MetaSatakOz

MetaSatakOz OP t1_j5blugg wrote

Reply to comment by ppross53 in TIL Bob Hoover, an American Spitfire pilot in WW2, was shot down over occupied France and captured but was able to escape from the POW camp 16 months later, steal a German fighter, and fly it from northern Germany to friendly territory in Holland. by MetaSatakOz

The irony is this was very late in the war and the POW camp he was in was liberated by the Russians like a week later.

He says it was one of the stupidest things he's ever done.

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MetaSatakOz OP t1_j5bh4qu wrote

Reply to comment by AdoltTwittler in TIL Bob Hoover, an American Spitfire pilot in WW2, was shot down over occupied France and captured but was able to escape from the POW camp 16 months later, steal a German fighter, and fly it from northern Germany to friendly territory in Holland. by MetaSatakOz

Can't find anything on what happened to him after Bob took off so I'd just be linking you to the same story as what's in the wiki.

This youtube vid is where I first learned about Bob and it has a few more details. But some of the details don't match the wiki and it seems embellished in some parts (using the sun to navigate? these planes have compasses) and I don't trust it 100%.

But this article at least confirms the airshow reunion.

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MetaSatakOz OP t1_j5bcdl4 wrote

Reply to comment by AdoltTwittler in TIL Bob Hoover, an American Spitfire pilot in WW2, was shot down over occupied France and captured but was able to escape from the POW camp 16 months later, steal a German fighter, and fly it from northern Germany to friendly territory in Holland. by MetaSatakOz

Looks like one of them, Jerry Ennis, reunited with Bob at an airshow years later. I don't think anyone knows what happened to the other guy, though. Edit: All they know is he was a Canadian named George.

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