WW II fighter ace Scott dies at 97; Flying Tiger wrote 'God is My Co-Pilot

[eppur_se_muova]

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (AP) -- Retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. Scott, the World War II flying ace who told of his exploits in the China-Burma-India theater in his book "God is My Co-Pilot," died Monday. He was 97.

His death was announced by Paul Hibbitts, director of the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, where Scott worked in recent years.

The Georgia-born Scott rose to nationwide prominence during World War II as a fighter ace in the skies over Asia, then with his best-selling 1943 book, made into a 1945 movie starring Dennis Morgan as Scott.
***
Scott, who retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general, won three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and five Air Medals before he was called home to travel the country giving speeches for the war effort.
***
more at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/27/scott.obit.ap/index.html

[Charlie Brown]

1. Here's an interview with Scott that I found fascinating

http://www.thehistorynet.com/wwii/blrobertsmith/

[eppur_se_muova]

2. Oh, those were the days!

WWII: When did you get your first plane?

Scott: I bought it at the age of 13. They were auctioning off a number of World War I surplus Curtiss JN-4 Jennys, over near Americus, Georgia, and I bought one of them. As soon as the auctioning opened, I blurted out "75 dollars," because that was all the money that I had, but I was outbid by several hundred dollars by a man in the back who continued to outbid me on other planes. Finally, he came up to me and said: "Look, kid. Buy your one plane for $75 and get on out of here. I'm buying for an airline." That's how I came to own my first plane.

WWII: How did you learn to fly it?

Scott: I was taught by a local streetcar conductor -- I've forgotten his name -- who taught me in Central City Park, where the flier had been killed when I was 4.

[bbinacan]

3. Wow I wonder

what 75 bucks in todays dollars would be. And for a 13 year old.:wow:

[Art_from_Ark]

4. Assuming the value of a dollar based on the price of gold

a dollar in 1922 (when gold coins circulated) would be worth approximately $27 today, then $75 back then would be more than $2000 in today's money