Bob Hoover, one of history’s greatest pilots, dead at 94

[DA 20]

One of the greatest pilots in the history of aviation died this morning, according to reports.

Bob Hoover, a World War II fighter pilot, a former Air Force test pilot, and the chase plane pilot for Chuck Yeager when he broke the sound barrier for the first time, was 94.

Shot down over Germany in World War II, he was a POW for 16 months before he escaped near the end of the war by stealing a German fighter.

Had he remained at the POW camp a few days longer, the Allies likely would have reached him. But now he faced possible extinction at the hands of any friendly pilot who would presume his Focke Wulf was manned by the enemy.

http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2016/10/bob-hoover-one-of-nations-greatest-pilots-dead-at-94/

 

[DRC458]

Damn! Sorry to hear that. Thanks for the info. I got to meet and talk with Bob for quite some time many years ago, when he was still doing air shows. Very classy gentleman, and an unbelievable pilot. Some of the things he could do were uncanny.

 

[skyhawk1]

He was an awesome guy, met him many years ago and had dinner with him and talked to him frequently at Oshkosh Was standing there when the FFA busted him at the airshow and took away his medical

Clear skies Bob. R.I.P.

 

[davek]

I remember seeing him perform at a Tulsa Air Show. He'd shut the engines off and loop it over the airport. An Aero Commander I think the plane was.

 

[p238shooter]

Anyone who has had an interest in aviation will understand why I consider Bob Hoover THE pilot. Major military background then became a salesman for AeroCommander executive aircraft doing airshows. He was Mr. Energy Management in an aircraft.

Put on an airshow that would make military aircraft green with envy, then cut the twin prop engines, then fly a 2nd impressive airshow with no power, multiple maneuvers in an aircraft that was not designed to fly upside down, multiple touch and goes on one wheel, etc. then land and taxi up to the announcers stage and park after cutting the engines 10 minutes earlier.

My favorite you can find on U-Tube, pouring a glass of iced tea from a pitcher while doing it in a roll. He said the hardest part was doing it wrong left handed so he would not block the camera in the back seat.

This man is a legend in aviation, and will be an icon and my hero forever. RIP Mr. Energy Management

 

[p238shooter]

Several years ago I saw Bob fly at an airshow in an F-84, might have been in OKC, cant remember S*tuff anymore. Nice for someone to let him fly in his "old wartime office". That F-84 was sold and moved around the world as older military aircraft do.

That particular F-84 that he flew had been sold to someone in England. Recently someone new purchased it and it was transported to Indiana where it was major refurbished and then flown by the new owner to Grove Oklahoma where it currently resides. This particular F-84 is the oldest flying military aircraft in the world. He rocks Grove Ok every couple of weeks or so with his jet blast and afterburner. Men and their toys, love it.