The United States has lost a hero and a Corvette enthusiast in Alan Bean. Bean, the fourth human to walk on the moon, has passed away at the age of 86.
Not only was Bean an inspiration to many as an accomplished Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut, but he also had a passion for Corvettes. Chevrolet actually began a special lease program for astronauts in the 1960s. The program granted a complimentary one-year-long lease of any new Corvette model, and Bean took advantage of the perk.
In 1969, Bean along with 12 other astronauts ordered up their very own 1969 C3 Corvette models complete big-block V8 engines and four-speed transmissions. Each car was finished in Riverside Gold with a black “wing” section to note their specialty, according to Corvette Online.
Aside from his love of Corvettes, Bean was also an accomplished artist. The jack-of-all-trades man retired from the Navy in 1975 and retired from NASA in 1981 to pursue art.
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