Re: Bill Yoak goes West.
Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:24 am
P51Mstg wrote:I wrote this up early this morning.....
http://photorecon.net/bill-yoak-has-gone-west
Bill had been fighting cancer for several years, he put up a good fight, but in the end it got him....
Nice writeup; I am sorry to hear this.
I've never heard of the man, but he seems like someone I would have enjoyed knowing.Another thread asks what person you'd most like to pen a warbird book; this gentleman sounds like he would've been a good pick for that.
Re: Bill Yoak goes West.
Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:54 am
I was stunned to read Jerry O'Neill's post that QuickSilver's maker had passed! I was first introduced to Bill, Scooter, & Bill's beautiful P-51 creation at the Gathering of Mustangs in OH in 2007. Next year, at A Salute to CT's Veterans at Hartford, I renewed my friendship with father & son & QuickSilver. After this event, I messaged Jerry: "They are two very special and remarkable guys! The Salute to CT's Veterans was right down down their alley. Before the event, Bill e-mailed me: 'It is the show we have been looking forward to the most.' After they returned home, Bill messaged: "We are so blessed to be able to share QuickSilver with the public, & to thank, in our small way, all our veterans for their tremendous sacrifice and dedication to our country. We truly owe them everything we all have available to us. . . ."
Bill & Scooter's P-51 is my favorite warbird. My Facebook profile picture shows me standing in front of QuickSilver. Not many know that this Mustang is not a restored original P-51. Instead it is a one-of-a-kind, ground-up aircraft built out of parts from over 200 Mustangs! Only a master sheet metal mechanic craftsman like Bill could have pulled this off. The build took him 14 years. Upon debuting the plane at Oshkosh in 2007, it fittingly won the Reserve Grand Champion Trophy!
It is hoped that Scott (Scooter) will continue to fly QuickSilver to air shows, not only to honor veterans but also as a memorial to his father. In any case, I will truly miss Bill Yoak!
Walt Webb
Bill & Scooter's P-51 is my favorite warbird. My Facebook profile picture shows me standing in front of QuickSilver. Not many know that this Mustang is not a restored original P-51. Instead it is a one-of-a-kind, ground-up aircraft built out of parts from over 200 Mustangs! Only a master sheet metal mechanic craftsman like Bill could have pulled this off. The build took him 14 years. Upon debuting the plane at Oshkosh in 2007, it fittingly won the Reserve Grand Champion Trophy!
It is hoped that Scott (Scooter) will continue to fly QuickSilver to air shows, not only to honor veterans but also as a memorial to his father. In any case, I will truly miss Bill Yoak!
Walt Webb
Re: Bill Yoak goes West.
Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:20 am
Well said Walt.
I still have your e-mail with your comments on their visit to Hartford.
Bill and Scooter were exactly the kind of participants that made that event special
The world would be much better if there were more people like Bill around.
Jerry
I still have your e-mail with your comments on their visit to Hartford.
Bill and Scooter were exactly the kind of participants that made that event special
The world would be much better if there were more people like Bill around.
Jerry
Re: Bill Yoak goes West.
Tue Mar 26, 2013 11:31 am
Not many know that this Mustang is not a restored original P-51. Instead it is a one-of-a-kind, ground-up aircraft built out of parts from over 200 Mustangs!
He is the first person I can recall reading about that was building a new Mustang fuselage from scratch. I seem to recall it was a high back. Did it become Quicksilver or am I thinking of something else?