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Author Topic: RENO!!!!!  (Read 11034 times)

Offline cj5_pilot

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RENO!!!!!
« on: September 10, 2006, 11:18:22 PM »
Just a reminder that today is the first day of qualifying for the Reno National Championship Air Races.  For those of us that can't attend (Only been once...in '99...I took soo many rolls of film it's pathetic!...that's why the Osh Kosh strip was so darn funny to me!) you can keep up to date at these websites:

http://www.airrace.org
http://www.aafo.com

Dago Red (the plane I've alwasys favored in the unlimited class) isn't racing this year, but the Super Corsair WILL be "gracing the pylons in actual competition"!!!!  WOOT!  Wish I could go!

EDIT:  Hmmm....Dago IS registered....wonder if they changed their mind about retiring her.....

EDIT2:  according to http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/p51shows/reno2006/dagored.shtml (Mustangs Mustangs) Dago WILL be racing!  Hmmm.....Dago and Strega both with new, more powerful engines (Rousch helped with Strega and Dago has a Sparrow Mouse Motor) and in the field is also Voodoo, Precious Metal, Miss America and Race 57 the Sohio Super Corsair......I'm not going to be there!  :-\
« Last Edit: September 10, 2006, 11:29:17 PM by cj5_pilot »
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Offline madpilot44

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2006, 02:24:02 AM »
Didn't the owner sell Dago because of money constraints? I sure would like to see the races. Beats the hell out of F-1 and WRC... maybe one day in the future... jaja
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Offline tundra_flier

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2006, 06:50:26 AM »
Heck, I'd love to be there just to watch Big Boss Man  the F7F TigerCat run the pylons!  Not to mention Da Bear!   8)

And of course to cheer Biplane #4 - Ruby!   Good luck Dash!  :D

Phil
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Offline YawningMan

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2006, 06:57:25 AM »
I actually saw Strega in the Trade-a-Plane a couple of months ago.
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Offline Frank N. O.

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2006, 08:57:58 AM »
How exactly does air racing work? What's the challenge? To know the planes turn-speed/radius or what? I'm convinced there's a lot to it, but I've never had the chance to see it explained.

Frank
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Offline Baradium

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2006, 01:47:05 PM »
Quote from: Frank N. O. on September 11, 2006, 08:57:58 AM
How exactly does air racing work? What's the challenge? To know the planes turn-speed/radius or what? I'm convinced there's a lot to it, but I've never had the chance to see it explained.

Frank

In the simplest idea, if I actually understand this correctly ;) , you want to get around the course the fastest, just like a normal race.  But there is a lot more to it since you're 3D.   One of the commercial pilot manuevers is something called "eights on pylons."  That turn actually uses the same idea that air racers use, it's supposed to give you the shortest distance around the turn, which is important in the race.  You basically put the pylon off your wing, roll over into a bank and pitch to where it stays there until you roll out of the turn (this will be a pitch up).

I've never seen a race so I don't know very much of the specifics for rules etc, just what I've been previously told myself...

I'm sure someone will momentarily give a much better explanation.
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Offline cj5_pilot

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2006, 03:12:35 PM »
Quote from: Frank N. O. on September 11, 2006, 08:57:58 AM
How exactly does air racing work? What's the challenge? To know the planes turn-speed/radius or what? I'm convinced there's a lot to it, but I've never had the chance to see it explained.

Frank

Fly low, fly fast, turn left!

Ok, you can't fly BELOW a pylon, but there is also a height restriction...1500 AGL I believe (Tundra, you remember?).  As stated by Baradium, the idea is to have the fastest course time without breaking the altitude rules or "cutting a pylon".  There are several classes of racrers:

Forumula 1:  Got to use an O-200, mostly stock and have a miniumum wing area
Biplane:  Gotta have two wings...sometimes called the "Pitts" class :)
Sport:  Gotta be a homebuilt with no more then 600 Cid engine and has to be a produced kit, not a scratch build
T-6:  Only T-6/SNJ/Harvard allowed, virtually no speed mods.  Fun class to watch as it really comes down to pilot skill
Unlimited:  Long as it's piston engine it's allowed.  This is where you see the P-51s, F8Fs, Sea Furys, Yaks, Lightnings, F7F and what have you.  One year a B-25 qualified for Bronze :P

OK, after the classes you have the races.  Depending on how you qualify you either race for the Bronze, silver or Gold.  Gold Unlimited is THE draw at Reno.  Last Gold unlimited race is the last race on Sunday.  That's when everybody tosses the sandbags out of the tail and shows what their plane can REALLY do.

There are of course time penalties for cutting a pylon (that happened to Dago in '04) or violating the altitude restrictions. 

It's a fun thing to watch.  Awesome to hear those big Rolls Royce merlins (tuned to about double their original HP) and P&Ws (I'd rather twist and crank then blow and suck :P ) scream around the course.  And what a thrill to watch them come out of the turn and drop in to the valley of speed and unload the aircraft.....
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Offline Baradium

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2006, 03:27:09 PM »
Quote from: cj5_pilot on September 11, 2006, 03:12:35 PM
Quote from: Frank N. O. on September 11, 2006, 08:57:58 AM
How exactly does air racing work? What's the challenge? To know the planes turn-speed/radius or what? I'm convinced there's a lot to it, but I've never had the chance to see it explained.

Frank

It's a fun thing to watch.  Awesome to hear those big Rolls Royce merlins (tuned to about double their original HP) and P&Ws (I'd rather twist and crank then blow and suck :P ) scream around the course.  And what a thrill to watch them come out of the turn and drop in to the valley of speed and unload the aircraft.....

I can only imagine actually being at one of those races, has to be quite impressive.

As it is I still stop and stare every time one of Everts' or NAC's DC-6s trundles by on its way to the runway ( well if I can afford to anyway).  If I'm really lucky I get to see the Carvair leave.  Going on the slope last week Everts' "Spirit of America" (a DC-6 fuel tanker) followed me around all day.  In fact, there were two '6s in Deadhorse at the same time (other was a cargo bird).  It just still makes my day every time I hear a radial... 

One of these days I'd like to make those air races.  I get the feeling that they are addicting though....

-Ryan
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Offline Mike

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2006, 07:19:23 PM »
We, of course, have to vote for the Super Corsair.

I can see a few strips about Chuck, a Corsair, and Reno coming on....  ;)
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Offline cj5_pilot

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2006, 09:08:54 PM »
http://aafo.com/racing/2006/reno-2006/sunday_09-10-06/images/pages.php?directory=.&currentPic=1

Got to love the bent wing bird!

No results I can find for qualifying yet....looks like wednesday is when we'll get the first update.  Found out an FM-2 Wildcat is going to try too!
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Offline cj5_pilot

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2006, 05:16:05 PM »
Ok, looks like Mike Brown is currently holding the pole in September Fury (Hawker Sea Fury, HIGHLY modified!) with a speed of 478.512 MPH. Remember that's lap speed not airrspeed.  The 500 MPH lap is the holy grail at Reno.  Only a few planes have made it (I believe Dago was first).  Rare Bear had some carb trouble and Merlin's Magic lost an engine.  Today is the second day of qualifying, and none of the numbers are official until Wednesday.

Sorry if I sound enthused about this, Reno airracing has been something I've loved since I first learned about it in Air Classics magazine back in the early '80s.  Funny what we read as a kid sticks with us for so long  ;D

Oh, and another Corsair Pic:

http://aafo.com/racing/2006/reno-2006/monday_09-11-06/images/pages.php?directory=.&currentPic=7

I met Bob Oddegard (spelling incorrect) once in Anchorage when he flew up a P-51.  He's a good guy.
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Offline Sleek-Jet

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2006, 11:06:32 PM »
The fury's just aren't slick enought to keep up with the modified P-51's or Bear... at least until one of the later breaks  ::)... Sometimes it's not about being the fastest, but holding together the longest. 

Plus, the fury puts out one hell of a wake, I watched Dago Red just about turn over a couple years ago coming around Pilon 1 behind Dreadnaught... ;D
« Last Edit: September 12, 2006, 11:26:28 PM by Sleek-Jet »
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Offline cj5_pilot

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2006, 12:05:17 AM »
The "stock" furys like Dreadnaught and September Pops definitely aren't running as fast as the Mustangs and the Bear.  However Furias and September Fury have some serious mods that make them look like good contenders. 

Also I didn't realize that one of this years (and last year's) racers is "Polar Bear" (http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/survivors/pages/43-6006.shtml) ...a P-51A with an Allison NOT a Merlin!  That surprised me, sorta like "Big Bossman" F7F.  Both are rare birds with few examples still flying.  That's one of the downsides to the Unlimited and T-6 classes of racers.  There's always some chance that the plane can be lost (Tundra and I watched Gary Levitz's "Miss Ashley II" come apart in Turn 1 in '99....not something I ever want to witness again) and a priceless piece of history can be lost.  On the other hand, flying and flying fast is what these aircraft were designed to do.  I feel there are VERY important reminders of history for younger generations. 

All that being said, planes like Big Bossman and Polar Bear tend to be flown by pilots that aren't REALLY racing...they are showing off their beautiful birds.  Heck, Miss America wasn't a contender until she got bent up (not racing if I recall) THEN they went for the Race Mods :)  This is how she used to look in '99:


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Offline Sleek-Jet

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2006, 01:53:13 PM »
Even with the mods, the Furys can't keep up in a flat out speed dash... they've got to much wing and to much surface area.

I've watched Furias before, and the mustangs just motored away, but Furias didn't break and made it to the end of the race... where as a few of the 'stangs were making emergency landings. 

If September Fury can maintain that kind of lap speed and hang together, he'll be a contender for sure.   |:)\

I gotta go with Chuck though, and pull for the Super Corsair. ;D Especially since I have a passing connection to the airplane. (I think)...
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Offline Zaffex

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Re: RENO!!!!!
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2006, 11:39:27 PM »
Ah, reno. Man, I wish I could be there, sounds like an awesome place to be. By the way, does anyone know if the races are televised or have video?
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