Air Force Revives WWII Pilot Tradition to Mourn Stunt Legend Rob Holland

 In a poignant tribute, Air Force pilots at Langley Air Force Base have reinstated a significant World War II custom by burning a piano. This act honors the memory of Rob Holland, a stunt pilot who tragically lost his life during airshow practice on April 24.

At 49, Holland was a 13-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, celebrated for his breathtaking aerial maneuvers in custom carbon-fiber aircraft. During preparations for the Air Power Over Hampton Roads airshow, a Holland-operated plane crashed while executing a low-level maneuver. Despite lacking military veteran status, his audacious flying techniques and exceptional abilities garnered significant admiration from military aviators, especially those in the fighter pilot community.

Col. Matthew R. Altman, commander of Langley’s 633d Air Base Wing, expressed his sorrow: "We lost a great friend to the Air Force.” “He garnered admiration from pilots throughout various communities.”

On the following evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon at the base, flyers and support personnel convened in a grassy field to pay tribute to Holland’s memory. A piano, serving as the focal point of the ceremony, was momentarily played by a uniformed pilot before being engulfed in flames. Dozens of attendees gathered in silence as fire engulfed the instrument, some capturing the moment on their devices while others took a moment to reflect.

The ceremony originated in World War II, when British and American pilots marked their successful missions with piano music while honoring their fallen comrades by burning the instrument. The ritual remains a significant tradition within fighter pilot culture, serving as a poignant act of remembrance.

In a concise statement prior to the fire's ignition, one pilot shared the origins of the tradition: “When the squadron’s piano player failed to return from a mission, they paid tribute by setting the piano ablaze.” In a poignant tribute, the community gathers tonight to set a piano ablaze in honor of Rob Holland.

One attendee remarked that “Rob was more than a stunt pilot, he was a member of our community.”

The airshow unfolded as scheduled, with the piano burning as a poignant reminder of the camaraderie and respect among military and civilian aviators.