With General Yeagers passing his autobiography went to the top of my reading list. I have read it before, twice I believe, and it still grabs you and keeps you interested. Few have lived a fuller more exciting life and fewer still lived to tell the tale.
He comes across a bit braggadocious in spots but he also tempers that by crediting luck for much of his success.
"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
I have also read it a couple of times, and it is not my favourite pilot autobiography by far. I mean, his accomplishments speak for themselves, but the way he constantly toots his own horn is a bit jarring. Compare it for example to his friend Bob Hoover’s biography. It reads completely differently, I like his style much better.
In all my years I've never seen the like. It has to be more than a hundred sea miles and he brings us up on his tail. That's seamanship, Mr. Pullings. My God, that's seamanship!
One of my heroes. A great man, and surely the greatest stick and rudder man to ever grace the skies.
If one reads his biography, "Forever Flying," and then Chuck Yeager's biography, the difference in tone is remarkable. Bob was humble about it all, while Yeager was, and still is, very good at telling everyone what an awesome pilot he is, and so much better than everybody else. (Even though he concedes that Hoover's was the only tail he couldn't wax)
This, to me, is the difference between being just a good pilot, and a great man.
A friend of mine summed Yeagers biography up with this sentence. "Hi, I am Chuck Yeager, and YOU aren't."
With General Yeagers passing his autobiography went to the top of my reading list. I have read it before, twice I believe, and it still grabs you and keeps you interested. Few have lived a fuller more exciting life and fewer still lived to tell the tale.
He comes across a bit braggadocious in spots but he also tempers that by crediting luck for much of his success.
Ha, never met a fighter pilot who wasn't "a bit braggadocious". That being said, Clarence "Bud" Anderson, "To Fly and Fight" is also one of the greatest WWII and beyond autobiographies out there. He also is much more down to earth than Yeager. Also, even Yeager said Bud was the better pilot.
Ha, never met a fighter pilot who wasn't "a bit braggadocious".
I never met him of course but all historical accounts I've read from people who met Erich Hartmann both during and after the war all said he was an incredibly humble and "down to earth" guy.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
With General Yeagers passing his autobiography went to the top of my reading list. I have read it before, twice I believe, and it still grabs you and keeps you interested. Few have lived a fuller more exciting life and fewer still lived to tell the tale.
He comes across a bit braggadocious in spots but he also tempers that by crediting luck for much of his success.
Ha, never met a fighter pilot who wasn't "a bit braggadocious". That being said, Clarence "Bud" Anderson, "To Fly and Fight" is also one of the greatest WWII and beyond autobiographies out there. He also is much more down to earth than Yeager. Also, even Yeager said Bud was the better pilot.
Col Anderson and I, Atlanta 2015.
"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
What an awesome photo F4U. Thanks for sharing that!
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
A flying friend of mine has flown the P-51 Mustang for quite some years. The one that was based here in Norway was painted up as Anderson’s «Old Crow,» and Anderson himself flew it in the UK in the 90s, and signed the airframe.
My friend worked a couple of seasons as pit crew at the Reno Air Races, and told me he used to visit Bud Anderson in Auburn when he was there. Even well into his 90s, Anderson would apparently play flight sims, and say when my friend was there, «come on, let’s fire up the simulator and go blast some Jerries!»
In all my years I've never seen the like. It has to be more than a hundred sea miles and he brings us up on his tail. That's seamanship, Mr. Pullings. My God, that's seamanship!
Awesome story semmern. I did a little bit of research on Anderson and found out that he's the top scoring US fighter ace who is still alive. He's 100 now.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
Funniest time was at KSAN, he got off the plane I was taking out and we made eye contact, I nodded hello and he just walked up the jetway to the terminal. As the inbound Capt. got off the plane I said, “You had Chuck Yeager on board.” The Capt., who was a ring knocker, paused for a second and responded with, “He must not have felt well as he didn’t stop by the cockpit and brag about himself.”
Funniest time was at KSAN, he got off the plane I was taking out and we made eye contact, I nodded hello and he just walked up the jetway to the terminal. As the inbound Capt. got off the plane I said, “You had Chuck Yeager on board.” The Capt., who was a ring knocker, paused for a second and responded with, “He must not have felt well as he didn’t stop by the cockpit and brag about himself.”
LOL!
How’s the flying going, Wireman? I got laid off for the whole of 2021, but I’ll be back in April, on the 737 again, and then it’s over to the 320 next winter.
In all my years I've never seen the like. It has to be more than a hundred sea miles and he brings us up on his tail. That's seamanship, Mr. Pullings. My God, that's seamanship!
That's great news semmern that you'll be back in the cockpit soon.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
How’s the flying going, Wireman? I got laid off for the whole of 2021, but I’ll be back in April, on the 737 again, and then it’s over to the 320 next winter.
Flying is steady and am eagerly awaiting delivery of our new 321s. 2021 was a good year to take off, shame you had to take a pay hit though. We managed to avoid furloughs by adjusting our guarantee for the pilot group. It was still bad for lower seniority, but better than the alternative…I managed to get moved into the top third seniority and get a higher guarantee but had to fly as an F/O for about 8 months, while at Captain pay. So, I had Capt. Pay at high guarantee with super-F/O seniority while staying current and qualified. Lucked out uberly. I have to remain real quiet when my copilots now talk about how bad they had it in 2020-2021. I buy a lot of meals and drinks on layovers.
You love the Bus. It’s comfortably roomy and a pleasure to fly.
I feel a little bad every time I see myself in that picture, wearing my "naval aviation" t-shirt with an Air Force icon
"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
