I have talked to and seen Bob Hoover several times and what a gentleman. Reading his book he would have had the sound barrier record if he hadn't done a buzz job that pissed off the commander so Chuck Yeager got it.
They have been at the Reno Air races the last 13 years I have been there and have Bob Hoovers autograph on his book. He used to fly into Flabob Airport in Riverside Ca. to see Art Scholl who I flew aerobatic instruction for and always landed his Shrike on one wheel even if nobody was looking. It was great flying back then. Everybody knew how to handfly and autopilots were a luxury but no one needed one. Today is different for the new people. We need to make new pilots real pilots not programers. Bottom dollar thinking probably won't let this happen again.