It Has a Handbook Doesn’t It? F-100 and Crossfield

I had flown the F-100 a lot and had delivered one to Scott Crossfield to fly. I asked him if he wanted me to check him out.

No, it has a handbook, doesn’t it? said Crossfield arrogantly.

Me: Be my guest.

And I walked out.

A few days later, Paul Bickle, Assistant Chief of the Flight Test Engineering Laboratory at the time and said, “Come on over here a minute.”

I asked: Why?

Bickle: Just come.

I went over there and saw the F-100’s nose sticking through the hangar wall.

He had taken out two other F-100s. What a mess.

He had lost his hydraulics, so no brakes, went right up the ramp, into the hangar and the hangar stopped him after his nose poked through.