Famous Pearl Harbor pilot leaves us....

[AirDOGGe]

In case anyone missed it, Kenneth M. Taylor passed away a few days ago.

Mr. Taylor was one of 2 pilots who managed to get their P-40s airborne during the Pearl Harbor attack (The other was George Welch). He was credited with 2 shootdowns of enemy fighters, and a possible 2 more that were unconfirmed.

His actions are forever immortalized in the movie TORA TORA TORA (and forever distorted in the lesser, more fictional PEARL HARBOR).


Details found via the following links:


Announcement of his passing...

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_4766716

Story of the event ...

http://www.aviation-history.com/airmen/pearl.htm

Ken Taylor dedication website with personal details...

http://www.pearlharborhero.net/

May the clouds always part for you, Mr. Taylor....Blue skies forever....

.

[speeddemon]

Re: Famous Pearl Harbor pilot leaves us....

That is sad.

Welch and Taylor weren't the only pilots to get airborne...they just had the best 'story' of the ones who did, and had the most success.

BTW...did you guys know that George Welch went on to become a test pilot at North American, as well as a race pilot in 1946 in the Thompson flying the #37 P-51 "Welch's Filly".

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Famous Pearl Harbor pilot leaves us....

It's hard to imagine a time when these guys will no longer be with us but that time is right around the corner, unfortunately!

There are still a lot of untold stories out there, and not only fliers, that need to be told!

If any of you have a relative, neighbor, someone you've met and they were a part of that time, if there is any way you can record an oral history, it sure would be a good thing!

Thanks Speed for filling in a blank, thanks Air Doggie for bringing this sad event to the members!

This is a really important day in a lot of folks lives... one they will never forget!

Wayne

[stuntflyr]

Re: Famous Pearl Harbor pilot leaves us....

That is sad.

Welch and Taylor weren't the only pilots to get airborne...they just had the best 'story' of the ones who did, and had the most success.

BTW...did you guys know that George Welch went on to become a test pilot at North American, as well as a race pilot in 1946 in the Thompson flying the #37 P-51 "Welch's Filly".

And that airplane was later bought by JD Reed and was flown by Paul Penrose, Ken Cooley, James Hagarstrom and Charles Walling, and was the team mate to Beguine and N25Y, and was test flown after resto in '82 at Chino the same time as the test flights of Dago Red and the Super Corsair, and later still flew in an "air race" in 1995 at Phoenix with Bill Muzala at the stick, and is presently owned by Evergreen Airventure Museum. Of course you did.
Chris...