Flying Machines Roar and Soar at the ” by Ed Anderson

Air Highways Magazine of Open Skies Reno Air Races 2008 P&W Wasp R-1340-AN-1 radial the P-51 Mustang, Hawker Sea Fury, Photos and comments by Ed Ander- engine. Collected and released by a F8F Bearcat, F7F Tigercat, and Rus- son, North Vancouver, Canada. pace plane for an air race start onto sian Yaks. On ‘Gold Race Sunday’ a 5.0693- oval course, where it is not uncommon to witness some The 45th National Cham- speeds can reach of the more highly modified Un- pionship Air Races & upwards of 240 limiteds reach or surpass the 480 Air Show called “A mph. Total com- mph mark. Total qualifying Celebration”, presented petitors numbered numbered 24, chasing a prize purse by Breitling, kicked off 21 aircraft. Prize of $765,000.00. September 10 and ran purse-$105,000.00. The individual race-heats normally through September 14, run six to eight course laps having at Reno Stead Field, ü Sport: high seven/eight aircraft in each heat. some eight north performance com- Early every morning before 8:00 it of Reno, NV. This year, mercial kit-built all got going with the mini-might again, the Reno Air Rac- aircraft, mostly Formula Ones and the ‘Bipes’. Each es comprised six classes made up of: Lan- day progressed accordingly, fitting of pylon to pylon cairs, Glasairs, in all race classes with daily posi- aircraft, involving: NXTs, SX300s, tion exchanges as to their placings, ü Formula One (F-1): and the Thunder leading up to final standings, and the single wing homebuilt Mustang. These National Championships on ‘Gold or kit assembled, pow- sleek, speedy com- Race Sunday’. ered by a 100-hp engine, posite monoplanes, In between the daily race heats, the fixed landing gear, and fixed pitch also released by Reno Air Race Association hosted a propeller. Speeds can reach 250 an air-start onto an almost circular fully sanctioned airshow. This year‘s mph over a 3.1875-mile egg-shaped 6.9992-mile course, can often touch performers featured the United States course. Qualified entries numbered speeds of 375 mph. Twenty-three Air Force Thunderbirds Air Dem- 20 aircraft. Prize purse monies- qualifiers made the cut competing for onstration Team, military flypasts, $55,000.00. a cash purse of $115,000.00. military and civilian flying displays, ü Biplanes: small aerobatic aircraft ü Jet: match racing between L-29 topped with civilian aerobats. such as the Pitts Special, the Mong, Delphin, L-39 Albatros and Fouga For many of us who attend the an- and the Smith Miniplane also taken jets on a rather oblong 8.4371-mile nual National Championship Air airborne from a positional ground course (similar to that of the Unlim- Races, associated with or start into a similar track, 3.1761-mile ited Class power racers) involved not, there isn’t much that can beat egg-shaped course. These nifty little some 10 aircraft for a posted total the sights, sounds and excitement in- ‘Bipes’ can often attain speeds of be- purse of $5,000.00. herent with pylon to pylon tween 175 and 250 mph. Qualifiers ü Unlimited: open to any piston- at Reno, in September. Once numbered 17 this year. Prize purse- driven aircraft having an empty the qualifying was done, Thursday $55,000.00. weight greater than 4,500 pounds. kicked off the competitive heat races, ü T-6: Texan, Harvard, or SNJ air- This class normally includes stock or made up of Bronze, Silver, and Gold craft types, each powered by a single modified, ex-military fighters of WW categories. II and Korean War vintage, such as Poor weather conditions and break- ticipated Unlimited contest in recent to know that this was indeed a race, downs naturally often change hopeful memory. The fastest and most popu- the likes of which had not been seen and expected outcomes. Such how- lar heavy weights were all together for some time. Then from third spot ever, were not the common fare in the in the final quest for supremacy and Tiger gave the ‘Witch’ her due, and high desert this year. The weather bragging rights. Six time National the sleek Mustang answered leaping couldn’t have been better, and al- Champion , #4, a P-51 into the lead with surprising speed, though a few planes broke down and Mustang, with Dan Martin of San to not be caught. If the words could fell out of the , there was not Jose, CA. aboard, had the so-called be heard I’d bet they’d be “Where the onslaught of ‘gremlins’ of past pole position. Michael Brown of the S… did he come from”? Mid years, all of which made for some Carson City, NV, hungry to repeat way through the pounding and swel- pretty darn good racing. his 2006 win, had second position tering hard driving conditions, “Rare When all was said and done on the with the big Hawker Sea Fury, #232, Bear” broke, streaming smoke and final day of racing, and the posting “”. A step behind clawing for altitude, where Penny of official results, the Formula One in the grid was none other than the assessed his situation to quickly and Championship was captured by Steve returning Bill (Tiger) Destefani of expertly guide the broken Bearcat Senegal of San Bruno, CA in #11, Bakersfield, CA, ready to do battle down to safety. Then it was further “Endeavor” (a Dave Hoover AR-6) driving his six time winning P-51 efforts to push and break “Strega”, posting an impressive winning speed Mustang “Strega”, #7. And, follow- but to no avail, the lead was too great of 246.119 mph. The (Sport) Biplane ing in 4th position was last year’s and the P-51 had the power. Brown winner was Tom Aberle of Fallbrook, Champion, John Penny from Ever- in #232 had let his moment slip, as CA in his modified Mong Sport, green CO, looking to repeat his 2007 the Mustangs flew the course low “Phantom” with an amazing speed win in the eight time National Cham- and fast, giving Destefani first place of 251.975. The T-6 Gold Medal pion F8F Bearcat “Rare Bear”. The with a course speed of 483.062 mph. Champ was Ken Dwelle of Auburn, rest of the pack, potential winners Martin held second spot, marking CA, who set a class record in good all, would not run with the leaders 474.305 mph, and Brown took third ol’ “Tinkertoy”, #7 with a surprising this day. at 473.816 mph. speed of 244.523 mph. Lee Behel of Completing the usual pre-race San Jose, CA captured first place in introduction ceremonies, the racers For Bill “Tiger” Destefani it was his the Sport Gold Race in his Lancair quickly went airborne, trailing the seventh championship, and the end Legacy “Breathless” at a speed of Planes of Fame T-Bird pace-plane of a long racing career. Well done!! 335.464 mph. The SuperSport Gold, to the point of release and the words And, the Mustangs are back!! as it turned out, was no contest for “Gentlemen You Have A Race”. Into Jon Sharp, as he flashed the course at the “Chute”, power up, the fabu- For further details and full racing re- 392.252 mph in his NXT “Nemesis”. lous four are gone, a Sea Fury, two sults, refer to website www.airrace. Former space shuttle commander Mustangs and a Bearcat. Around the org Curt Brown of Hudson, WI bested his course to the “Valley of Speed” and challengers in an L-29 Delphin “Vi- the indescribable sounds of power- Story and Photos By Ed Anderson per”, turning a speed of 507.124 mph. ful race engines at their peak. Here . The Unlimited Breitling Gold race it was, truly, “The World’s Fastest was, with little doubt, the most an- Motor Sport”. It took but seconds