Well guys I guess you could say I met a famous person and didn’t even know it!! When I first started working here at the airport I met an older gentleman by the name of Harry Andonian. Didn’t find out until today that he was the pilot of the NB-52B during the X-15 flights. Not only that, He was a test pilot on EVERY piece of equipment the USAF used from 1947 until he retired in the early eighties!! I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet about his experiences but I really want too. I also found out that he was interviewed for the Discovery Channels Wings episode on the X-15. Just thought I would share this with yall.
Waw, I sure would like to talk to that guy [8D]
It would be good to talk to Harry but if you see him fly in is personal aircraft it is down right scary. I have seen him put the A/C past the limits of the A/C.
Great story. The multi-engine test pilots often flew the mother birds for the X-planes, including Bob Cardenas, who flew Yeager’s X-1 B-29 and tested the XB-49 Flying Wing, including the spin testing, as he describes in harrowing detail on a doc that comes on fairly often on Wings.
I had a meeting with a famous aviation personage and didn’t know it and it was embarrassing, because it was somebody most casual a/c buffs would know. At Oshkosh one year with CJFM, I was sitting in a lawn chair under the wing of the museum’s Hunter, trying to stay out of the baking heat and reading that big monograph on the B-58 Hustler by Aerofax, which I’d just bought at some aviation bookseller’s. Our chief pilot, who flew for NASA out at Ames/Edwards AFB, was talking to a man who’d walked up and made comments about the F-104 as if he knew what he was talking about. He was introducted to me as Fitz. I went back to my reading and two pages later, there he was in the book, test pilot on the B-58 (and many other planes, as well as that same B-52B mother ship), Fitzhugh Fulton. The next day, Cols. Gabreski and Zemke came strolling up to check out our planes, but that’s an old story.
If you ever meet one of these guys, ask questions. Maybe I’m too much of a reporter, but they are walking, breathing history, and in two of the cases I cited above, there wasn’t going to be another chance. At the time, I had a sunburn and a massive hangover, and I couldn’t think of anything to ask two of the most famous aces ever to strap on an airplane. I still kick myself every day.
So Kevin, don’t repeat my mistakes.
Tom
I have had some fascinating conversations talking to Harry while I refuel his Beech Debonair. One of the best ones was when he talked about getting into a flat spin while inverted in a F-86. The way he talks about it, it was an ordinary, everyday event!! I know I would’ve have been fertilizing my drawers on that one!! If I can ever get a group together to talk modeling, Harry and several other semi-famous pilots have agreed to talk about their experiences.
BTW. Harry is still a CFI and an FAA designated Pilot Examiner and can teach Private, Instrument, Commercial, ATP, CFI, Instrument , single & multi engine ratings. Theres one to tell the grand kids. “I learned to fly from the man who launched the X-15”.
BTW, if I were to put my true hometown of Pittsburg, TX on my sig, Northeast Texas would OWN this thread. Just thought I’d warn the rest of you. (We annexed Belgium last week.)
Tom
Cool!!! Pittsburg Hot links and Belgium Waffles. The new taste sensation. You should put in your sig. Dont be scared of your roots in Texas.
Sharkskin, When will you be coming back home to Texas? Ya now ya miss the cookin and women!! Seriously though, If any one would like a check ride with Harry, drop me a line and I’ll set it up. I don’t know how much it will cost, but this is one of those priceless moments that really is priceless.
I know I’ve been doing to much Star Trek - at first glance I thought the topic was “Hairy Andorian.”
[:o)]