Episode Five - Aviation’s Most Audacious Feats and the Hawker Hunter

Every so often our imaginations are fired by someone doing something extraordinary, something so audacious that it’s cemented into folklore. Our latest podcast, ‘Aviation’s Most Audacious Feats’ touches on some of the most outrageous escapades ever to unfold, from the fearless wingwalker of the 1920s who changed an aircraft’s wheel in mid-air, to the brilliant and heroic life-saving exploits of a Royal Navy helicopter crew in the Falklands Conflict. Some of the stories had us spellbound, while others had us rolling around with laughter.

 

Our special guest managed to do both those things, by telling us how he created his own legendary moment in April 1968, when he flew his Hawker Hunter fighter jet through Tower Bridge in London. Flt Lt Alan Pollock of No1 Sqn RAF, was incensed that as defence cuts bit ever harder, the RAF was denied a flypast to mark its 50th anniversary. So Pollock decided to let the Government of the day know just how he, and many others felt, by buzzing Westminster before heading off down the Thames at zero feet and about 400 miles an hour. It’s an extraordinary story, and his various capers during his time with the RAF are the stuff of legend. Needless to say Alan is a most engaging character.

 

This episode runs a little longer than usual, but we hope you’ll forgive us, it’s just that the stories were too good to cut. So be amazed and be amused in equal measure. And remember Alan Pollock’s full interview will be available a week after our main episode drops.