Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: firbal on December 07, 2002, 11:33:55 AM

Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: firbal on December 07, 2002, 11:33:55 AM: I was just reading lothar's post on meeting Tex Hill and some of the posted comments. This got me thinking of one of my hero's. So my question is, Who is your's and why? And if you were able to met them.
Well here is mind. Jimmy Dolittle(I think I misspelled his last name). The was a reason that he was picked to lead the first bombing raid on Japan. He recieved the second degree from MIT in Aeronautical Enginering. After the serving Wright brother. He deloped insturmet flying. And a really good racing pilot. I read his book the last time I was stationed ing Korea 12 years ago. After all that he accomplished in his life, he gave the reason why his book was titled "I Could Never Be So Lucky" (well somethimg close to it). And it was marring his wife. My Dad had a neigbor was worked at North American and met and did some work with him. I wished that I could of met and shake his hand. It would of been an honor.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Duckwing6 on December 07, 2002, 01:03:11 PM: Willam "Bill" Sato Jr. -> My Multiengine Instructor of whome i learned a lot of things that have kept me flying in some tight spots ! Bill must have been in his 70s when i flew with him and he told me stories when he started his training in Hawaii on a Stearman. He had roughly 25.000 hours all in small aeroplanes (biggest DC3).
Heroes are everywhere... some are just somewhat hard to spot :)

Cheers
DW6
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Joc on December 07, 2002, 04:14:37 PM: Cant really think of 'one' guy in particular,I admire ALL the Allied airmen who got into those planes,and did what they did,all heroes :)
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Saurdaukar on December 07, 2002, 05:24:01 PM: Pappy - hands down. ;)
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Furious on December 07, 2002, 06:08:41 PM: Mathman.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: funkedup on December 07, 2002, 06:30:12 PM: Gabby
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Ozark on December 07, 2002, 07:07:38 PM: Charles A. Lindbergh

I have all the newspapers from the New York Times about his flight in the Spirit of St. Louis from NY to Paris. Plus, several original photos.

That’s my aviation hero!
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Viper17 on December 07, 2002, 08:09:31 PM: Eddy Rickenbacker. Ace of all American Aces in my eyes. Beter than all others after him.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: OIO on December 07, 2002, 08:42:49 PM: Amelia Earhart.

Balls with no balls. :D
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Bonden on December 07, 2002, 10:09:11 PM: My father - wrapped me in a blanket when I was 6 months old and took me for a ride in a J3 Cub.

Joe Yowell - had something to do with the P-39 engine installation, (said the plumbing was a nightmare) developed
d-icing boots for leading edge - sold the patent to Goodyear or Goodrich, forgot which... Flew right seat in his aero-commander 530E from Katama to St. Pete Fla. He lived at Hawk's Nest in the Bahama's. Used the Commander to fly in water.. Soon he had a well, the first on Cat Island, I believe.

Steven Currier Gentle - was a major and a flight instructor during WW2. First (or one of the first) pilot(s) on the scene of the Andrea Doria wreck. Owned Katama Airfield since the 40's - taught my father to fly in 1938, taught me a lot about flying in 1978, QB member and holder of the "Silver Wings"

Martin Kaiden, taught to fly by Steve above. Wrote many novels about WW2 aircraft. Nice guy, met him at TICO in 1983: he was the owner of "Iron Annie" tri-motor Junkers.

Robert Hoover, my son and I walked up to him on the ramp during "pit pass" days at Reno Air Races.

Pappy Boyington - visited him at Reno, bought his book which he autographed for me...

Robert Fulton - had a P51 he would fly in and out of Katama Airfield now and then. Invented the aero-car - fly it in, pull the wings off and drive it downtown - neat machine. He drove around the world on a motorcycle. Book title is
"One Man Caravan"

Robert Fulton jr. - flew into Katama one late summer afternoon in a polished Cessna185 - beautiful. He takes (or did take) aerial photographs for National Geographic. One day I saw the Cessna at MVY, recognized it and went to say hello. His dad was with him so we spoke a while also. Then, Fulton Sr. brought Anne over so I could meet her - Anne Morrow Lindberg.

Cap'n Gus Groel, flew B24's in Sicily/Italy during WW2. You have all seen that clip where a B24 gets hit by flak and the wing folds up. He saw stuff like that. He bought loads of HD stock when it first came out - he's all set.

Pitt Clay, another that taught aerobatics to aviation cadets in WW2.

I could go on and on, but this is enuf for now...... Yeh, I have nice memories of aviation people I have come to know over the years. Apologies to all not mentioned....

ah, one more - Thunderjet Jackson, biggest arsehull that ever sat in an airplane. Got so mad at him that I buzzed him once in my mighty Ercoupe and actually tried to hit him - woulda too, prolly.

Hope I didn't bore y'all

:)
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: udet on December 07, 2002, 10:41:01 PM: erich hartmann, not only for his exploits in the air, but also for the way he acted while he was a POW of the commies.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: NOD2000 on December 08, 2002, 12:18:01 AM: Jay Zeamer.........bust buff pilot of them all
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Ridge on December 08, 2002, 02:39:20 AM: Joe Foss. Became an ace his 1st week on Guadalcanal.

Sadly, he is seriously ill in the hospital right now with pneumonia-induced coma. Thankfully, he is semi-concious, as he can respond physically to voice commands.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Slayer on December 08, 2002, 05:14:48 AM: Robert T. Smith - AVG
Pappy - nuff said.

Very nice people I met in Oshkosh in 86' and had them autograph their books for me.

Also got a autographed book from the only person said to shoot pappy down and that they were good friends sat at booths across from each other. His book was called Bye Bye Blacksheep.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Samm on December 08, 2002, 05:40:56 AM: Suave, and to a lesser degree Snoopy .
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Animal on December 08, 2002, 11:56:09 AM: Saburo Sakai
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Dux on December 08, 2002, 12:05:01 PM: I'm surprised (pleasantly) to see the absence of Yeager so far... I'm wondering if other people have gone through a similar "disenchantment" that I have over the years.

Oh yeah... Scott Crossfield and Jimmy Doolittle come to mind for me. But I think the top of my list must go to Igor Sikorsky.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: udet on December 08, 2002, 12:17:06 PM: what's wrong with Yeager? I admire him very much, he'd probably be second on my list. He did carry a wounded fellow over the mountains when he escaped from France. That deserves some respect :P
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Slash27 on December 08, 2002, 01:01:49 PM: Charlie Bond

Richard Bong

Claire Chennault

Jimmy Doolittle

Welch and Taylor during the Pearl Harbor raid. Cant remeber their first name off hand.

Too many to list actually.:)
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Fridaddy on December 08, 2002, 03:14:05 PM: MGEN Marion Carl USMC
18.5 Aerial Destroyed
3 Aerial Damaged

Major General Carl retired in June 1973, with 14,000 flying hours. During his distinguished career, he flew 260 different types and models of aircraft. He also flew over 30 different experimental aircraft.

At age 82, Maj. General Marion E. Carl, USMC Retired, was killed instantly by a shotgun blast as he struggled to defend his wife, Edna from an intruder on June 29, 1998. A hero even in death.

His killer, Jessie Fanus, awaits his fate on Death Row at the Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem Ore.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/mecarl.htm
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Tsingis on December 08, 2002, 04:03:28 PM: Lieutenant Jorma Kalevi Sarvanto, FAF, shot down 6 Russian DB-3 bombers in less than 5 minutes on 6th of January 1940 in Fokker D-XXI "FR-97", "white 2" using 500 rounds of ammo - making a worldrecord that remains unbroken.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: -ammo- on December 08, 2002, 04:10:35 PM: Bob Johnson. But there are a bunch that I would pick as well. But if only one, its Bob.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: bj229r on December 08, 2002, 04:38:51 PM: Ditto on R.S. Johnson--had 28 kills in P47 of nearly ALL 109's and 190's during the time that German's still had good pilots...rotated home before D-day
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Kaz on December 09, 2002, 01:17:48 AM: First person I found to be heroic-like in my younger years was Chuck Yeager. Later on it was Pappy Boyington then the Red Baron. BTW first simulation was Chuck Yeager's (name escapes me), Pappy from the tv show Black Sheep Squadron and then the other simulator Red Baron hehee. Right now don't have a favorite, haven't had one for years but I'm looking into their histories now thanks to AH :p
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: straffo on December 09, 2002, 02:32:55 AM: Nungesser
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: dankes on December 09, 2002, 06:40:08 AM: Capt. Petr N. Nesterov
Jr. lt. Lidiya "Lily" Litvyak
Air Chief Marshal Alexander I. Pokryshkin
Maj. Thomas McGuire
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: seabat on December 09, 2002, 09:27:12 AM: LT. CD Miller, VA-163
nickname, seabat
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: SLO on December 09, 2002, 09:34:21 AM: Manfred von Richthofen...a.k.a. Red Baron

now who in there right mind would paint his plane red so others can see him better:D

truly a legend of the skies
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: DarkglamJG52 on December 09, 2002, 09:47:10 AM: 1) Heinz Bar: the best overall pilot of WW 2.
2) All the Japanese pilots of WW 2
3) Bartels
many many many more
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Jack55 on December 09, 2002, 09:58:12 AM: In addition to many of the previous posters choices:

Boyd D. Wagner

Jack Ilfrey

Tom Blackburn
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: SLO on December 09, 2002, 10:45:04 AM: Buzz Beurlin....

head to head against the german 109's and italian 202's in the med....buzz came out on top.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Hornet on December 09, 2002, 10:51:25 AM: Don Blakeslee
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: firbal on December 09, 2002, 11:22:40 AM: Thanks guys for your posts. I like the way this is going. Some really good choses. I have alot of other people that I amirer in aviation.
Another person for me is Gabby Gabrnski (I know,spelling). I've read about him for years. I was able to met and shake his hand a couple of years ago at the WB Con in NC. I bought his book and had him signed it. It's a good read. He was there from Pearl Harbor till the end. Not many were able to make it. Of course he spent the end of the war as a guess of Germany.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Bonden on December 09, 2002, 12:06:33 PM: Pierre Clostermann - If you can find it, read his book
"The Big Show" He flew Spits, Typhs and Tempests, his uniform hangs in the Smithsonian...
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Scot on December 09, 2002, 12:24:17 PM: Allied:
Gabby: Best all around US pilot.
Bruce Cram: (my neighbor: flew P47C/D Ground Attack WWII and P51s in Korea).
Axis:
Addi Glunz (never shot down)
Honorable mention: Rall, Steinhoff, and Hartman
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Samm on December 09, 2002, 01:12:36 PM: CWO Hugh Thompson .
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: Nath[BDP] on December 09, 2002, 01:35:33 PM: myself
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: krazyhorse on December 09, 2002, 01:49:02 PM: John Godfrey and Don Gentile (my wife and son are kin to John Godfrey)
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: lothar on December 09, 2002, 02:27:02 PM: Excellent thread firbal.

Anybody who served in the AVG.
Dolittle and Chenault for being visionaries.
Douglas Badder (sp?)
Many more, just can't remember their names off the top of my head.

The guy who used to come out to the middle of nowhere Wisconsin and and gave 30min plane rides for $20 in the early 70's. He operated out of grass field about 1/2 mile from my parents apple orchard in the spring during blossom time. I was about 10 years old and he let me ride along for free a bunch times when i ran out of my hard earned $$$$. He even took his hands off the yoke and tried to teach me some basic flying stuff. I've had the bug ever since.

I am going to hate to tell my kids they need to pay for thier own college tuition, because I'm going to blow it on flying lessons!..

:D

Better late than never...

Lothar
Title: Fav aviators
Post by: llyr69 on December 09, 2002, 04:06:00 PM: GEN. Benjamin O. Davis of the 332ND FG (TUSKEGEE AIRMEN)
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: midnight Target on December 09, 2002, 05:39:04 PM: Hell I'll say it..

Chuck Yeager... A steely eyed swift shootin SOB.
Title: Your Aviation Hero(s)
Post by: dankes on December 10, 2002, 01:15:59 AM: +

Albert Marcel Sqn. 340 et "Normandie-Niemen"