WIX Archives

Re: Reno Thursday

Posted by Chuck on Thu Sep 12, 2002 10:46:13 PM

In reply top Reno Thursady posted by Chuck on Thu Sep 12, 2002 10:57:27 PM

OK, I cant spell Thursday. I have been out on a hot ramp all day and most of us here knows what that does to you.
OK, more news. I forgot to mention that the Strega team is using Dan Martin's broke engine as well as their own to create a good one from the two. They hope to have the new, rebuilt engine in by tomorrow night and race this weekend. The custom nose cowling panels are gone (runwau FOD) so the will have to replace the peices with stock components. This will reduce the overall speed potential of the P-51 but it is still a hot airframe. I wish them luck!




: Today was another fine day of racing. No accidents today a
: nd the show went off without a hitch. I ran into Lefty Gar
: dner(no relation)at a booth where he is selling his pictur
: es to help restore his P-38 "White Lightning". I met his s
: on, Ladd who was the pilot during the unfortunate crash. G
: reat guy. They are trying to secure funds to rebuild it bu
: t it will cost more than they orignally thought. Ladd hope
: s to keep it in the family and not have to sell it. I talk
: ed to Chuck Hall of San Diego, CA and got some good shots
: of his P-51 "Six Shooter". The A-26 that flew in is 434313
: N1190R painted in silver and blue. Rare Bear ran her 3350
: this afternoon for about 10 minutes. There is nothing qui
: te like standing 30 feet from this meaty racer while she r
: uns her engine at high RPM. The hope to fly it by Sunday f
: or a test flight and for all of the fans. I also stood nex
: t to Precious Metal, the contra-rotating prop, Griffon eng
: ined P-51 while she warmed up to go race. I wish everyone
: could have been in my shoes and seen through my eyes. It w
: as an awesome experience! Dick Bataya (sp) brought in his
: F7F Tigercat this morning. The F-104 Starfighters put on t
: heir display today. No loops or rolls but incredible to se
: e with the high speed passes. P-51 "Voodo" went out for a
: photo shoot this afternoon so you will probably see it in
: a magazine in a few months. I talked with Michael Oleary (
: famous warbird photgrapher)today and is possible you might
: see some of his pictures at some point that are very simi
: lar to mine since we were shooting next to each other. I w
: ent and had a look at Miss America this morning. It is a w
: reck. It will take at least a year to rebuild. The wing is
: broke and there is a hole in the side in the engine from
: letting a rod go. Mr. Hisey had just raised the insurance
: on it before the race and his agent was at the races!! I s
: aw him today and seems to be in good spirits given the cir
: cumstances. Nelson Ezell, famous warbird restorer, flew St
: uwart Dawson's Seafury "Spirit of Texas" today and was the
: fastest plane on the coarse at 416 mph. P-38 "Joltin' Jos
: ie" was on the ramp when I arrived this morning and was a
: great sight to see. Steve Hinton flew it with P-51s Val Ha
: lla and Six Shooter with a F-16 for a Heritage flight. Gre
: at show!
: More soon

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