Anyone remember the story of the bent pitot tubes?
Anyone remember the story of the bent pitot tubes?
Author
Discussion

E-numbers

Original Poster:

297 posts

25 months

Monday 15th September 2025
quotequote all
When I was a kid, I remember reading about, and seeing an image, of a row of fighter planes (possibly french or Swedish) with a row of bent pitot tubes. A worker had swung on one and bent it, so did the same to them all so that it wouldn’t get noticed?!?! Please tell me it’s true, I’m not crazy and that you can link the picture and story?!

GliderRider

2,843 posts

103 months

Monday 15th September 2025
quotequote all
You would probably have more joy trying to establish at which airfield the RAF Police used their car in an attempt to flatten a snowman built around a concrete bollard. Anyway, here's a thread on Pprune in which the bent pitots get a mention.

E-numbers

Original Poster:

297 posts

25 months

Monday 15th September 2025
quotequote all
Ah… thank you! So it was a squadron of X-15s etc etc. I guess it had to be an old wives’ tale.