In the spring of sixty years ago could be amazed the residents of the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan just: Above the water, a huge six-engined nuclear-dipped bombers of the Air Force. The B-47 to be pulled up on the bridge, and dived under it. Of the plane it was a tremendous achievement – between the bridge and the water only about 45 metres and the height of the B-47 was already at 8.5 meters. The smallest errors is with the lumbering machine would have led to disaster.

According to the military portal “Task & Purpose” was the B-47 in addition, not just a safe aircraft. Ten percent of the machines built crashed, the are 203 aircraft. This 464 men died. However, Captain John S. Lappo wasn’t just any Pilot. The 39-Year-old was a highly decorated officer who served 15 years in the Cockpit and on 5700 hours of flight experience could look. His career began towards the end of the Second world war. In 1948, acknowledged the service, but was moved in 1951 because of the Korean war. He flew 28 bombing campaign over North Korea in a B-29.

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Exactly how famous this picture is A Mig by dips in Siberia under a bridge. But, unfortunately, it is a Montage.

Commons combat missions over Korea, A-10 Warthog, The old warthog is the most powerful ground-attack aircraft in the world By Gernot Kramper

still, The B-29 was the most advanced Bomber of the Second world war. For the propeller aircraft was achieved due to their flight height to. But North Korea looked different, as here the modern jet fighters of Russian design were hunting the lumbering Bomber. His plane with the name “Command Decision” was regarded as the most famous Bomber of the Air Force. His character was not without wit. On the nose of the “decision of command” were two of the dwarves from the disney film “snow white” shown, which looked pretty stumped on a globe. After the Korean war, Lappo should have – now with the B-47 – top-secret spy missions over the USSR flown.

in Short: Lappo was one of the best pilots in the Air Force. Later, he said that he saw only two vehicles in April 1959 on the bridge, a car and a truck, as he shouted to his Crew: “I’ll take you down!” Lappo flew an extraordinarily daring manoeuvre. He lowered the machine slowly, but squeezing them in a Parabolic path. At its apex he crossed the bridge. For outsiders saw the madness. But for Lappos Crew of the Stunt was the proof of what could make your machine. In their eyes, that was one of the “most beautiful maneuvers” ever to be flown by a pilot of the air force.

B-52 nuclear bomber: Back from the dead – the B-52 returns from the Airforce graveyard back to Fullscreen

Colonel Robert Burgess at the successful landing.

©U.S. Air Force/307th Bomb Wing Commons The feeling of the adventure

On the question of why he did it, the Pilot replied later: “Why are men to mountains? Or what motivates you to go into space? It is the sense of adventure that some men feel, and others just don’t.” He had always wanted to fly under a big bridge. “First of all, it should be the Golden Gate Bridge. But as I flew to the East, I was only Co-Pilot. And couldn’t convince the pilot to do it.”

a relic from the war, Block Buster With the HC 4000, the British torch of German cities By Gernot Kramper

a new Crew added Navigator was not thrilled. In an Interview Lappo said later: “Yes, the Navigator was not equal. Of course, I had no idea then that he was the son of the General, and that he would betray me, as soon as we landed in lock Bourne.” Lappo was court-martialed and had to pay a moderate fine of $ 300. This was a non-issue, but he was banished from the Cockpit. After a few years he retired from the service. But for him, the Stunt had would, the others will never understand, worth it. He said: “How can you describe the feelings experienced by a man when he sees for the first Time a beautiful woman and fall in love? How can someone understand the relief you feel when you penetrate into enemy lines, the anti-aircraft artillery prevents, while it drops its bombs, and the machine then alive again brings back? Some feelings are hard to describe, but I can tell you, it was exhilarating, to say the least!”

source: Alaskan’s assault on the Mackinac Recalled

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