Author Topic: RENO 2012... (Read 4018 times)

wwwarbird · « **on:** September 13, 2012, 08:39:38 PM »

Howdy folks,

For those interested, I'll be posting some stuff on Reno 2012 here. All is going well, perfect weather, and it looks like a good turnout so far. Here are just a couple of quick "teaser" photos from today. I'll post a bunch more later, but right now we're going across the street to see the movie "Air Racers 3D".

More to follow...

Bill Heher · « **Reply #1 on:** September 13, 2012, 09:03:20 PM »

I am so jealous Wayne! I was supposed to be there, had my room and rental car reserved,kitchen pass in hand and vacation scheduled and approved. No go for me - so keep the pdates coming!

My buddy got laid off and had to pull out of the trip, then while doing my part to earn the kitchen pass, ( tile,new carpet, etc) we found water damage to the exterior wall of the house.

I got to spend my Reno trip overseeing a crew to rip 20' X 12' of wall out, replace studs, sheathing, lath and stucco. To top it off I get to spend another $2500 getting the house painted.

And all I really wanted was to fulfill a dream of 40 yrs and go see them flying to win the Unlimited Gold Race! I like Wayne's pictures better than mine!

Mike Keville · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2012, 09:25:09 PM »

Thanx, Wayne. Keep 'em coming!

wwwarbird · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2012, 11:49:37 PM »

...back from the movie. It was pretty good, I don't expect it to be the next blockbuster though.

Here we go, today at Reno...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2012, 11:52:42 PM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2012, 11:55:21 PM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2012, 11:57:51 PM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:00:53 AM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:03:31 AM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:06:13 AM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:07:09 AM »

And this is it for today...

Jeff Traxler · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2012, 01:01:10 AM »

Thanx for the shots Wayne!!!!!Really Nice Stuff

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2012, 01:10:05 AM »

HEY! What about some qualifying speeds?

Just got home from Atlanta and catching up.
HAve fun,
Dan McEntee

Bill Heher · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2012, 05:51:35 AM »

thanks for all the close ups of the Griffon powered P51 from just down the street in Kissimmee! I am an engine guy and the detail shots of the powerplants make me drool.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2012, 05:55:18 AM »

I also want to thank you for the great pictures. Reminds me of the stock car guys/gals getting ready to race. Hope they all fly safely.

Russ Danneman · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2012, 06:07:37 AM »

thanks for pix wayne , been watching it live on loadedtv.com while at work

rd

Doug Moon · « **Reply #16 on:** September 14, 2012, 06:45:16 AM »

Thanks for the pics!

On the Kissimmee are the blades variable pitch?

In some pictures they look so turned there is almost no pitch??? It just looks odd to me???

Bill Heher · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2012, 07:24:25 AM »

Yeah Doug -variable pitch, counter-rotating. It must be a very complex prop control system for that beast. Flat pitch is low load on engine, use for start and flight idle/descent normaly.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2012, 08:33:40 AM »

I was talking to one of their crew guys and he said this is a new prop for "Precious Metal", the Kissimmee Mustang. The rear blades are said to be 4" shorter than the front ones. The old prop had straight cut tips and at whatever length the blades were they supposedly went supersonic at high rpm settings, making the prop inefficient. By appearance these new blades have the same shape as the prop on "Strega", and we know that thing consistently hauls serious butt. It's early, but they're saying this new prop is showing great potential so far. He says they're creeping up on it, running the plane up to about 10 mph faster each time they go up with it and then coming back to check over things. It didn't fly Thursday, but word is they've lapped a shade over 460 already with plenty of power left. I'd have to go back and look at some history, but the guy said this airplane has never before run these speeds. If things hold together maybe we'll finally see someone run heads-up with Strega. Could be an exciting Gold Final this year...

PerttiMe · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2012, 09:40:07 AM »

"Precious Metal" has a bigger engine than "Strega" but there's so many things right in "Strega".

How is "Rare Bear" doing nowadays?

Brett Buck · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2012, 10:00:22 AM »

Quote from: wwwarbird on September 14, 2012, 08:33:40 AM

If things hold together maybe we'll finally see someone run heads-up with Strega. Could be an exciting Gold Final this year...

"If things hold together" indeed. I am amazed that they ever make it through a race, particularly the Merlins that are pushed so hard, and the airframes that still apparently contain original parts from 1944, and were originally built with an expected service life likely to be *months*.

Brett

Matt Colan · « **Reply #21 on:** September 14, 2012, 10:20:54 AM »

Thanks for the pics! It's on my bucket list to get to Reno at some point!! And...

GO STREGA!!

wwwarbird · « **Reply #22 on:** September 14, 2012, 08:42:12 PM »

Here is the Qualifying sheet for Unlimited and some heat pairing lists from today. In the Gold heat this afternoon Strega was frickin' GONE halfway through the first lap. Gonna be real hard for anyone to catch that airplane. On top of that Stevie runs a phenomenal line around the course, a very tough combo.

Time for supper, more pics later tonite...

Randy Powell · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2012, 08:49:21 PM »

Brett,

On the Rare Bear, at least, nothing much is left from the original airframe. I suspect Precious Metal will put up a fight along with Strega.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #24 on:** September 15, 2012, 01:17:01 AM »

Didn't take as many pics today. Took care of most of that yesterday before the larger crowds show up this weekend to get in the way.

They have a package deal now called "Hi G Ridge". It's a package that gets you out to a tent and some grandstands on a ridge out on the far end of the course between pylons 5 and 6. I think they said this is the fourth year they've done it. It costs 110 bucks for non RARA members, and it's limited to 100 people per day. A bus takes you out there and then your stuck out there until after the last race of the day, about 5:00pm, so you have to commit for the afternoon.
A "Hi G Ridge" bonus that they didn't tell us about until we were on the bus ride is that when you get there they have a bunch of coolers stuffed with all the beer, wine coolers, ice tea, pop and water that you want. There were even bottles of white and red wine floating around out there. There was a bunch of different kinds of bagged munchies too, it was all there for the taking, just help yourself. Oh yeah, another suprise was the free "Hi G Ridge" t-shirts in your choice of white or yellow.

Curious, I blew the 110 and went out there this afternoon. It was neat to watch things from the different vantage point, but you're not nearly as close as they hype it up to be beforehand. That's why I went out, I thought it would be a lot more "in your face" than it was. In hindsight, I feel like your actually a little bit closer watching from the main grandstands. It was cool, but I'm not sure I'd go for it again. The "free" stuff was a nice suprise though.

Anyway, as promised, here are some more pics from today...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #25 on:** September 15, 2012, 01:20:53 AM »

Some more pics from this evening. Notice the "street signs" on the corner of where Strega's pit is...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #26 on:** September 15, 2012, 01:23:58 AM »

Wrenching goes on into the evening...

PerttiMe · « **Reply #27 on:** September 15, 2012, 01:42:54 AM »

Go RARE BEAR !!!

Strega has been winning so much in recent years, that I hope somebody else at least makes it a close race. I have a soft spot for Rare Bear...

Doug Moon · « **Reply #28 on:** September 15, 2012, 09:00:36 AM »

That is so cool!!

Furias and Precious Metal are just off the pace. Only 3 seconds behind. Can they do it???

Thanks for the Pics the Qual sheets are cool. Looks like Strega and Rare Bear are in it to win it!

Keep us posted.

I bet Precious Metal sounds so badass with those counter rotating props!

john e. holliday · « **Reply #29 on:** September 15, 2012, 09:06:36 AM »

Thanks for more great pics. The one of the airfield is awesome and I bet is better in person. The sound of the planes has to be something else also as they make the turn to go down the front stretch. Maybe the planes can make up time with a better use of the course and not cutting pylons.

Bill Heher · « **Reply #30 on:** September 15, 2012, 09:08:29 AM »

Go for the Gold, that's the "Precious Metal"!!! Gotta root for th hometown boys just down the road a few miles.

Wayne - if you ever get a chance to get down here some winter to escape the frozen tundra, I'll be your local tour guide.
We can go to Kissimmee and visit Precious Metal and the Kissimmee Air Muesuem / Stallion 51 operation, then head west and see Kermit Week's Fantasy of Flight air muesuem.
In addition there is always the Kennedy Space Center, and visits to Phil Coopy in Lake Wales, the Tampa Bay Line Fliers, X47 club up north by Jacksonville, etc.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #31 on:** September 15, 2012, 10:28:05 AM »

Just out of curiosity, whatever happened to Dago Red?

billbyles · « **Reply #32 on:** September 15, 2012, 11:34:55 AM »

Quote from: Matt Colan on September 15, 2012, 10:28:05 AM

Just out of curiosity, whatever happened to Dago Red?

Dago Red was sold by the last owners to race the airplane to another party who then "re-sold" it to a Mustang owner who lives near Fresno, CA. The airplane is about to undergo a restoration, and the new owner is likely to restore it to stock P-51 configuration with a possibility of being restored to "Dago Red"; that decision is not yet cast in concrete.

PerttiMe · « **Reply #33 on:** September 15, 2012, 11:48:03 AM »

Strega is looking strong ... and September Fury came second in Friday's Gold heat, in front of Rare Bear.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #34 on:** September 16, 2012, 12:14:06 AM »

Well, if you ask me, Strega has this thing in the bag for Sunday. Nothing against that but it would be nice to see a different team go home with the gold. Oh well, we'll see how it goes.

I talked to one of the crew guys with "Precious Metal" in the pits for a while again this morning. Here's the scoop with them. They only have one engine, the one currently in the airplane. He said one of the many team goals for Reno this year was to be able to fly the plane home after the event. Some of the other things he said they've been up to and succeeded with in the past few weeks tell me that the airplane is capable right now of running a lot faster than they've shown so far this week. I highly doubt we're going to get to see that tomorrow though. Because of them not wanting to risk engine damage and fly it home is why my money is on Strega for Sunday. Rare Bear or Dreadnought maybe, but I'd be really suprised. September Fury has been showing some potential too, but I'm still gonna say Strega. In every heat Steve Hinton and Strega look to be able to pull away at will whenever anyone gets within two pylons of them. The thing is an absolute rocket, and very smooth.

There's a lot more interesting stuff on "Precious Metal" that makes me think what I've touched on above, but I'll toss some of that in here when I've got more time. Granted it could all be Racer B.S., but a lot of it made sense and seemed legit.

Anyway, gotta hit the sack here soon to be able get up and out there early tomorrow.

For now, here are some more pics from Saturday...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #35 on:** September 16, 2012, 12:16:46 AM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #36 on:** September 16, 2012, 12:19:27 AM »

More...

wwwarbird · « **Reply #37 on:** September 16, 2012, 12:20:36 AM »

More...

Bill Heher · « **Reply #38 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:47:35 AM »

Great pics as usual Wayne! I have always thought that Miss America has one of the greatest paint schemes - must be a favorite of a lot of people, based on the prices the Cox version brings on da-bay.

Elwyn Aud · « **Reply #39 on:** September 16, 2012, 06:18:18 PM »

Great pics ! Thanks looks like Strega took the Gold.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #40 on:** September 17, 2012, 08:01:16 AM »

Yep, Steven and Strega smoked 'em all, easily.

I just got home a few minutes ago. Been up since 6:30am in Reno Sunday. Went to the races all day and then ran to the car right when they finished. Then I drove 4-1/2 hours back to San Fransisco to dump the car and catch our flight out at 12:40am. Landed in Minneapolis at 6:00am this morning then I picked up my truck and just finished driving the 100 miles home.

I'm going to slip into a coma now for a bit. I'll be back later with some Sunday pics and more info...

john e. holliday · « **Reply #41 on:** September 17, 2012, 08:13:02 AM »

Glad you made it home okay. Waiting for pics.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #42 on:** September 18, 2012, 09:08:42 PM »

Hey guys, I started a separate post with Sunday's stuff right here: http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=28590.0