Bob Hoover's Final 4-Point Roll in the Sabreliner

"Perfecting Flight: Bob Hoover"

February 2014, at the entrance to Paramount Theatre in Hollywood CA. Hoover was honored in an event attended by close to 500 people, including aviation executives & celebrities to view the premier of "Perfecting Flight: Bob Hoover" — a documentary of Hoover's accomplishments. A fiberglass replica of Hoover's P-51 "Ole Yeller" acted as centerpiece of the event.

Hoover told the attendees he was intimately involved in the making of the documentary, including a harrowing animated reproduction of Hoover's escape from the prison camp in Germany, by stealing a German fighter. Also including clips from his achievements as a fighter pilot, test pilot and airshow pilot, the film shows Hoover on a recent flight in a Sabreliner jet over his former test pilot grounds in the Mojave Desert, where he risked his life repeatedly to test the flying capabilities of new airplanes.

[redrr]

I refueled his plane at an airshow at NAS Norfolk, Virginia in the late 80's I think. I talked to him for a few minutes and told him what a great influence men like him were on my aviation career in the Navy. I'm 71 and I still work in aviation for the USCG. I'll be leaving Dec.31 of this year with 52 years in aviation.

[rvnmedic]

Stealing a German fighter, escaping the POW camp and going on to an incredible aviation career. RIP, Mr Hoover

[AviationNut]

That's crazy, he did this maneuver in 2013, he was 91 years old. Unfortunately he died on Oct 25th, 2016
RIP Bob Hoover.

[willj]

Not only nailing the maneuvers by hand but doing it in style with a coat and tie. 10 out of 10 for class.

[wisecracker]

Sunny skies & wind at your back, Sir.

[portnuefflyer]

Chatted with him once for several minutes at a EAA fly in at Arlington WA several years ago, without knowing WHO I was talking to, just some friendly old guy I thought! I will never forget it. After I realized, I was stunned, by his total lack of any "do you know who I am" attitude. I of course knew of Bob Hoover, just failed to put the face to the legend. Kinda ironic that he and Yeager lived into their '90's, before giving a final one fingered salute to old man Death.

[andy]

Dad checked Bob out in sabre liners t39, said after you fly with him you feel like throwing your wings in the trash. ..

[rickeymitchell]

Bob Hoover was a living legend and still a legend in my heart. He is also an American hero and icon. Mr Hoover may you always have clear skies and a tailwind!

[PilotPhotog]

This man was an absolute legend. I had the honor of meeting him at Sun n Fun 2000 and he signed my logbook and took a photo with me. An inspiration and a hero.

[Don-krtp]

I had the pleasure to meet Bob on the tarmac at Sun n fun. He was sitting in an open car waiting for his que to drive in front of the crowd. We spoke for several minutes and he was genuine, down to earth and funny. I told him of the first time I saw him flying the Aero Commander at an airshow at Tamiami airport when I was in high school. He laughed and told a few stories. God bless him and people like him that made our country great. We need more like him today.

[Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

In 1965 I attended an airshow at Tulsa's Riverside Airport and watched Bob do 16-point rolls in a P-51. As far as I could tell, the rotation of the airplane was controlled by some advanced mechanism that performed perfectly, neither undershooting nor overshooting crisp and exact 22.5 degree increments of roll. That advanced mechanism, of course, was Bob. He was born to fly.

[zonkerowu]

And I recall my late father-in-law telling me about seeing Bob Hoover at the smallish airport in Marysville OH. Bob was doing his trick of skimming along the runway and 'dancing' from one landing gear to the other (I've seen him do it many times). A gust of wind made him come down hard on one wheel, hard enough that the landing gear stove into the wing and punctured the wing tank! He quickly landed, as a fire broke out in the exposed fuel. A fire truck was there, but stationed at the opposite end of the field, and of course took some time for the big diesel to lumber to life and roar down the runway (Bill might have been a fireman, the Marysville FD was at one time all-volunteer). The crowd got a chuckle watching Bob Hoover gesticulating wildly for the truck to hurry lest one of his precious Mustangs be lost!

[jffrocks]

Bob Hoover was one of the greatest pilots to ever fly, and always a Southern Gentleman.  He will be missed.

[davedisinger]

Grew up in the aviation community.
Curtiss/Wright...North American and Piper Aircraft.
Mr Hoover was an idol to all.

[thomasdalton]

He would have been around 91 when he flew that plane. Amazing man and a huge part of Aviation in this country.

[krezvan]

I saw him perform at an airshow when I was 11. I remember it as if it was yesterday, Bob Hoover is a national treasure and an icon.

[sheetstothewind]

Master stick and rudder man. I saw him at OSH flying the Shrike with 2 still props as he passed by. Bob Hoover had energy management mastered. R.I.P.

[JM-slql]

I was on the dry lake bed that day watching with one of the production crew. This shoot was for the documentary film, as the description says. It was an honor to meet Bob Hoover and to be a part of the project and a guest at Paramount for the dinner and showing of the production.

[hugnaba]

Could do without the music. The sound of Bob's voice and his aircraft would be more of a treat. My Father retired from the FAA early 80's. He said Bob Hoover was the best pilot that ever lived. He and my Dad met once at an air show. Pop's said he was ashamed of the FAA for the way they treated him. Never seen or heard of anyone so attuned to and "one" with his aircraft.

[hoagybob]

my hero and not just because we both have the same first names but because HE IS THE BEST PILOT WHO EVER LIVED!