Commander Wallace
10-26-16, 04:21 PM
Robert Anderson "Bob" Hoover (January 24, 1922 – October 25, 2016)Passed away at the age of 94. Robert was shot down by a FW-190 while flying his 59th mission. He was captured by the Germans and spent 16 months at the German prison camp Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany. His malfunctioning Mark V Spitfire was shot down by a F O C K E-Wulf Fw 190 off the coast of Southern France and he was taken prisoner
Robert escaped, Ironically by stealing another FW-190 and flying it to the Netherlands and safety.
Quote: Hoover, who lived in Palos Verdes Estates, California, died early Tuesday, said Bill Fanning, a close family friend for many years and fellow pilot.
"He was every pilot's icon," Fanning said, recalling his friend as one of the premier test pilots of the 1950s and '60s. "Bob tested everything. He flew them all."
When the National Air and Space Museum conferred its highest honor on Hoover in 2007, the museum noted that Jimmy Doolittle, leader of the famed 1942 bomber raid on Japan, had once described Hoover as "the greatest stick-and-rudder man that ever lived."
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/top-pilot-who-stole-plane-to-escape-wwii-prison-camp-dies/ar-AAjrdiv?li=AA4ZnC&ocid=spartanntp
Quote : Honors and recognition
Hoover was considered one of the founding fathers of modern aerobatics and was described by Jimmy Doolittle as "... the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived" . In the Centennial of Flight edition of the Air & Space Smithsonian, he was named the third greatest aviator in history.
During his illustrious career, Hoover was awarded the following military medals: Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal for non-combat valor, Air Medal with several oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre. He was also made an honorary member of the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, RCAF Snowbirds, American Fighter Aces Association, original Eagle Squadron and received an Award of Merit from the American Fighter Pilots Association. In 1988, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and in 1992, the Aerospace Walk of Honor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hoover
Rest in Peace Robert. :Kaleun_Salute:
Robert escaped, Ironically by stealing another FW-190 and flying it to the Netherlands and safety.
Quote: Hoover, who lived in Palos Verdes Estates, California, died early Tuesday, said Bill Fanning, a close family friend for many years and fellow pilot.
"He was every pilot's icon," Fanning said, recalling his friend as one of the premier test pilots of the 1950s and '60s. "Bob tested everything. He flew them all."
When the National Air and Space Museum conferred its highest honor on Hoover in 2007, the museum noted that Jimmy Doolittle, leader of the famed 1942 bomber raid on Japan, had once described Hoover as "the greatest stick-and-rudder man that ever lived."
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/top-pilot-who-stole-plane-to-escape-wwii-prison-camp-dies/ar-AAjrdiv?li=AA4ZnC&ocid=spartanntp
Quote : Honors and recognition
Hoover was considered one of the founding fathers of modern aerobatics and was described by Jimmy Doolittle as "... the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived" . In the Centennial of Flight edition of the Air & Space Smithsonian, he was named the third greatest aviator in history.
During his illustrious career, Hoover was awarded the following military medals: Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal for non-combat valor, Air Medal with several oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre. He was also made an honorary member of the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, RCAF Snowbirds, American Fighter Aces Association, original Eagle Squadron and received an Award of Merit from the American Fighter Pilots Association. In 1988, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and in 1992, the Aerospace Walk of Honor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hoover
Rest in Peace Robert. :Kaleun_Salute: