Bob Hover helps save a crippled P-51...by remote control !

I read that article first, just as soon as my electronic copy came in. I heard Hoover speak at Oshkosh last year --- he's as sharp as a tack. His hearing is about gone, probably due to years of exposure to big unmuffled IC engines and jets, but he can certainly keep an audience captivated.

After the talk, someone asked him what his best advice to a pilot would be. He said, "Know your plane's capability; know your capability --- over estimating either one can lead to disaster." He also said that during his entire flying career, he was constantly thinking of trouble scenarios and what he would do to get out of them. Being prepared with a plan of action was what got him out of a lot scrapes. I was also surprised at how many times he had crashed or had to get out --- but testing and flying high performance aircraft probably leads to that.

A sad reminder of the loss of pilot Jimmy Leeward and P-51 "Gallopin' Ghost" at the '11 Reno Air Races where low altitude and structural failure were fatal.

RIP, Jimmy. You are not forgotten.

Very cool story!.

Met Bob Hoover on several occasions when we would travel to all the air shows, and of course hearing his voice at the Reno races when he was the starter.

"Gentlemen,,YOU HAVE A RACE!",,at the start of the Unlimited gold on sunday. Made the hair stand up on your neck as they came roaring over your right shoulder.

No prop plane is more beautiful than a P-51. I love the picture with that article and the yellow tips. What a huge propeller.

Too bad we can't get good use out of 3 and 4 blade props on our models. I guess our engines turn way too fast for the tiny distance between the blades. What kind of RPM does the prop on a full size plane like a P-51 turn?

Glad you mentioned the "yellow tipped" P-51's

Have one from Park Flyers hanging my den. EP "foamie" 38" span with four-bladed prop that flies REALLY well. It has enough trust on the ground that it can be steered by the prop trust alone using the rudder. (the tail wheel simply passively pivots due to the prop thrust.)