This promotional film by North American Rockwell shows R.A. "Bob" Hoover performing maneuvers in the Shrike Commander. The Shrike was a twin piston-engined business aircraft which developed a rather staid reputation, one that Rockwell hired Hoover to debunk. As this film documents, Hoover more than did that -- showing how an aircraft not designed for stunt flying could perform incredibly well.

The Aero Commander 500 family is a series of light-twin piston-engined and turboprop aircraft originally built by the Aero Design and Engineering Company in the late 1940s, renamed the Aero Commander company in 1950, and a division of Rockwell International from 1965. The initial production version was the 200-mph, seven-seat Aero Commander 520. An improved version, the 500S, manufactured after 1967, is known as the Shrike Commander. Larger variants are known by numerous model names and designations, ranging up to the 330-mph, 11-seat Model 695B/Jetprop 1000B turboprop.

R.A. "Bob" Hoover was one of the greatest pilots of his generation. A decorated WWII pilot and test pilot, Hoover was also the back-up pilot during the testing of the Bell X-1 supersonic aircraft. His real claim to fame however came from his work as a stunt pilot. Flying in air shows around the world wearing his trademark wide-brimmed hat, Hoover made the impossible look easy. Hoover's air show career included flights in a P-51 Mustang. The public definitely noticed when he switched to the Shrike Commander, a twin piston-engined business aircraft which had developed a rather staid reputation due to its bulky shape. Hoover showed the strength of the plane as he put the aircraft through rolls, loops, and other maneuvers which most people would not associate with executive aircraft. As a grand finale, he shut down both engines and executed a loop and an eight-point hesitation slow roll as he headed back to the runway. He touched down on one tire, then the other, before landing. After pulling off the runway, he would start engines to taxi back to the parking area. On airfields with large enough parking ramps (such as the Reno Stead Airport where the Reno Air Races take place), Hoover would sometimes land directly on the ramp and coast all the way back to his parking spot in front of the grandstand without restarting the engines.A few years after starting the show he began carrying passengers during his flights. (The Shrike Commander carries six passengers.) These passengers became known as "Hoover's Heavers" due to the number who became airsick during the maneuvers. As you will see in the film, Hoover added a flourish to the act by pouring a glass of iced tea from a pitcher, while performing an aileron roll, a 1G maneuver. Hoover also served for many years as the official starter of the Unlimited-class races at the Reno Air Races. The race planes (mostly modified World War II fighter aircraft) joined up in line-abreast formation on Hoover's yellow P-51 Mustang, and when in satisfactory order the spectators would hear over the PA his famous radio call, "Gentlemen, you have a race." Hoover's plane would pull up sharply into a vertical climb as the racers dove toward the first turn. Hoover would circle overhead during the race, ready to assist any race pilots with problems. In several cases Hoover helped pilots with crippled race planes to a safe recovery by talking them down while flying in formation with them.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com