He was stationed in New Guinea later.

[@Barkevshadian]

Best sounding fighter jet ever.

[@Pte1643]

One of the best looking too.

[@r3ttgaming177]

3:30 *battlefield theme intensifies* "I mean, I could go over the bridge. Buuuuuuuut, it'd look sick if I managed to go through it!" Alan Pollock was a true gamer, he truly was before his time.

[@thatautogarage3644]

Such an incredible patriot and a legend.

[@Peter_Peter_Curry_Eater]

Gotta love a load of stills on what is supposed to be a video website

[@LagBlowz]

Kinda reminds me of that one time in 1952 when a bus driver was on the bridge as it was raising, and managed to successfully jump the gap, and come out with a broken leg, but no harm done to the passengers. I almost wish filming stuff was easier back then just so people can see it was actually done.

[@Tokax]

When nobody comes to celebrate your birthday: fine I’ll do it myself

[@cool_sword]

This guy should get the Royal Hell Yeah Dude award, which I assume is the award you get for doing something sick.

[@WhuDhat]

What a complete & total badass, Imagine being on that double decker bus! You just know they heard him coming and scrambled to see what it was, to be met with the sight of a friggin' fighter jet coming right at you on an intersection course with the bus youre on, only to pass directly overhead. I can imagine screamin, cheering, gasps of awe and a possible collective sigh of relief after it completed its maneuver

[@clashaccount8737]

My man channeled the power of ace combat protagonists.

[@mill2712]

No he's the progenitor.

[@curlybrace4984]

Man, every other sentence I was flip flopping between "oh that's such a sweet celebration" to "wait what the fuck this guy's a lunatic." The video's over and I still can't figure out which part of me I side with more.

[@briantaylor9285]

Gotta love how he dipped his wings at the RAF memorial. #respect

[@carlmanvers5009]

All I know is nowadays we need more Flight Commander Pollocks, and less, well, whatever the hell we have now.