There are old Pilots and there are bold Pilots, but there are no Old Bold Pilots. This guy was the exception to the Rule.
Another true American Hero gone.
RIP
RIP You we’re an American hero.
High Flight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qqVRBZO5gc
RIP.
n January 1952, Feightner received orders to the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron—the Blue Angels. The squadron had been directed to add the Cutlass to their performance although neither Feightner nor Blue Angels commander “Butch” Voris believed the aircraft was ready for formation flying.[52] The F7U was the Navy’s first operational aircraft fitted with a hydraulic flight control system and reliability was still poor.[9] In the event of failure, the mechanical backup system required eleven seconds before control was restored.[53] The solution was to fly the F7Us separately from the rest of the team thereby creating the diamond and solo roles that remain to the present day. Feightner recruited former Blue Angel Lt. Harding C. “Mac” Macknight to fly the second Cutlass.[5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_L._Feightner
Well done!
RIP
The guy got nicknamed by Butch O’Hare?! Pretty high end credentials, RIP Sir!
We met him at one of the “Heritage Dinners” at the Officers Club on McChord AFB a few years ago. He didn’t look as old as some of the Vietnam guys who were heavy drinkers... and he outlived quite a few of them.
Thank-you for your service! Rest in peace. (RIP) Memory Eternal.
We live on an airport. Our neighbor Amelia took pictures with him at an air show she flew her T6 to. She emailed them to us this morning.
Look at his serious looking official photo as an admiral and contrast it with the grinning idiot just thankfully removed from the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
Rest in Peace sir, you’ve earned your eternal wings.
Mayhe be reborn into the Space Force.
Wow. “Whitey” Feightner. Fighter ace, Blue Angel, test pilot... Feightner was in the thick of the development of modern Naval Aviation. My hat is off to you, sir. Bravo Zulu and godspeed.
General Alton D. Slay flew everything from WWII trainers to the Mach 3+ SR-71 spy plane. A Four-Star General, he was one of the rare Air Force Officers who was able to keep flying until he retired. A combat pilot in two wars, these sorties were just a part of his amazing career, spanning from jungle clearings in Guatemala to the edge of space in a rocket-powered F-104. Somehow he survived it all.
I happened to watch it last night and will probably watch it again tonight.
May Admiral Freightner REST IN PEACE, as he has been PROMOTED TO ETERNAL GLORY.
Yours, TMN78247
USA, Retired
A while back ABC morning show host Robin interviewed a basketball player who came out of the closet, she stated that he is a true American hero, what a puke! This guy and many like him are the ultimate true hero’s of our time, god bless him, a true American hero RIP!
Fair Winds, Following Seas and CA/VU, Admiral