 | A SALUTE TO AN OLD FRIEND| OFF-Topic / Misc. Discuss A SALUTE TO AN OLD FRIEND in the Current forums; An old friend of mine passed away last week. Dick Lawyer was the former chief pilot at Tracor Flight Systems. ... |
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11-18-2005, 03:34 PM
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#1 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,587
Country:  | A SALUTE TO AN OLD FRIEND
An old friend of mine passed away last week. Dick Lawyer was the former chief pilot at Tracor Flight Systems. A great guy, he was still flying high performance jet warbirds up until his death. Apparently he had a heart attack after returning from a Colorado hunting trip. He just turned 73.
Dick flew nearly 50 different types of aircraft from small single engine prop planes to supersonic jets. He lived to fly and soared through the air in the Lockheed T-33, F-104 Starfighter, North American T-6 Texan; F-86 Sabre, FJ-4 Fury, F-100 Super Sabre (all models) and T-39 Sabreliner; McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom and F-101 Voodoo; Convair F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart; Republic F 105 Thunderchief; and the Martin B-57 Canberra.
He was a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, the USAF Fighter Weapons Instructors School and was a Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
He was selected as astronaut December 11, 1965, on the Manned Orbiting Laboratory project, a classified military manned space station. When MOL project was canceled, he was serving as Deputy Commander, Operations, Tactical Air War Center, Eglin AFB, Florida. He was a qualified military pilot; and graduate of Aerospace Research Pilot School.
I understand he did a few tours in Viet Nam and was shot down on at least 2 occasions. I was also told he was forced to eject on 3 different occasions while working as a test pilot. He was one of the highest time F-4 pilots, I understand he had about 6,000 hours in F-4 alone!!!
Dick was doing part time work for a flight test company in Mojave up until his death. He was flying an F-100F.
The photo below was taken by my good friend Alan Redecki during a summer flight test program. That's Dick getting ready to launch during a morning sortie.
He will be buried at Arlingtion National Cemetary in Wash DC on Jan 5.
This is my tribute to a good friend and great pilot, may he rest in peace.... 
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT"  | 
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11-18-2005, 03:39 PM
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#2 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country:  | I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your old friend, Joe. My condolences. What a career he's had, by the look of it. What a life!
Here's to him. | |
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11-18-2005, 03:41 PM
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#3 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,587
Country: | Thanks NS - he was one of my "mentor pilots." I was honored just to know him.....
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
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11-18-2005, 03:50 PM
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#4 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country: | I'll bet you were. Who wouldn't have been? | |
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11-18-2005, 03:55 PM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: UK
Posts: 3,573
Country:  | My condolences FBJ its always sad to loose a friend and as he was a mentor I'm sure you have a lot to thank him for. Some how after all the things he's done I bet if you asked him if he would give it up to live a bit longer he would tell you to sod off as he'd loved every minute. Worse part of living is the dieing but you cant have one without the other.
Happy flying Dick.
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"Only thoses who lose freedom know it's true worth"
Unknown French woman interviewed June 1944 | |
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11-18-2005, 04:24 PM
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#6 | | World Traveler
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 11,751
Country:  | My Condolences FBJ. It is also said to see a good friend pass away even more so when they are a mentor.
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts"
Sir Winston Churchill
"To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today"
Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London
Moderator WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum
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11-18-2005, 04:58 PM
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#7 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,587
Country: | Thanks guys, I'll post more about him as I get more information
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
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11-18-2005, 05:35 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Canada
Posts: 2,070
Country: | My condolences, FBJ. | |
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11-18-2005, 05:52 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London
Posts: 2,878
| My thoughts are with you and the others that knew him. He lived doing what he loved and taught others such as yourself. If everyone did the same, whos knows what we could achieve. | |
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11-19-2005, 12:54 AM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,061
Country: | My sympathies, Joe. A sad loss.
__________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club. | |
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11-19-2005, 06:51 AM
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#11 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | indeed, atleast you can't say he's wasted his life, my condolences........
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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11-20-2005, 10:48 AM
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#12 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,270
Country:  | Sorry for the loss. I salute him.
__________________  US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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11-20-2005, 11:52 AM
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#13 | | Minister of Whoopass
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi
Posts: 13,306
Country: | Joe, I know how it feels to lose someone close man, so I feel for u, and for his family.... Too many great men are passing away nowadays...
__________________  "After That Second Kill, I Knew It Was Time To Get The Hell Outta There..."-- Lt. William Northrop Case
To See My IL2 Sturmovik Video Tribute to My Grandfather, Click Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk | |
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11-20-2005, 12:08 PM
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#14 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,587
Country: | Thanks folks! I'm going to try to post more about him. He was real humble and didn't post much about his exploits. He was one hell of a pilot. His wife said his greatest fear was not being able to fly as he got older.....
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
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11-20-2005, 01:37 PM
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#15 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,270
Country: | That is actually one of my greatest fears. Again my sympathies to him and his family as well as you FBJ.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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