Soviet MiG-17 fighter jet flies under a bridge in 1965

A Soviet pilot performed an incredible feat when he flew a MiG-17 fighter jet under a 30-meter-high bridge during the Cold War.

The photo recreates the moment the MiG-17 flew under the bridge. Photo: War History.

The Cold War period saw many incredible stunts by fighter pilots from both the US and the Soviet Union to demonstrate their superior skills over their opponents, including the MiG-17 fighter jet flying under a bridge on June 4, 1965, according to War History.

It was a sunny afternoon, and many residents and military officers stationed in the Soviet city of Novosibirsk were strolling and sunbathing along the banks of the Ob River that flows through the city.

Suddenly they saw a silver jet fighter descending to the river and performing an impossible maneuver by flying under a bridge only about 30 meters above the river.

According to RIA Novosti, the pilot of the MiG-17, Valentin Privalov, flew at a speed of 700 km/h.While people on the riverbank were terrified by the possibility of the plane crashing straight into the railway bridge crossing in front of them,Privalov sent the fighter soaring high., leaving behind a white column of water due to the impact from the engine.

Russian media at that time said that the pilotPrivalov performed this move on his own initiative without any orders from the commander, in order to demonstrate his skill and win admiration from the public.

After the incident,Privalov was arrested and faced the risk of severe disciplinary action, even the destruction of his career.However, the then Soviet Minister of Defense, Marshal Rodion Malinovsky, decided not to punishPrivalov, at the same time turning his actions into a symbol of promoting the army's power.

Privalov was then sent to train at the Kubinka air base in Moscow, which was reserved for elite pilots of the Soviet Air Force's aerobatic teams. He ended his career as deputy director of the Russian civil aviation air traffic control center.

The photo captures the momentPrivalov flying under the bridge was photographed by a student and immediately published in Soviet and American newspapers. However, some international experts believe that the photo was only reconstructed to illustrate the event, because the Soviet pilot's actions were unexpected and unannounced.

According to VNE