Herbert O. Fisher

Herbert O. Fisher (March 6, 1909 – July 29, 1990) was an American test pilot and an aviation executive, overseeing aviation projects at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

He worked for the Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

Fisher flew as a pilot for over 50 years, racking up 19,351 accident and violation free hours.

During World War II Fisher was sent to the China-Burma-India theater to train the Flying Tigers as a civilian.

He flew many combat missions and was awarded the Air Medal by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Disproving the public perception of the heroic test pilot, among his peers, the portly Fisher was considered one of the premiere pilots of his time.

"Herbert O. Fisher is one of those people who generally went unnoticed. That is until he climbed into the cockpit of an airplane."

Fisher was born on March 6, 1909, at Tonawanda, New York, to Harold O. Fisher and Emma Rose Fisher (née Wortley).

At the age of 16, he had his first flying experience at the hands of a barnstormer, and was "hooked" on flying.

After completing two years at college, Fisher began to explore aviation as a career.

Fisher's aviation career began with his signing up with the United States Army Air Corps in 1927, becoming a member of the 309 Observation Reserve Squadron, Schoen Field, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana.

He began flight training in 1928.

In 1931, as the Secretary for the Aviation Committee of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Fisher was actively involved in the aviation interests in the area, including the operation of the municipal airport.

After leaving the military in 1933, Fisher joined Curtiss-Wright, and was assigned to test pilot duties.

In checking out aircraft off the production lines at the Buffalo, New York, plant, on his first day, he flew 10 aircraft.

During his 15 years with Curtiss-Wright as Chief Production Test Pilot, Fisher recorded thousands of test flight hours in the Curtiss C-46 Commando, Curtiss P-36/Model 75 Hawk, Curtiss SB2C Helldivers, Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters.

He flew 2,498 P-40s in his role as a production test pilot.

In 1942, due to wartime priorities that prohibited the use of military aircraft for Hollywood productions, Republic Studios approached Curtiss-Wright in Buffalo to recreate the aerial battle sequences required for Flying Tigers, starring John Wayne.

A number of P-40E fighter aircraft waiting for USAAC delivery were repainted in AVG markings, and with the aid of Curtiss test pilots, flew in the film.

Fisher's screen role was in subbing for John Wayne.

At the request of the commander of the Flying Tigers, Claire Chennault, Chief Engineer Don R. Berlin sent Fisher abroad as the best way to have "imparted his experience on those courageous young fellows over there with knowledge they could not possibility have".

On August 6, 1942, first-hand experience with a faulty landing gear on an early production C-46, led to an example of his coolness in critical situations.

While on an acceptance re-flight, the aircraft was loaded with Curtiss executives, and a special guest, fresh from combat in North Africa, Australian P-40 ace, Group Captain Clive "Killer" Caldwell.

With the landing gear stuck in a three-quarters down position, and after an extended eight-hour attempt to release the gear, Fisher calmly belly-landed the C-46.

With the weight of the aircraft gently pushing the gear back into the wheel wells, a minimum of damage resulted.

Caldwell had taken over as the co-pilot on the eight hours of circling over Buffalo, receiving certification that he was checked out on the C-46, under the tutelage of Fisher.

Recognizing that the new transport was subject to teething problems common to any new type, Fisher was able to assist operational units in the technique of flying and maintaining C-46 transports.

He would eventually fly 96 "research missions" over "The Hump" as a means of testing all the critical systems and troubleshooting a dangerous tendency for the engine fires and explosions that had plagued the C-46.

CBI C-46 pilot Don Downie recalled, "Herb Fisher's detailed reports were some of the best pilot briefings we had."

Through his hard work and persistence, Fisher also convinced American General Joseph Stilwell, the Vice Commander of the CBI theater, that the new operational procedures would save the lives of hundreds of pilots and passengers.

After test flights of a P-47C on November 13, 1942, Republic Aviation issued a press release on December 1, 1942, claiming that Lts.

Harold E. Comstock and fellow test pilot Roger Dyar had exceeded the speed of sound.

In response, Fisher later observed, "We knew about Mach 1 going clear back to the P-36 and the P-40 ... Nothing could go 600 mph mph in level flight, but pilots were beginning to dive fighters. We ran into compressibility back in '38."

The desire to develop a propeller that maintained its efficiency at transonic and supersonic speeds led the Curtiss-Wright Propeller Division to design and test several different concepts, including a thin, cuffed four-blade and a three-bladed "scimitar" design.

During 13 months overseas from 1943 on, despite his being a civilian test pilot, while in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater, Fisher flew as many as 50 missions to prove the P-40 under combat conditions.

He also lectured and conducted P-40 flight demonstrations in almost every fighter base in the CBI, Middle East, North and Central Africa.

Fisher was also instrumental in supporting the introduction of the Curtiss C-46 at the Engineering and Operation section of the Air Transport Command.

In 1944, at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., President Franklin D. Roosevelt awarded the Air Medal to Fisher in recognition of his service; he was the first living civilian to receive the honor.

At the end of World War II, Fisher transferred to the Propeller Division of Curtiss-Wright, in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he served as the Chief Pilot.

One of his important assignments was to assess the full potential of propeller-driven aircraft.