Episode Details

Many of my aviation heroes are complicated people of nuance and contradiction but not this man. As I reflect on his life, so recently ended, I remind myself of his uncompromising, direct manner but also of his enormous courage and skill that brought Charles Edward Yeager to the world’s attention.

Yeager grew up helping his father out on gas drilling rigs.

Yeager joined the Air Force as a Private and became a mechanic but he soon made his way into pilot training.

He was initially given a P39 Aeracobra to fly.

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