Kanas City Cabela's Grand Opening

[fatrap]

Went to the Cabela's KC grand opening this past Saturday as it was in the high 90ties in my area and didn't want to fish. I was a good time. Got my book signed by Genearl Chuck Yeager and talked to a lot of hunting and fishing Reps. They were all eager to just shoot the breeze.

This is a really nice store but laid out like most of them just a little bigger. Huge aquarium with lots of fish and a great selection of tackle, baits, etc. I even found my coveted Bagley DB 3 in fire tiger. (left a few for you guys.

Cabelas isn't BPS but it would be boring if it was a copy of them. Many many mounts of differnt game animals in natural settings. The PETA people would have a $#it fit as the mounts are set up in acts of predation ie crocadile killing a wildabeast. Lion killing a deer etc.

Semi truck trailers set up with Reps from many outdoors related companies showing their state of the art equipment.

Anyone going to the KC area show take it in. It's just a chip shot from the International Airport.



fatrap

 

[Staci Matheis]

Yeager sure can fly!!!

But can he fish?

 

[fatrap]

If you read his autobiography he fishes a lot. Used to fly then hike back into the rockies while a test pilot at Edwards Air Force base back in the fourties. Has backbacked into some far away places just to fish. He's quite a guy



fatrap

 

[Adam Murray]

General Yeager was my ultimate hero as a kid. I always wanted to be a test pilot (until I learned I was practically blind!) I've read each of his books at least 3 times. Loved his stories about hunting/fishing Alaska.

 

[Staci Matheis]

I've seen him perform several times at air shows. AMAZING what he used to do with an Aero Commander! Haven't heard of him in a while; I guess he's given up performing. Of course, he must be in his 80's by now.....

 

[fatrap]

He turns 80 in Feb. And he is ACTUALLY A HERO. It bothers me when some sports commentator speaks of some 7 million dollar a year baseball or football player as a hero.



Fatrap

 

[Staci Matheis]

Wasn't he an Ace in Korea? Maybe even the first Ace to come out of the conflict?

 

[Mark Hofman]

He was one of the first "ace in a day", shooting down five German aircraft in the ETO during WWII. Later, he was shot down and escaped into Spain, and then personally pleaded with Eisenhower to re-join the fight instead of be sent home as was the policy for evadees. He was also one of the few pilots to shoot down an ME-262 jet fighter.



I had the pleasure of visiting with one of his squadron mates, who shared some "other" stories about Gen. Yeager.

 

[Mark Hofman]

Sorry, I mean that he shot down five German aircraft in one single engagement. If I remember correctly, his total tally of downed enemy aircraft was in the teens.



His claim to fame, however, was being paid standard Air Force wages to fly a rocket powered bullet through the sound barrier. The program was taken over by the Air Force from a private test pilot who wanted a LOT of money for each succeeding step in the X-1 test program. He also flew the X-1 past the sound barrier with broken ribs that prevented him from closing the cockpit door without the aid of a modified broom handle.



Later on, he flew combat missions over Vietnam.

 

[Mark Hofman]

This friend of his told me that General Yeager's eyesight was the best of any pilot he'd ever seen. He would stun his squadron mates by spotting opposing aircraft or ground targets far in advance of anyone else.

 

[Tom Mann]

Talk about good eyes..... In one fighter shooting competition he was all excited because he could see the votices left by the bullets and used them to aim.

T

 

[Adam Murray]

The first half of the movie, "The Right Stuff" is all about him and the X-1. The rest of the movie is a bit boring to me, but his story was pretty fascinating.

 

[Tom Mann]

Yeah, That was him tending bar at Pauncho's in the movie. A little cameo appearance.

T