I usually can't draw people either. I have either dug out a repressed piece of art or more likely, I just got lucky! Thanks guys, I will probably start doing more of these.
I think peoples are the hardest things to draw. All that I draw look a little like cartoons... May be because I wanted to make cartoon books when I was younger. But unfortunately, my drawings suck. So I let down the idea and concentrated on novels instead.
At the begining, I had a good way to draw pilots (when I was drawing them (most of the time I was drawing windows in black, so you couldn't see inside)). I was always putting them an helmet and a gas mask on... so all that was left was his eyes.
That is a good way to go, but there aren't too many warbirds with tinted windows. But the helmet, mask and goggles is a good way to go to keep it easier. Facial features are a pain.