planeflyer21 Posted October 26, 2016 Report Share Posted October 26, 2016 There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are now truly no old, bold pilots: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/26/top-pilot-who-stole-plane-to-escape-wwii-prison-camp-dies.html As the article mentions, shot down and captured over Germany in WWII, he stole one of their planes to escape. He flew the chase plane for Chuck Yeager's X-1 flights up to and breaking the sound barrier for the first time. After Yeager would burn out all the rocket fuel in the X-1, he and Hoover would "dog fight" on the way down to the lake bed, seeing who could get in a firing position on the other. I got to see Hoover perform a couple of times, doing this "engine out" routine in a Rockwell Shrike Commander: Once I asked my Dad what the most impressive air show display he had seen was. Completely unprompted, he stated he'd seen Bob Hoover conducting a F-100 demo. Hoover had the Super Sabre off the ground, landing gear retracted, and flipped over onto its back flying upside down by the halfway point on the runway. As entertaining as the Shrike Commander engine's out display was, he used to also do air shows in his ugly yellow P-51 Mustang with Rockwell painted down the side. Thanks Bob. Vaya con Dios! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EngrBob Posted October 26, 2016 Report Share Posted October 26, 2016 I watched him perform several times, in the Shrike and the 51. He is flying higher now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted October 26, 2016 Report Share Posted October 26, 2016 I met Bob Hoover at an air show many years ago after watching him do his "energy saving" routine (aerobatics and landing his twin engine with one engine out). Great guy. Smooth skies to you now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikedaddyH Posted October 26, 2016 Report Share Posted October 26, 2016 I got to meet him at the Paine Field Rotory Airshow in Everett Was as a kid. My dad knew him, they talked for a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted October 26, 2016 Report Share Posted October 26, 2016 Pretty sure I saw him do a very similar routine to that video at EAA in Oshkosh in the early 90's, it had to have been him I can't Imagine anyone else duplicating that rest easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washguy Posted October 26, 2016 Report Share Posted October 26, 2016 One heck of a pilot! and a nice man too! Fly high Bob Wash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbas4570 Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 That is some awesome work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisco Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 They broke the mold with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 That God welcomes brother Bob into heaven with open arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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