When a US Pilot Stole an FW-190

It’s midday on February 9th, 1944, near the harbor of Nice, southern France.
4 Supermarine Spitfires belonging to the 4th squadron of the 52nd Fighter Group circle their targets. One by one they dive, unleashing bombs and a volley of gunfire into the convoy of cargo ships below.
On board of one of these fighters is pilot Robert Anderson Hoover.
Hoover is making a turn when suddenly a single 20mm shell strikes him at the root of the wing. In a blur the wing shears off and his Spitfire twists in an uncontrollable tumble. Hoover hangs on and pulls himself out of the doomed machine.
Captured, Hoover is interred in Stalag Luft I, a prison camp outside Barth, Germany.
When he finally escapes he manages to get to safety by stealing a Luftwaffe FW-190.
It's an incredible story of an amazing pilot and his bid to reach home.

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[chris.]

I love stories of pilots stealing other planes while captured. Keep up the great work team.

[Britcarjunkie]

Bob Hoover was a fantastic guy: if anybody walked upto him at an airshow to chat for any reason at all, he'd stop what he was doing, and give that person all the time in the world. He was the best.

[medicalbeverage]

It’s insane how good Yarnhub’s animations are.
Even when he started 3D animation, it was beautiful.

[slackerman]

Bob Hoover was a legend. I got to take a ride with him in his Shrike many decades ago when I was a boy.

[RookVR_]

What an amazing story, that’s crazy how he wasn’t attacked while flying over the front lines

[xsawbonesx]

I had the EXTREME honor of meeting Bob Hoover a few times growing up. Such a kind a genuine man.

[HouseGamers]

been watching you for a while now, crazy to see how much your videos have changed quality wise in just the past year! keep it up man

[ridgerunner]

Bob Hoover was a country boy from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His people were dairy farmers who became one of the leading material contractors in the Central South. They are known for limestone, concrete and building products. Mr. Hoover was a class act all the A true gentleman to everyone. He would visit Ed Lowe's Air Service and Maintenance at old Sewart Air Force Base in Smyrna, Tennessee which was a full service air company, and the regional hangout for WWII and Korean War aviation veterans. There was nothing they could not repair, build or fly. Mr. Hoover was kind and considerate to the wash jockey kids who serviced the aircraft for Ed Lowe. All those old war horses were a great bunch of guys and would teach anything they knew to anyone who was generally interested. Their body of knowledge and skill are lost to time, but they made their mark during War and to the education of future aviators in the industry today....

[thomaszhang]

And that just reflects how easy it is to fly a Fw190.
Fw190, from automation of prop pitch, engine, cowling, and fuel mixture, to cockpit set up to flap, control rod arrangement, were all designed around the pilot. It was probably the most pilot friendly aircraft of WWII.

[joelk]

As a student Naval Aviator In the early 1970s at an airshow at NAS Pensacola FL, I saw Bob Hoover do a DEADSTICK loop, aileron roll, turn, landing, and taxi to a precise stop in front of the announcer in his Rockwell Shrike. Bob rolled up in front of the crowd and came to a gentle stop with both props standing at attention. Have not seen such a display of such precise airmanship since. Hoover did not fly the airplane, he wore it like a glove! Bob, thanks for the inspiration.

[GeorgeSemel]

Bob Hoover was a legend in his own time. Being professional pilot, I use to fly a Strike Commnder. And I got to see him well the man could fly way better that I ever would and then some. I retired last year after 47 years of accident free flying for a living. That generation is all but gone now. World War II was much closer to us when I was a little boy playing with surplus WW-II stuff, piles of it was still around and balsa wood airplanes. I will be flying west myself one day too!

[Snoqmike]

Bob Hoover had the best air show I ever saw. He would dive a Shrike and at the bottom of the dive cut both engines and feather the props. Then he started his air show doing loop the loops, etc. When the FAA told him he was too old to fly he moved to Australia and kept doing his air show.

[TimTVOfficial]

I had the chance to hangout with him and a private aviation event in Van Nuys, CA where he was only a guest just like anyone else, and only a few people actually recognized him. I sat at his table and had lunch with him. Humble guy.

[caseruels]

Bob Hoover was arguably the greatest aviator of all time. A world famous man in the aviation arena. This story is a minute fraction of his accomplishments.

[slayer]

This channel brings great content. Even I, as a history geek, am learning of events I never heard of.

[Paladin]

BOB, the One and Only, told me this story in summer, 1977, when my dad and I were asked to pick him up at Evansville, Ind., airport and bring him back to Huntingburg, Ind., airport for the air-show there. He was a showman like no other; always friendly, always willing to talk, always eager to re-tell his memories of his years aloft. May God Bless Bob Hoover! Wheels Up!

[Ben_Kunz]

7:26 when the mechanic drops the wrench and hoover says "Ow" pure gold. 😂

[delbertdevries]

I had the privilege of seeing Hoover, Yeager and Anderson fly P 51"s several times at Airventure. So awesome a display to never be seen again! Three of the all-time greats!!! Thank you Gentlemen.

[motionsic]

So glad Yarnhub continue to improve on their roots of story telling about heroic pilots and dogfights. Graphics and effects are more realistic than ever. And hurray for Bob Hoover my idol - for overcoming one hurdle after another throughout his legendary aviation career. He got Motionsic when he first learned to fly, but turned out to be the best rudder & stick man ever.

[jamesharp]

Jesus...I didn't realize this story was about Bob Hoover! One of the greatest pilots ever!. My father was a pilot in the Korean war and actually flew in a P-51 with Hoover in the 70s. I watched from the ground.