One P-51 Mustang pilot's story.

[drm2m]

For people that have not seen this….and may be interested

A friend of mine sent me this link yesterday…..it deals with a vet that flew P-51s..
It is very moving and well done…..I think.

Turn up the speakers on your computer.

GRAY EAGLES FILM BY CHRIS WOODS | www.asb.tv

David


Jim's comments when he sent me this video.

This is an outstanding piece of work.During the video they will mention the name Bob Hoover as they show several old P-51 pilots. Hoover is the one in the straw hat. They show him several times in the film, without mentioning the name again. That stupid hat is a trademark of his.

I didn't realize he was still alive. Hoover has several hangers at Torrance airport along with a number of restored WWII aircraft. One of them is his P-51 Mustang. He raced it in the Reno and Vegas air races into his 70's at least. The FAA took his pilot's license from him due to his age a number of years ago, even tho he passed the medicals.

Hoover doesn't get much mention when standing next to his buddy Chuck Yeager, but they both flew together as test pilots when Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time. Hoover has a story all his own and several times almost didn't survive to tell it.

The WWII ace depicted in this film, and what he got to experience, is very moving.

Jim


(My comment.)

Jim Mock is:

The Guru of the Bavarian M1 carbines.
Nothing to do with aviation but a guy that appreciates stuff that is well done as is reflected in his web site.

Home Page

[mr.dirt]

Bob Hoover is considered one of the best acrobatic pilots in the world and also one of the craziest.

He worked for many years for Rockwell Aviation as a demonstaration pilot for the Aero Commander and perfected what he called the "Hoover Maneuver" which involved a series of barrel rolls after an inside loop and ended with killing both engines and landing in a deadstick stall.

I saw him do it once and never thought he would make it.

He had his battles with the FAA over age issues but the FAA said "There is no way we can guarantee that Mr. Hoover will not perform acrobatics if we let him keep his license." as they feel that his advanced age and the effects of acrobatics on the heart, brain and circulatory system with the possibility of a stroke during a maneuver ruled out his retaining his flight status. Having seen younger pilots have hemmorages during high G maneuvers, the FAA has to take the safety of the public into the equation when making these type of rulings. Bob had a history of run ins with the FAA over minimum altitude stunts, etc but the real issue here is that in the end no one wanted to see Bob end up as a smoking hole in the dirt.

The man was a born show off and he was really good at it!