I'm with you there barit1. I wouldn't say anything to detract from the excellence of Bob Hoover or Tex Johnston, but rolling and spinning cannot be compared. I doubt if either of these 'aces' would have been stupid enough to consider a deliberate spin in a 707. A well executed barrel roll is harmless to an aircraft (though if screwed-up one of the greatest height losers - Bullock (RIP) A26 Biggin Hill), but a spin has many other forces (centrepetal, sideslip etc) and I seem to remember early 707s were quite prone to shedding pods with quite small amounts of sideslip.
rts