05 Reno Air Race Pix...Rare Bear, Dan Vance in Mike Browns Sea Fyry, Dennis Sanders P&W 4360 Sea Fury, Howard Pardue F8F Bearcat. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Ya know I really never thought about that. Think its more of a supply issue. Lots of 3350s and not many Bristol engs. The Bristol Centarus is a sleve valve lash up with lots of cool thingys. Brian Sanders dropped in to the Nut Tree and gave me a ride in Argonaut. 3350 with Skyraider prop. 400 kts on the deck---pull up and do a few vertical rolls. Stunning performance. Like a heavy Pitts special. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Few more Reno pix. Tom Camp and his restored FM-2 anj Jimmy Leewards Clowd Dancer. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I remember building a model of the Wildcat when I was about 9 or 10. After that was the Douglas Dauntless and the TBM Avenger. Loved the way the torpedo swung out of the bomb bay on a wishbone so it wouldn't hit the prop.
Steve, you're having too much fun ! I'm jealous ! Really, I can't get over the beautiful photos that you post. They are incredibly exciting and very well done and I can hardly resist down loading some of them to paint. I have 5 pieces in work right now and wish they didn't take so long to do. If they have any book stores down there in K-Falls see if you can find " Ernest K. Gann's Flying Circus". Thanks again for your humor and great pictures. Bob
Morning Bob. Ernie was a close personal friend of Ed Power, one of the Nut Tree Restaurant owners, in Vacaville. He used to come down from the cold islands and warm up in vacaville while chumming around with Ed. Was in my hanger several times during the 51 restoration from 84-87. Sholuld have had him sign a book or two. Looking for Flying Circus 2 day.
Here ya go SWITCHES. Dan Martin in Hugh Bickles 'Iron Ass' just off and gear is comming up. Dan is just about the best 51 stick I have ever seen. Pix at Hollister. Image Unavailable, Please Login
If you can't find Flying Circus, I can get one up here from a used book store. I find that they are getting scarce and pricey. Another great shot of a P-51 ! I love 'em. I flew Ernie's "Noon Ballon" a couple of times with him when we got together up in Friday Harbor while we were working on the book. His favorite was the Bucker , though. DJ and I have got to get down there and see your operation somehow. Bob
Ernest K.Ganns Flying Circus is available in good condition, used, at Amazon.com, 16.00. No need to hunt around. Go get-um'
Thanks, Dana, I haven't checked anywhere but the bookstore up in the U District and they were asking 40 bucks. Sixteen bucks is the original price when it was first published. I'll get some myself from Amazon and sell them to Sparky for 50 bucks. DON"T TELL HIM !
Pix by Phil Wallick of the join up of Saturdays Bronze race out of Hintons T-33 start jet. Art Vance, Sparky, F7F Tigercat, ABD Mustang & Yak. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I suppose I could start talking about your Testarossa in this thread just to balance out all of the A/P chatter over on Fchat in the TR thread................ Get those wheel wells cleaned up yet?
Just the left side...gotta take a few days off to let my poor old body get ubsore. Think its a *****in idea to talk Ferrari here....we'll drive Lay nuts. Im gonna go on ovet to f chat and post another airplane pix.
Did you see that, in the previous post I refered to a female dog and it got schroched......How about a Ferrari pix.? Image Unavailable, Please Login
You got the right color on that car. Seriously, great pictures. Keep it up, makes for great reading and viewing. Art
Thats not me...its some vagrant who showed up looking for a Big Mac. Dont know who that yellow 308 belongs to, but it appears that that guy with the red shoes is about to lift it.
Hi Steve, I knew that Ernie went to Nut Tree quite often. Also a friend of mine and fellow pilot, Jack Leffler, flew his Monocoupe there many times. Did you ever meet him? Ernie and Jack were very good friends. Both were airline pilots, Jack was active until 1990 when he retired from UAL as a 747 captain. It just occurred to me that Jack let me fly the 247 for 40 minutes after he bought it and brought it up from Bakersfield, Ca. What a kick that was but it flew like a barn door. Steady and "stable" but great fun to fly something from 1932. Talk about inertia! Jack was a Jonathon Winters clone and never stopped pulling stuff on people or coming up with totally humouros stunts. Very generous guy and had the most beautiful Monocoupe I have ever seen. I flew that with him on many trips or just horsing around in the sky.Ernie said that Jack was one of a vanishing breed. After flying big jets for a living during the week he flew antiques and Ernies Bucker on the weekends. We witnessed an outside loop one day up there and when Jack landed he had a huge blood blister on his forehead ( aneurysm? ). He passed away from cancer. Really a great guy and gifted pilot. Bob
