Born in 1908, Robert Scott came of age along with aviation. From his boyhood, he always dreamed of flying - and of becoming an ace. He earned Aviation merit badge as a Scout, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and then entered Army Air Corps flight school. The Second World War began in 1941, and soon thereafter, he made his way to the Far East where he joined the campaign against the Japanese Empire. Soon, the young pilot earned the command of the Flying Tigers, one of the most famous and successful fighter squadrons in history.

Scott became an ace and a hero, and after the war, he earned the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force - all the while spending as much time aloft as he could. When he retired, his indomitable and restless spirit led him to a new challenge: trekking along the Great Wall of China. He completed this solo odyssey at age seventy - Scott never viewed age as an obstacle. After his trek, he returned to his home near Warner Robins, Georgia, and served as the living legend in residence at the Museum of Aviation until his death at age ninety-seven in 2006.

"One of the...main things the Boy Scouts teaches you is to be prepared - be prepared for anything. And I knew that some day, I was going to meet somebody in the sky who loved his country as much as I loved mine. He might be better‑looking, taller, stronger, or more agile, but he never was going to have the experience I had."

Flying the F-16 at age 74. General Scott continued flying into his nineties.

Colonel Scott as commander of the "Flying Tigers," China, 1942.

Author's commentary: "General Scott," as I and everyone else called him, was among the first Eagles I interviewed for the book, and were he not so kind and fascinating, the journey might not have continued. We visited together on several occasions at the Museum of Aviation and in his modest home, and the passion he had for living continually impressed me. He always wanted to be exceptional. He always pushed the envelope and never acknowledged his age (if he could help it). In particular, I used his story because throughout his ninety-seven years of living, he never relinquished that drive for adventure and excellence that Scouting instills. Bob Scott was ever the Eagle Scout.

Learn more about General Scott:

The Robert L. Scott, Jr. Story (Museum of Aviation)
Web Page: http://www.museumofaviation.org/exhibits/ex_rstory.htm
Video: http://www.museumofaviation.org/_assets/video/BGScott.wvx

Books by General Scott:
God is My Co-Pilot
The Day I Owned the Sky