tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post8793695454760406295..comments2024-01-26T01:49:56.783-06:00Comments on Lagniappe's Lair: Book Review: Forever FlyingMurphy's Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17164780742334950772noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-66370491538135323162013-06-02T09:07:00.681-05:002013-06-02T09:07:00.681-05:00Thanks, Will. Doolittle's book is in me queue....Thanks, Will. Doolittle's book is in me queue. There will be a review down the road. He was another amazing man the likes of which don't exist today.Murphy's Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17164780742334950772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-22078333388689847132013-06-02T03:34:58.318-05:002013-06-02T03:34:58.318-05:00I caught a couple Reno Air Race meets back about &...I caught a couple Reno Air Race meets back about '83-'85, and Bob was the race director/pace plane, in his P-51, for the Unlimited classes. Flew his Shrike, also. <br />Very calm voice/presence, while advising pilots in the midst of possible disasters-in-development as "Mayday" calls were made.<br /><br />Another flying autobiography I would recommend is Jimmy Doolittle's "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again". Hell of a life story. Most remember him for his early days of racing and "daredevil" type flying. Few know he had a masters and doctorate in aeronautics from MIT. <br /><br />Then, of course, he did that B-25 attack on Japan, launching from an aircraft carrier. MOH for that. Ran the airforces in North Africa, while fighting Rommel, and later switched to England to do the same.<br /><br />Amazon has both paperback and hardcover versions.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722792638246578812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-29109245806453604242013-05-31T23:48:35.419-05:002013-05-31T23:48:35.419-05:00I am looking forward to reading this book.I am looking forward to reading this book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-76895355625643085892013-05-29T23:42:42.658-05:002013-05-29T23:42:42.658-05:00I first met Bob at an air show in Reading, Pennsyl...I first met Bob at an air show in Reading, Pennsylvania back in 1974. He was flying his personal "Rockwell" P-51 named "Old Yeller".<br /><br />The interesting part was he had been at the Farnborough Air show in England and had just arrived at JFK on a commercial flight about noon. His planes (P-51 & Shrike Commander) were in Reading.<br /><br />Now it was 2:00 PM and about 120 miles separated Bob from his aircraft. <br /><br />Problem? Call on the sound barrier busters.<br /><br />As it happens the Blue Angels were performing at the Reading show. They were flying F-4 Phantoms at the time. No problem. The #1 Angel hopped into his Phantom took off on full burner. About 3:30 PM he arrived back with Bob in the "Wizzo's" chair.<br /><br />I still remember Bob stepping out of the F4 in a Blue Angles flight suit, which he quickly removed revealing a dark 2-piece suit, white shirt and tie.<br /><br />Bob went on to perform flawlessly, in both his aircraft, as usual.<br /><br />What a day!Toejamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10848591976270307402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-22101921997930099652013-05-29T19:45:14.111-05:002013-05-29T19:45:14.111-05:00Interesting coincidence that you posted on an avia...Interesting coincidence that you posted on an aviation pioneer - my son texted me this afternoon asking how his Opa (my Dad) was connected to Wiley Post.<br /><br />I replied that Messrs. Post and Rogers met their end three years before my Dad was born, but that his father, my namesake, was an accountant for Phillips 66 and acquaintance of Frank Phillips, once flew with the famed aviator.<br /><br />My grandfather related the story to me, pointing to pictures gracing the walls of the Bartlesville airport as I waited to board my first commercial flight (age 9), on a Frontier Convair 580 to Dallas Love Field, late summer 1970.an Donalbanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06418506325893352676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-62439316260172536922013-05-29T13:01:35.574-05:002013-05-29T13:01:35.574-05:00Thanks for the review, ML; I saw this book adverti...Thanks for the review, ML; I saw this book advertised, but wasn't sure about it - until now.Rev. Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04588179227576383679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-70198236656152886462013-05-29T12:11:31.549-05:002013-05-29T12:11:31.549-05:00@ Old NFO: That's for sure. He didn't have...@ Old NFO: That's for sure. He didn't have a college degree and some of the things that he did early on would have seen him cashiered right out of today's Air Force.<br /><br />@ Juvat: Yep. Thanks for catching the typo.Murphy's Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17164780742334950772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-40611056432516345962013-05-29T11:36:53.134-05:002013-05-29T11:36:53.134-05:00Not to nitpick, but General Yeager broke the sound...Not to nitpick, but General Yeager broke the sound barrier in a Bell X-1 named "Glamorous Glennis", named after his wife, not in an X-15.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20147126.post-20651178962732494822013-05-29T11:21:26.919-05:002013-05-29T11:21:26.919-05:00It's a well told story, and one that we'll...It's a well told story, and one that we'll never see again! Folks like Bob just don't "get" those kinds of opportunities anymore.Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.com