** “Ole Yeller” hovers over a big crowd of people
gathered outside Paramount Pictures.**
Legendary fighter pilot, test pilot and airshow pilot R.A. Bob Hoover was honored last week in an extravagant event at the entrance to the Paramount Pictures Studios in Hollywood, California, where a fiberglass replica of Hoover's P-51 "Ole Yeller" acted as the centerpiece. Nearly 500 people, including many aviation executives and celebrities, had a chance to view the premier of "Perfecting Flight: Bob Hoover" — a documentary of Hoover's accomplishments shown at the Paramount Theatre. The event also introduced the inductees to the Bob Hoover Hall of Honor, which will be on permanent display at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
A general theme in speeches made by actor and aviation advocate Harrison Ford, General Lloyd W. "Fig" Newton, former chairman and president of EAA Tom Poberezny and others, was the description of Hoover as an extraordinary pilot with a commitment to excellence, perfection and humility. Dan Birman, who produced the documentary, described how Ford, who also narrated the movie, encouraged him to create the film.
Hoover was intimately involved in the making of the documentary, which includes a harrowing animated reproduction of Hoover's escape from a prison camp in Germany, accomplished by stealing a German fighter. Intermixed with clips from his achievements as a fighter pilot, test pilot and airshow pilot, the film follows Hoover on a recent flight in a Sabreliner jet over his former test pilot grounds in the Mojave Desert, where he risked his life repeatedly to test the flying capabilities of new airplanes.
Despite his accomplishments, it becomes evident in the film that Hoover is most proud of being able to encourage others to take flight, a list that is likely immeasurable. The documentary highlights a few of these pilots, including several test pilots, USAF Major General Scott Hanson and another legendary airshow pilot, Sean Tucker.
In addition to former astronaut Eugene Cernan, who spoke eloquently about Hoover, inductees into the Bob Hoover Hall of Honor include Neil Armstrong, Dick Rutan, Lee Atwood, James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, Drury Wood and Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran.
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