Bob Hoover Vintage WW2 Military Foot Locker Trunk Legendary Pilot War Hero

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Bob Hoover Vintage WW2 Military Foot Locker Trunk Legendary Pilot War Hero :
$355.00

This military footlocker is from the estate of legendary aviator and WW2 hero Bob Hoover. Hoover painted his name and initials on the trunk and a rough painted sketch of an airplane. The remains of a very old South Carolina sticker can be seen in the upper left hand corner of the trunk-- Hoover began his military service in 1940 as a gunner with the 105th Observation Squadron in Columbia, South Carolina. He entered the Aviation Cadet program in 1942, was commissioned a flight officer and awarded his wings on September 15, 1942. On his 59th mission, he was shot down by a Nazi ace, survived, was captured and imprisoned by the Germans. He escaped from a prisoner of war camp, stole a German plane and flew it to safety in Holland. A decorated veteran, Hoover was awarded the Flying Cross for a mission in which after climbing up from a dive bombing run, he flew to the aid of a comrade in attacking an overwhelming majority of enemy airplanes. Exterior of this trunk has the patina of age, wear and tear, but it is solid. While there is some rust on the clasps and brass trim, there is no rust-through. The exterior cover on bottom of the trunk has torn away and there is some dampstaining. However the floor of the trunk is still solid, is not cracked and has decent integrity. The torn away outer covering on the bottom of the trunk is not visible when the trunk is in its normal position. The two clasps are in working condition. The center lock no longer has internal locking mechanism. It could still be clasped shut in the center by using a small padlock on the padlock eye. One of the side leather handles and its brackets are missing. The center handle and the other side handle are complete and the leather is intact. However, as the leather is at least 75 years old, I would not recommend lifting this trunk by the leather handles.Interior is in good condition and the lining is all intact with only minimal worn away spots. This trunk is an incredible piece of history, a memento from a WW2 hero and a pilot of mythological stature. After WW2, Hoover went on to train pilots in the Korean war and also became a test pilot and aerobatic pilot of great renown. He flew over 300 types of aircraft including early US jet powered war planes the P-80 and the F-84. He also flew the XFJ-2 Fury and the F-86 Sabre. He is known as well for his exploits in his trusted P-51 Mustang, \"Ole Yeller\"and for his \"energy management\" cut-engine aerobatics in his Shrike Commander, a plane whose reputation he elevated almost single-handedly with his legendary routines. When Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947, Bob Hoover was flying the chase plane. Revered by pilots around the world, Hoover was referred to by Buzz Aldrin as a pioneer who could do magical things with an airplane. “He was the best,” said Aldrin. Jimmy Doolittle, leader of the famed 1942 bomber raid on Japan once called Hoover “the greatest stick and rudder man who ever lived.”