Bob Hoover passed.

[flipper35]

Didn't see it here so I thought I would pass it along.

Legend. 'Nuff said.

[450knotOffice]

One of the most natural, instinctive pilots ever. RIP.

[kach22i]

Bob Hoover, one of history’s greatest pilots, dead at 94
Bob Hoover, one of history’s greatest pilots, dead at 94 | NewsCut | Minnesota Public Radio News

[varmint]

Met him at Oshkosh when I was nine or ten. In a room full of outstanding pilots he was a legend.


There's footage out there of him trying to land a burning P-51.

[Don Plumley]

I watched Hoover fly the Shrike Commander in a suit and tie every year at Miramar NAS - the power off loop and roll into a landing was captivating. Apparently Jimmie Doolittle called him, "the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived." Reading his Wikipedia page, I learned he was a WWII POW and stole a FW-190 to escape. What an amazing man. R.I.P.

[kevin930t]

Legend in aviation..

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

[MT930]

Having watching him precision land with both props caged was something that is hard to believe.

If your going to be Old & Bold you better be good. RIP Bob

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Don Plumley

I watched Hoover fly the Shrike Commander in a suit and tie every year at Miramar NAS - the power off loop and roll into a landing was captivating. Apparently Jimmie Doolittle called him, "the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived." Reading his Wikipedia page, I learned he was a WWII POW and stole a FW-190 to escape. What an amazing man. R.I.P.

All of those guys had respect for him. Yeager, Ridley, Thompson, Dana. Probably Crossfield as well.

Discovery Wings had some interesting stories of his shenanigans flying chase for Yeager in the X1.

[RNajarian]

I was at Edwards AFB October 14, 1997, the 50th Anniversary of Gen Yeager breaking the sound barrier.

They recreated the event with General Yeager backseat in an F-15 and Bob Hoover (backseat) chase in an F-16. Hoover flew chase for Yeager in 1947 in a P-80.

I was only 2 years into my military career in 1997, but knew enough that these men were Aviation Gods.

Somewhere at home I have photos of the event.

RIP Bob Hoover, one of the last of the ****-Hot Fighter pilots. You really had The Right Stuff

[Hawkeye's-911T]

He was something else - saw him fly his Shrike Commander at Abbotsford in the late 60's & early 70's. He & Art Scholl in the same airspace - didn't get much better than that.

RIP Bob

[onewhippedpuppy]

RIP, saw him perform at more air shows than I can count. A true legend.

[Jim727]

There are pilots, good pilots, great pilots and Bob Hoover.

RIP, Bob. You will be missed by all who have seen you fly.

[masraum]

[charlesbahn]

Don't know much about aviation, and I don't want to hijack the the thread- but you aviation guys might find this interesting. I have a long time acquaintance, an older guy, see him fairly often. He is unassuming and while quite intelligent, you wouldn't know it unless you spent a fair amount of time with him.

Anyway, I was talking with him the other day and he told me he had been at an airshow, I think he said it was Oskosh or something like that. He told me that his life here is quiet and relatively uninteresting, but while he was at the airshow he was treated like a king. Invited to speak to large groups, and many people asked for his autograph.

I was quite surprised because I knew he was a navy man and not a pilot. Then he started talking about biplanes and Lockheed Martin. I finally realized the connection-

His last name is Stearman.