Who was at the Reno Air Races the year Bob Hoover taxied into a pick-up truck???
There was a cartoon circulating as the Hoover Matic Slicer!
It was the same year Stu Eberhardt blew his rudder trim tab off, and Bob loaned Stu his rudder
and is why Stu has a rudder with No trim tab, and is painted yellow!
Photo from "Mustangs Mustangs"
I wasn't at Reno for the pickup truck incident, but I was at Reading, PA the day in the 1970's when he did his "disappearing act" and hit the wires down by the river. He came back and landed trailing a wire.
I knew Bob Hoover fairly well (well enough for him to call out to me by name at Oshkosh 2014). Bob was a true gentleman, unlike some other well-know WWII pilots.
Saw Bob many times at Oshkosh, amazing flier,
His mastery of the Aero Commander was outstanding, kill the engines at high altitude,
Loop and roll all the way down, then land and get back to his tie-downs without power,,
Everytime!!!!
Got to meet him several times over the years. About 40 years ago he tried to hit on my girlfriend, LOL! I ran into him several years ago when I was doing the air races, I brought that up. He said, "I don't remember doing that but if she was good looking I probably did!" LOL! RIP Bob!