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Post by oldpop2000 on Oct 27, 2016 8:15:15 GMT -6
Yesterday, Bob Hoover passed away. He was a famous airshow pilot, USAF test pilot and fighter pilot who flew at Edwards with Chuck Yeager. He was also a WWII fighter pilot who escaped from a prison camp and stole an abandoned FW-190 and flew to liberated Holland. Great pilots like him will be missed. He was Yeager's alternative pilot in the Bell X-1 for the famous October 14th, 1947 breaking of the Sound Barrier.
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Post by steel selachian on Oct 27, 2016 17:01:58 GMT -6
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Post by oldpop2000 on Oct 28, 2016 8:16:13 GMT -6
Thanks for the link, it is very interesting. It's shame to lose great stick and rudder men like Bob Hoover.
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Post by vonfriedman on Oct 28, 2016 8:16:58 GMT -6
It is also remarkable that he climbed into his P51 Mustang dressed in suits and ties, wihout wearing a parachute. That's true style!
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Post by oldpop2000 on Oct 28, 2016 9:07:22 GMT -6
It is also remarkable that he climbed into his P51 Mustang dressed in suits and ties, wihout wearing a parachute. That's true style! I can't confirm this, but I suspect the parachute was in cockpit, in the seat which was concave so the parachute would fit into it. After takeoff and out of sight, he would simply put the straps on and cinch them down. Before landing, he reversed this procedure and stepped out of the plane. I can't believe that an experienced pilot like Hoover would be stupid enough to fly without a parachute. He was too smart for that.
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