Mira Slovak, which because an early on journey pilot when you look at the 1953 escaped Communist Czechoslovakia of the hijacking their own commercial trip so you’re able to Western Germany, died into the Summer sixteen during the their family for the Fallbrook, Calif. Slovak, which continued becoming a beneficial hydroplane racing champion, a good stunt flyer and you will a trip pilot, try 84.
The cause try stomach cancer, told you David Williams, the fresh new government movie director of your own Hydroplane and you can Raceboat Museum within the Kent, Tidy. Williams got interviewed Slovak many times lately getting good prepared biography.
Slovak, following in his early 20s, is brand new captain of a Czechoslovak Airlines DC-step 3 when, towards the nights February 23, 1953, the guy and a dating in New Orleans few someone else aboard carried out new hijacking. They’d spent weeks considered they.
Immediately after takeoff, with over 20 passengers up to speed, Slovak secured their co-pilot outside of the seat. Then took the brand new airplanes towards a-sharp diving to assist subdue anybody else and also to lose brand new airplanes so you’re able to less than step 1,100 ft, in which radar won’t choose they.
The jet, planned in order to fly away from Prague so you can Brno, Czechoslovakia, got from the an army feet into the Frankfurt around an hour after. Slovak told you he’d navigated the evening flight into the help regarding moonlight over and you may fluorescent lights regarding businesses lower than, electronic evidence which he had inserted south west.
Mr
Asking for political asylum, he had been requested when you look at the Europe additionally the You for a few days before being allowed to real time easily in america. But their condition once the a beneficial Communist 1st eliminated him out-of taking a commercial pilot’s licenses, Williams told you. Very Slovak discover one method to fly one called for couple credentials: dusting harvest.
Before decade was over, he had flown collect dusters in the jobs across the West, doused wildfires on the air and you will has worked just like the your own pilot for Costs Boeing Jr., son of the Boeing Businesses creator.
Boeing put your to help you hydroplanes
From the later 1950s, Slovak is skimming over the water’s skin on more 150 mph en route so you can sports-page glory, a number of it at the helm away from Boeing’s ship, Miss Wahoo.
Inside 1958, Slovak won a national title driving Miss Bardahl, owned by an excellent Seattle petroleum company. The next year he was riding Skip Wahoo when he acquired the President’s Mug for the Potomac River when you look at the Washington, D.C. He proceeded race thanks to 1967, successful several other federal title. (He took his last lap during the an excellent hydroplane at the ages 81, interacting with 140 m.p.h.)
In 1959, when he decided to go to work for Continental Air companies as the a good airplane pilot; the guy settled off, relatively talking, creating just the unexpected stunt in the a beneficial biplane. Traveling below bridges, inverted and you will palms above, was exactly how the guy casual. His adventurous feats attained him the fresh new nickname the latest Traveling Czech.
Mira John Slovak came into this world into Oct. twenty five, 1929, from the city of Cifer, which was then inside the Czechoslovakia and that’s now when you look at the Slovakia. Their parents were farmers just who hid Jewish refugees within the Nazi profession. Slovak told Williams you to definitely a rail line carrying Jews to help you amount camps introduced near its belongings. He remembered providing cigarettes and you can eating so you can Nazi troops to victory its trust, upcoming giving smokes and you may eating toward Jews to the teach.
The guy joined the fresh Czechoslovak Heavens Force shortly after The second world war, as he try 17, and you may travelled bombers from the 19. He was promoted to help you master at the 21, partly because the brand new Communist authorities was replacing officials exactly who was aligned having Allied pushes when you look at the conflict. By the point he had been 21, he had been piloting commercial aircraft having Czechoslovak Airlines.
They are live by his partner Ingrid Bondi, an old airline attendant having Continental with exactly who the guy existed to own almost thirty years. Slovak’s a couple marriages finished during the divorce proceedings.
Williams told you Slovak had flown 38,500 era in different airplanes, whether or not oftentimes are into the long routes to possess Continental. The guy generated more 800 Pacific crossings on the airline in advance of retiring inside 1986. He later on imported and you will sold planes, many of them manufactured in Czechoslovakia.
Slovak survived several injuries inside boats and you will planes. Into the hydroplane race he bankrupt an arm, a base with his straight back; forgotten much of their teeth; and you can broken their kidneys in advance of he was out-of his 30s. He spent their down time considered their return to the seat, even as particular competition into the h2o died racing.
When you look at the 1968, he strung a motor out of an effective Volkswagen Beetle to your a good glider and you will flew it more than 8,100 miles, regarding Western Germany to California. He damaged 19 feet throughout the runway at his last appeal, Santa Paula. The guy invested a couple of days from inside the a coma.
“I am in love with someone,” Slovak advised Sporting events Illustrated during the 1966. “That’s Mira Slovak. I do not must destroy myself, however, one thing may seem after you fuss which have speed. Legislation from averages catches upwards.
“Us,” he additional, “had been banged up, burned, bounced up to. We are all ready to face the consequences. You will find i am also, but I always get back for lots more.”
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