Bob Hoover - sponsored for a while by Evergreen Airlines. I must have gotten ten phone calls at 3 am when he was uplifting fuel using an EIA sponsored credit card
Full Bore and More! Had the pleasure of meeting him after I got my private license and before heading to AOCS. Had my girlfriend ( later wife of 44 years and counting) and my roomie -also a pilot - and his gal. Bob had flown the Shrike Commander routine with a large hat and a sport coat! Standing in line to shake his hand my girlfriend asked "can you do all that in your airplane (Cessna 182 RG)?" Bob overheard and said "there was nothing that I did that most any airplane can't do". When my gal said she'd love to do loops and rolls I knew she was the one for me.
10 months later Maj Beck, USMC, VT-6 T-28 Stan Officer was my off wing instructor for Acro 1. He had a Joy squeeze bottle filled with water and a styrofoam coffee cup. He told me about Hoover doing a roll and loop while pouring tea (I think) and telling the camera "nothing comes out because it is a 1 G maneuver". So Maj Beck said "aileron roll and if I get wet you get soaked". The flight line had a good laugh when we both got out of the Mighty Trojan looking like we had just showered.
Fullbore. Papa Scoobs went through the USN flight training pipeline in the mid-1950s with a number of allied nation students - some of which had some very interesting prior service during WW2. One of his favorites was a portly West German Navy LT who was prior Luftwaffe FW-190 driver on the Western Front - and had a couple of B-17 kills to his credit!
With the A-5 Vigilante being a North American product, Bob used to bring his Mustang and Shrike down to Sanford for the annual Air show. I loved sitting in that Mustang!
I didn't know of his escape until years later.
The airplane escape written into the movie Great Escape is said to be an homage to this incredible story.
His deadstick routine in the Shrike was simply epic.
thankyou, Sir. always a great way to begin a Friday.
Bob Hoover - sponsored for a while by Evergreen Airlines. I must have gotten ten phone calls at 3 am when he was uplifting fuel using an EIA sponsored credit card
I’m a big fan of Bob Hoover. Never heard that story! Thank you!
Great....now there is a fraking DVD I need to buy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO8GyU8asEI
Full Bore and More! Had the pleasure of meeting him after I got my private license and before heading to AOCS. Had my girlfriend ( later wife of 44 years and counting) and my roomie -also a pilot - and his gal. Bob had flown the Shrike Commander routine with a large hat and a sport coat! Standing in line to shake his hand my girlfriend asked "can you do all that in your airplane (Cessna 182 RG)?" Bob overheard and said "there was nothing that I did that most any airplane can't do". When my gal said she'd love to do loops and rolls I knew she was the one for me.
10 months later Maj Beck, USMC, VT-6 T-28 Stan Officer was my off wing instructor for Acro 1. He had a Joy squeeze bottle filled with water and a styrofoam coffee cup. He told me about Hoover doing a roll and loop while pouring tea (I think) and telling the camera "nothing comes out because it is a 1 G maneuver". So Maj Beck said "aileron roll and if I get wet you get soaked". The flight line had a good laugh when we both got out of the Mighty Trojan looking like we had just showered.
Nice pull CDR. For those not privileged to see his routine in the underpowered 500S.
https://youtu.be/bQWXMLtR-LA?feature=shared
Fullbore. Papa Scoobs went through the USN flight training pipeline in the mid-1950s with a number of allied nation students - some of which had some very interesting prior service during WW2. One of his favorites was a portly West German Navy LT who was prior Luftwaffe FW-190 driver on the Western Front - and had a couple of B-17 kills to his credit!
If you want a real story that would not be believed as a movie script read "Fly for Your Life: The Story of Robert Stanford Tuck"
With the A-5 Vigilante being a North American product, Bob used to bring his Mustang and Shrike down to Sanford for the annual Air show. I loved sitting in that Mustang!
I didn't know of his escape until years later.
The airplane escape written into the movie Great Escape is said to be an homage to this incredible story.
His deadstick routine in the Shrike was simply epic.
Here he is making it all look easy...
https://youtu.be/W2-9BL7sllk?si=kLe3z0D90NgkPm3I
Bravo Zulu! Another great story from the greatest generation!
I have seen photos of a captured FW-190 that was being evaluated by the USN. FW-190s look cool in tricolor, with big stars and bars!
Since I always rant about Seamanship...or lack thereof...just met Cole Brauer...
This accomplishment many may not have heard of, is worthy of its own FbF...
I bring it up here because she is carrying on the American Maritime tradition.
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2024/03/14/cole-brauer-right-place-right-time-right-person/
At 29 she is the youngest woman and first American to sail solo around the world nonstop.
Absolutely charming young lass!
https://youtu.be/CxT6B6U5snM?si=2RbiuEXguGPwIPII