Aviation Maintenance
Great Aviatrix, Pancho Barnes, in Chuck Yeager’s Own Words
I first met Pancho Barnes on my first trip to Muroc in 1945, when we were testing Shooting Stars. Pancho was 46 when I first met her. She had black hair and dark eyes, slim hips and broad shoulders. She would never use a 5 or 6 letter word when a four-letter word would do.…
Read More about Great Aviatrix, Pancho Barnes, in Chuck Yeager’s Own WordsIn His Own Words: Emmett Hatch, black pilot, in Chuck Yeager’s Squadron 1950’s
In his own words from Yeager, An Autobiography pp 290-297: “The Air Force had only been integrated seven or eight years by the time I became a fighter pilot. I came up through the ranks as an enlisted man, the same as Chuck Yeager, but it wasn’t easy for me as a black man. There…
Read More about In His Own Words: Emmett Hatch, black pilot, in Chuck Yeager’s Squadron 1950’sNovember 23, 1943: Off to war. And England.
November 23, 1943: Off to war. In General Chuck Yeager’s words: We got on the Queen Elizabeth to cross the Atlantic Ocean to war. There were 25,000 – one third a-sleeping, one third a-eating, one third a-puking. Then we switched every 8 hours. One guy asked, “Aren’t you feeling okay?” The other one said, “What?…
Read More about November 23, 1943: Off to war. And England.DECLASSIFIED-From Russia with Jackie Cochran – Yeager Oral History – Part 1
Parts of General Yeager’s Oral History with the Air Force have been declassified. Here is the first installment: Yeager: I was getting a little bit worried they were going to put her (Jackie Cochran) in jail. (laughter) I was about ready to go home anyway. So we whistled out of there to Spain and then…
Read More about DECLASSIFIED-From Russia with Jackie Cochran – Yeager Oral History – Part 1DECLASSIFIED – SQUADRON SEES RED: Chuck Yeager Oral History – Part 2
Recently declassified: General Yeager’s words: When I took the squadron to Italy, we had the four 50-gallon drop tanks. We were replacing a squadron that was at Myrtle Beach. Now Aviano had TACAN (tactical air navigation). So our deployment – that was when TAC came out and said, “Take all the squadron colors off the…
Read More about DECLASSIFIED – SQUADRON SEES RED: Chuck Yeager Oral History – Part 2Before Testing the MiG 15 – Korea – Chuck Yeager
This evening this was one of many stories General Yeager related to me: While prepping to test the MiG in Korea, a staff car came up. Gen Boyd got out. Pouring w/rain. Gen Boyd to me: Come here I want you to meet somebody. It was a 4 star general. 4 star general to me:…
Read More about Before Testing the MiG 15 – Korea – Chuck YeagerThe Hell There Ain’t….
General Yeager told me this story July 10, 2013: Jack Ridley was itching to fly the X-1 after we succeeded in breaking the sound barrier. Finally, when he got his chance, he asked if I would fly chase. Almost every flight in the X-1 had an issue from electricity going out, to no radio, to…
Read More about The Hell There Ain’t….“Chuck, I can’t see in here!”
General Yeager: I never lost a pilot while flying chase, but there were many close calls. From Carl Bellinger: Flying chase was an art that not many test pilots bothered to perfect. There’s no glory flying chase – no goal assist, no brownie points. But a skilled and dedicated chase pilot often meant the difference…
Read More about “Chuck, I can’t see in here!”Yeager Will Get it (P-80) Back (in one piece)
I wasn’t so thrilled when I was shot down to say the least, but because I survived and was an evadee, after the war, I got my pick of airbases. I chose Wright Field in Dayton, OH because it was the closest to home, Hamlin, West Virginia. There was an opening as Maintenance Officer in…
Read More about Yeager Will Get it (P-80) Back (in one piece)