Bob Hoover, called the greatest stick and rudder pilot of all time by Gen. Jimmy Doolitte, died Oct. 25 at his home in Southern California. He was 94.
Born Jan. 24, 1922 in Nashville, Hoover learned to fly at Berry Field while working at a grocery store to pay for lessons. At 18, he enlisted in the Tennessee National Guard and was sent for pilot training with the Army.
During World War II, his first major assignment was test flying aircraft in Casablanca to ensure they were ready for service. He then was assigned to the 52nd Fighter Group in Sicily, flying Spitfires.
In 1944, on his 59th mission, he was shot down off the coast of Southern France and taken prisoner. He spent 16 months at the German prison camp Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany. Hoover managed to escape from the prison camp by stealing a Fw 190, and flew to safety in the Netherlands.
After the war, he was assigned to flight test duty at Wright Field. There he befriended Chuck Yeager. When Yeager was later asked who he wanted for flight crew for the supersonic Bell X-1 flight, he said Hoover. Hoover became Yeager’s backup pilot in the Bell X-1 program and flew chase for Yeager in a Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star during the Mach 1 flight.
Hoover left the Air Force for civilian jobs in 1948. This included a brief stint with Allison Engine Company, followed by work as a test pilot for North American Aviation, where he went to Korea to teach pilots in the Korean war how to dive-bomb with the F-86 Sabre.
During the 1950s, Hoover visited many active-duty, reserve and air national guard units to demonstrate the plane’s capabilities to pilots. Hoover flew flight tests on the FJ-1 Fury, F-86 Sabre, and the F-100 Super Sabre.
In the early 1960s, Hoover began flying a North American P-51 Mustang at airshows around the country. After his first Mustang was destroyed in an ground accident when an oxygen bottle exploded, he then flew “Ole Yeller,” which is now at the Legacy Flight Museum in Rexburg, Idaho.
Hoover is best known for flying the Aero Commander Shrike Commander in airshows, demonstrating the strength of the plane as he put it through rolls, loops, and other maneuvers, which most people would not associate with business aircraft.
As a grand finale, he shut down both engines and executed a loop and an eight-point hesitation slow roll as he headed back to the runway. He touched down on one tire, then the other, before landing. After pulling off the runway, he would start engines to taxi back to the parking area.
His airshow aerobatics career ended over medical concerns, when Hoover’s medical certificate was revoked by the FAA in the early 1990s.
After a well-known battle to get his medical back, he finally had it restored, and continued performing until 1999.
He retired at age 77, having passed an FAA medical, but unable to obtain insurance for airshows.
Following his retirement, his Shrike Commander was placed on display at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles, Virginia.
While no longer performing, Hoover was a fixture at airshows, receiving honors and speaking to crowds about his storied career.
Hoover was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988 and became the inaugural member of the Air Show Hall of Fame in 1995.
A bronze life-size statue of Hoover was installed earlier this year at the Udvar-Hazy Center, and a trophy to be awarded annually by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association to the living aviator who exhibits Hoover’s airmanship, leadership, and passion for aviation was inaugurated.
Immediately following his death, accolades poured in from a number of aviation officials.
“We lost a true, one-of-a-kind aviation hero today,” said Jack Pelton, chairman and CEO of the Experimental Aircraft Association. “We all knew of Bob’s incredible aviation career and witnessed his unmatched flying skills. It was Bob Hoover as a person that also made him legendary. He was a true gentleman and unfailingly gracious and generous, as well as a true friend of EAA through the years. We can only hope to use his lifelong example as a pilot and a person as a standard for all of us to achieve.”
“The death of Bob Hoover is a tremendous loss to the entire aviation community,” General Aviation Manufacturers Association President and CEO Pete Bunce said. “Bob was a great friend and mentor to countless aviators in the military, manufacturing, test pilot, and airshow segments of our profession. No one else in history has had his ‘hands’ and knowledge of how to maximize the performance of an aircraft in all corners of the envelope. Bob inspired multiple generations to reach for the sky and the stars, and those of us who had the privilege of knowing him will never forget what a kind gentleman Bob was to all.
“Even as Bob’s health declined in recent years, he rallied to attend every aviation event he could and spent numerous hours sharing his experiences and his aviation prowess with aspiring pilots, passing along his love and passion for aviation to future generations. As the United States prepares to remember the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor in December, Bob will particularly be in our hearts and thoughts as the embodiment of our nation’s ‘greatest generation.’”
“Bob Hoover brought great richness to the aviation experience, and he leaves behind a legacy of heroic caring and sharing with the general aviation community,” said Mark Baker, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. “He will be deeply missed. The first time I met Bob, I was seated next to him at an aviation event, my 8-year-old son by my side. Bob both spoke and listened to his aviation dreams. He offered encouragement and some great stories. And though my son is long since grown, neither he nor I have ever forgotten that an aviation legend gave a child who dreamed of flying his full attention and encouraged him to dream even bigger. Bob Hoover was so much more than a great pilot. He was a great man and a model for what our community can and should be. We are honored to be able to perpetuate his legacy through the Bob Hoover Trophy.”
The Bob Hoover Trophy was first presented by AOPA and other aviation industry groups and leaders to Hoover in April and will be awarded annually by AOPA to “a living aviator who exhibits the airmanship, leadership, and passion for aviation and life demonstrated by R. A. ‘Bob’ Hoover during his distinguished career as a pilot and aviation advocate while also serving as a source of inspiration and encouragement for current and prospective aviators.”
Blue skies and calm winds to the greatest pilot, patriot and gentleman
America has lost a true hero.
Bob, you have always been an inspiration and role model to me, not only as a fellow aviator, but as a human being.
Fly in peace with the angels now! (I’m sure you can teach even them something)
I was privileged to watch Bob Hoover land an F-86 at Clovis, NM with 4300′ elevation. He turned off on the first taxiway after about a 2500′ landing roll. Every pilot watching was stunned. He knew how to fly.
I was fortunate enough to meet him at Oshkosh and get a photo with him and an autograph in his book. Bob had that rare ability to meet someone and make that person feel as if they were long time friends and fellow aviators. He was one of the greatest men I’ve ever met and certainly the most gracious and unpretentious. In that short visit at Oshkosh he left an indelible mark. He had more accomplishments in a couple of years than most of us could hope to achieve in a lifetime. We all lost a hero, a mentor and a friend!
I studied Bob’s one wheel approaches to touch down with tail wheel and tricycle gear aircraft and learned how to gage the correct angle and drift corrections needed for crosswind changes. Living in the plains states for fifteen years before coming to CA, I would drive 200 miles to see him fly what ever he had at his disposal. Then for years at the Reno Air Races Bob starting the unlimited heats, then flying safety pilot watching over the contenders like a mother hen helping when needed. I don’t recall any race plane ever being lost after calling ‘MayDay’ to Bob, as he worked to get them back to the safety of the runway.
“Wind on your tail and not a glare in your eyes Robert, so long.”
There will never be a more beautiful man in all aspects of aviation than Mr. Bob Hoover !!! And never has been..Amen
On the ramp at Santa Barbara (SBA) back in the 60’s, I was wiping down the belly of my fathers FG-1D Corsair after completing a post maintenance run up, and a car pulled up beside the aircraft. Out stepped an older (I was 16) tall guy with a serious case of “high water pants” and a big hat. He asked if he could “look it over” I said sure. Soon we were talking as he walked around the aircraft. He had a way of making observations and commenting on things that taught me more about aircraft design and systems than I had ever learned in school. Soon he asked if he could sit in the cockpit, and we spent time discussing systems and how he thought it was a good idea we had removed the water methanol boost from the engine since 115/145 fuel was already getting harder to find etc. He checked his watch and said he had to be someplace, thanked me, and shook my hand. Later that afternoon I went over to the “public side” of the field and watched the best air show I’d ever seen. A bright yellow P-51 was just “blowing my mind” with it’s low altitude maneuvering. At the conclusion of it’s act, I was stunned to see the same “older guy” get out of the P-51. I’d just met, shook hands with, and received a “master class” by arguably the best air show pilot that ever flew an airplane. R. A.’Bob’ Hoover. Tailwinds and clear skies my friend-I hope to see you again (on the other side) Eric L. Miller
Here is an old video of Bob Hoover doing acrobatics in a P51.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8FYFfCL3J8
RIP “Captain” Bob Hoover
I had the great honor to be a friend of Bob’s for 30 years, when my daughter was about 7 months old we were at an airshow, and Bob asked if he could hold her, of course I let him, and somewhere I have that picture in a shoe box . Every time I saw Bob after that he would say “My good friend Skip Lehman, how’s that beautiful blonde baby girl of yours?” At Oshkosh in 2010 I walked into the bar at the Hilton and was greeted by Bob’s usual greeting, I then proceeded to re-introduce Bob to my now 16 year old daughter who was with me, he was the most gracious gentleman and made her feel like a queen. My daughter is now 21, a private pilot, and a senior at Yale. Thanks for ALL the memories Bob
I had the privilege of working with Mr. Hoover on the Aeroshell training videos. One evening during the Reno Air Races, Bob joined a group of use for dinner. After eating, he started telling war stories including the escape from the Germans. Soon after he started talking, all of the wait staff and other diners, stop what they were doing and started listening to Bob. The restaurant was completely quiet except for Bob.
I was fortunate to see Bob perform at an airshow at KTMB in the early 70’s and that was some of the most incredible flying I had ever seen. The show he put on with the Shrike commander doing those rolls and loops both with the non critical and critical engine on top of no engines, landing and taking right back to the starting spot on the ramp never starting the engines again!
taking should read taxiing (auto correct has a mind of its own)
I first met Bob Hoover around 1992.
He was and is a true icon for aviation’s
“Greatest Generation” – he remains an
iconic symbol for all Americans to honor and admire as to what America is and should be all about.
Mel Dorr
Dorr Aviation, Inc.
I met Bob in the early 1990’s – he was and remains an everlasting icon for
all facets of aviation and its growth
during the “Greatest Generation”.. His
life and style has also set a standard
representing what America should be
and was during that Generation.
Mel Dorr
Kudos to GAN! Most all of the other aviation-related e-news publications posted a “boiler plate” informational piece about Bob’s life and history. Such an amazing man and pilot, and the journalistic hacks could do little more than print what amounted to a press release.
We will all miss you Bob, God speed on your flight to the west. Aviation has lost it’s master to whom all of us pilots aspire!
Amen
I am glad I got to see him at the Oshkosh premiere of Flying the Feathered Edge. What a life!
Fair skies and tailwinds my friend