Worlds Best Pilot?

[Unregistered]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Didn't Lt. Ross receive the MOH for his heroics that day?

[Leo]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

My stepfather was a loadmaster in Nam on C-130's.
He says when hauling "refugees" they would cram them forward, raise the ramp, force them back as far as they could and fill the rest of the cargo bay thru the front crew door. Left just enough room for him to close the door. I need to ask him what his record was, as I recall the number was staggering.
The stories of what they did with and to those aircraft are amazing.
My favorite is buzzing sampans to blow them over....

[440_Magnum]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Obviously, this list can grow to be REALLY long but as long as we're in *that* family... Curt Brown is another really undernoticed stick.

How 'bout Lefty?

How bout adding credit for personality???

Ah, so you agree about Lefty....

"Birdstrike."

[hattend]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Scott Crossfield.

Don

[laminar]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

For "modern" race pilots I loves the works of Hoot, Skip, and Greenamyer I love the variety of airplanes those guys handle

Take hoot space shuttle to cassut

Or, Skip the wildfire story alone is enough too put me on my knees pleading "I'm not worthy"

Greenamyer...F-104 to a legacy, and that F-104 story awesome, and then the story of conquest what a mean dude grrrrr

[Leo]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Anybody see the video of Skip and another in a spin in a T-33?
I guess inverted spins you can't get out, air pressure on the canpy or some such.
He is calmly calling out altitudes as they fall, until the tail twists off and they can get out. WOW!
He's my vote for CURRENT race plot, and probably the one I would want in my plane.

[MustangFan]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Greenamyer...F-104 to a legacy, and that F-104 story awesome, and then the story of conquest what a mean dude grrrrr

Don't forget that B-29 he ALMOST rescued out of the ice, years ago...

[deepsky]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Ya the Keebird story was cool. I forgot to put Gabby Gabresky on my list, he rocks.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Hmmmmmm no Gordo Cooper response YET? "Yer looking at him". Great pilots ARE like centerfolds... You always think they are the best until you see another one that makes you say WOW, and best may still be in the next issue. Personally I would have to vote for the Huey pilot from Nam. To put all that talent on the line to save anothers neck is what makes incredible people. Could be him it could be that guy that dead sticked a DC-9 back in the early 80's, or some of the guys who's names label the streets of Edwards. Now as far as race pilots go (personalities aside for those who will/might factor that in)

Lefty (Showman all the way, and flew the crap out of a p-38)
Lyle T Shelton (because he's freak'n Lyle T Shelton)
Hinton (he survived THAT and is still racing... Ok so now he flies pace,but )
Tiger (Win or Mayday seem to be the only two ways with that guy... a true racer)
Skippy (Knows how to win... Hate to be his Crew Cheif. Your plane comes back either dripping of Champagne or large amounts of oil )

[Uh-sure]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Love the T-shirt!

Doesn't EVERY pilot think he or she is the worlds best pilot?

I don't mean that in a bad way, I just think it takes a certain amount of

ego, along with bravery, skill etc. to strap an aircraft on. US

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

How about Jimmy Doolittle,he could fly just about anything plus did a lot for aviation including "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo".
Lockheed Bob

[laminar]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Jon Sharp...talk about consistency

[Unregistered]

Re: Worlds Best Pilot?

Didn't Lt. Ross receive the MOH for his heroics that day?

That I do not know but I hope so.
TC


***Tom... check your email***