I recently complete reading this fascinating book. I’ve always been a big fan of Bob Hoover, having seen him fly at countless air shows. Over the last few decades, I’ve heard some pretty amazing stories about this guy and his life, including his direct involvement in the X-1 project (where we broke the sound barrier, for those non-aviation types). Most you have likely heard of Chuck Yeager. Well, Bob was his back-up guy, on the project. Had he not nearly lost his legs in a crash during the program, he’d have likely been the 2nd guy (maybe the first) to do it.

But, it turns out that was just the tip of this great man, this hero’s, incredible life in aviation. Bob basically tough himself how to fly, became one of a rare few enlisted that earned their wings during WWII, spent a lot of time flying Spitfires in Europe and Africa, received numerous flying medals.

I don’t want to spoil the read, and give away any of the amazing stories told in this book, a fair portion of it from the point of view of the pilots that flew with him. Excerpts from their diaries and letters home provide some very unique, and amusing perspectives on his incredible life in aviation.

Some of the most striking stories from the book:

• Flying a bomber off a beach
• Getting arrested in Russia, at the height of the Cold War
• His first ‘dogfight’ with Chuck Yeager in the skies over Ohio
• Test piloting the first jets developed by the United States
• Flying the F-86 in combat over Korea, as a civilian
• Being shot down and captured by the Germans in WWII
• His amazing escape from Stalag I

If you are at all any sort of aviation nut, this is a MUST READ book. After reading it, I had visited the Boeing Museum of Flight (where I’ve been many times), except this time a lot of the ‘other’ displays about aviation greats were people I’d read about in his book. It’s impacts go beyond Bob himself. It just goes to show what an important part of US aviation he played.