Born in Breckenridge, Texas, warbird pilot and airshow performer Howard Pardue learned to fly in the United States Marine Corps where, as a fighter pilot during the 1950s and 1960s, he flew high performance jets. After leaving the military, Pardue began collecting and flying vintage military aircraft. An outstanding pilot, he dazzled audiences with precise aerial performances in his F4F Wildcat and F8F Bearcat. Pardue was selected to participate in Naval Aviation Tailhook Legacy Flights in which he flew historic fighters in formation with modern Navy fighters at airshows across the country. He was a crowd favorite at the Reno National Air Races where he regularly competed in the Unlimited Class in his Bearcat and Hawker Sea Fury.
