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I was very sad to hear about Chuck Yeager's passing last night. Though at 97, no one can say he didn't live a full life! So I thought it'd be fun to share some less common pics in a thread today...
Chuck played a big part in Fighting for Space because he and Jackie Cochran were very close friends. I think this pic is from the late late 60s/early 70s, and that's Chuck with his hand around Jackie's waist! And yes, they were only friends.
They met because Jackie wanted to know the famous pilot who broke the sound barrier. When Jackie wanted to learn to fly a jet and take on to closed-course 15/25km speed record, she hired Chuck to teach her. She moved into his house and he moved to live at Edwards.
Here's Chuck sighting Jackie on that speed run in 1953. (All these pics are from the Eisenhower Library, by the way!)
From Jackie's personal collection, a celebratory autograph on her multiple 1953 records from Chuck, Jack Ridley whom many of you know as the launch pilot of the X-1 when Chuck broke the sound barrier, and Fred Ascani.
Chuck was akin to best friend/adopted son to Jackie and her husband Floyd. Here's Floyd (foreground) and Chuck (background) in the pool at Jackie's house!
Jackie and Chuck travelled together for all kinds of Air Force events, like this one in the late 50s in Europe? I actually can't recall the details but it's a good candid!
When Jackie was flying out of Edwards, she had a desk near Chuck's.
Chuck helped when Jackie learned to fly a T-38!
Perhaps one of my favourites: Jackie touching up her lipstick while Chuck gives her some last-minute instructions in the T-38.
But I also love this one. Jackie putting on her lipstick while Chuck waits on the ladder of the T-38... His body language in this pic is amazing!
In 1953, the year she broke the sound barrier, Jackie won the female Harmon trophy and Chuck won the male trophy. This is after the White House celebration: Chuck in the foreground, Jackie kissing Floyd in the background!
Here's Jackie and Chuck and I don't know who the third man is doing some kind of altitude training...
I also really like this one of a group breakfast at Edwards. Look at that look between Jackie and Chuck!
This is a great one. I can't recall the event, but that's Chuck, Jackie, and Jack Northrop at an event in early 1970s.
Ok, I don't have a clear version of this (I took this pic of a pic) but when Jackie retired from the Air Force not long before her death, Chuck was a part of her celebration.
Another one from Jackie's retirement. That's Chuck second from the right, Floyd with the cane next to Jackie.
Chuck helped Jackie sort through Floyd's affairs when he died in 1976. There's some evidence of a falling out just before Jackie died, but months ago Chuck tweeted about his long friendship and admiration of Jackie. Wanted to give you guys some insight into that side of him!
