Who is your avaition hero?

[Pat Carry]

I have been meaning to ask this question for quite awhile now, who is your aviation hero? It could be an ace from WW1 or WW2, a remarkable pilot from the Korean and Vietnam conflicts or just a darn good pilot from the most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps its an aviation poineer from the golden era of aviation. The field is wide open on this one. I'll bet everyone out there has someone they would consider to be an avaition hero. I would like to hear from as many WIX'rs as possible maybe even a few lukers. After going thru the 100's of candidates swimming around in my head, my pick would be Edward "Butch" O'Hare.

Last edited by Pat Carry on Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[APG85]

Charles A. Lindbergh

[dinghao]

Easy one for me....R. A. "Bob" Hoover.

[The Inspector]

If I may, two;
Scott Crossfield
Joe Kittinger

[bdk]

Probably Bob Hoover. Never thought about it much.

[rwdfresno]

So many brave heros to choose from. One who has always stood out to me is Jimmy Doolittle. An aviation pioneer, a great leader, inspirational career in both military and civilian aviation, and a true gentleman.

Ryan

[maxum96]

Lindbergh

Not only does the guy fly solo across the Atlantic, but he flies combat as a civilian after FDR refused to let him in the military. And he had tons of other accomplishments in aviation. And of course, another vote for Hoover. Not only an awesome aviator, but a real gentleman.

[bipe215]

My Dad flew from 1941 to 2007 and never put a scratch on an airplane. From Parrothead P-40 's to B-17's in the 15th AF to home builts and a bunch of stuff in between. I miss him every day.

Last edited by bipe215 on Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:41 am, edited 2 times in total.

[ACarey]

My dad accumulated over 6,800 hours flight time from September 1942 to March 1963. Two DFCs, 11 Air Medals, NavCom with bronze V, and recommended for the Navy Cross.

[soko121]

Douglas Bader.

Sheer determination and true grit. Someone that overcame very large odds to lead a fighter wing in the Battle of Britain. Controversial yes, but so are most of the big names of the time .....

Simon

[Jerry O'Neill]

Doolittle.

[ACarey]

Wrongway Feldman

[SaxMan]

Henry A. Podgurski - I know, not a household name. I've never met him either. He died more than 10 years before I was even born.

Podgurski went north to Canada and enlisted in the RCAF prior to America's entry into World War II, where he was trained as a pilot. He transferred back into the USAAF in May 1943 and was assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group, 409th Bomb Squadron. On the August 1st, 1943 mission to Ploesti, he was the co-pilot of the "Liberty Lad". The Liberty Lad had both engines on the starboard wing go out over the Adriatic. Him and his pilot, Ken McFarland fought with all their strength to keep the plane upright and airborne. On final approach to their base, the remaining two engines quit and they landed dead stick. Both Podgurski and McFarland had to be lifted from their cockpits. They were the last plane to return home from the mission.

No one one have said anything if Podgurski chose not to fly combat again after that mission. Instead, he finished up his tour with the 93rd. After his tour, he could have gone stateside as an instructor, but chose to remain in the European theater with the 27th Air Transport Group, flying converted B-24 cargo planes, including air drops on D-Day. When his tour ended with the 27th, again, he could have gone home, but he chose to return to combat in the B-24, this time in the Pacific with the 494th BG, where he remained until the war ended.

After the war, he stayed in the AAF and USAF, leaving in 1952 to become a pilot with Capital Airlines and to raise his family. Sadly, his luck ran out on June 22, 1957 when on a routine training flight with an instructor pilot and another trainee the DC-3 they were flying flight stalled out and spun in nose first. Henry Podgurski was 37 years old at the time of his death, leaving behind a wife, two daughters and an unborn son.

One wonders how many others out there were like Henry Podgurski: Men who felt they had a job to do and chose to see that job through to the very end.

[seagull61785]

Has to be Adrian Warburton.

RAF reconnaissance pilot based on Malta. If you have never heard of him then Google him and read about the man behind the 'legend'.

Definitely had substantial 'cojones'.

BG

[jmkendall]

Ens George Gay