Sierra Hotel Blog
Shot down over France on his 59th mission, Bob Hoover was captured and sent to Stalag Luft 1. After 16 months as a POW, he escaped, found a damaged Focke-Wulf Fw 190 on an abandoned airfield, forced a German mechanic to start it, and flew it to freedom in the Netherlands. He had departed in a Spitfire — and came home in a Focke-Wulf.
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Shot down in Vietnam, severely burned, and told he'd never fly again, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul endured 15 major operations before returning to fly the world's fastest jet at Mach 3 and 90,000 feet. Written by aviation historian and longtime friend Cory Crowell, this is a personal account of 30 years alongside one of the most remarkable aviators who ever lived.
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NASA deliberately short-fueled the Apollo 10 lunar module to prevent Stafford and Cernan from attempting an unauthorized Moon landing. They came within 8.4 nautical miles of the surface — and set the all-time speed record for a manned vehicle at 24,791 mph on the way home.
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