96 Year Old WWII Pilot Takes Flight Again in Tampa FL

 

Bob Brocklehurst is a true American Hero, and this video of him returning to the cockpit of a plane similar to the one he flew in World War II is sure to make your day.

Fox 13 News in Tampa caught up with Brocklehurst as he climbed back into the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang just like the ones he piloted all the way back in the 1940’s. It took a little effort to help the 96 year old into the plane, but as you will see in this clip, Bob settled right back in to the seat he’d occupied all those years ago and everything came right back to him like he never left the pilot’s seat.

As I watched this clip for the first time, I expected Bob to just enjoy the ride, taking in the beautiful scenery through the Mustang’s canopy while he and his co-pilot soared around for a while. However, Bob wasn’t content to just ride along and enjoy the view. Instead, he took the controls and spent some time trying out his “old tricks” as he calls them, including a soaring loop and some barrel rolls. Even after seven decades, Bob still has the stuff, flying the plane like the badass that he was, and still is.

Folks like Brocklehurst are becoming few and far between at a rapid pace. Surviving WWII heroes are all in their 90’s now and that’s a damn shame, since they are some of the most remarkable and fascinating folks on the planet. Having lived through some of the worst years the world has ever seen, then watched technology advance to the point we are today, these men and women have quite literally lived in two different worlds, and they adapted and overcame some incredibly difficult times to get through the war, a war that today would likely end with the total destruction of the entire human race thanks to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

We send a big Speed Society salute to Bob Brocklehurst and all other veterans around the world, both active and retired. Thank you all for your selfless service and dedication to fighting for the greatest nation on Earth.