P-39 Racer

[sledge39]

Re: P-39 Racer

...P-63 N9009...

(1-2) ...26 June 1971...Ontario, CA (ONT)...the first test flight...LeRoy Penhall flew chase...

(3-7) ...after final assembly at the Aerojet-General hangar a few days before the first flight...

(8) ...Brown Field...18 July 1971...

[supercub]

Re: P-39 Racer

Great pics of 9009........I've only ever seen a couple of pics of that plane before, so thanks for sharing. As I remember, wasn't the pilot killed when he bailed out over the ocean? Would enjoy hearing any info you have. Also, was the red P-63 that Lefty flew at Reno, did he become Tipsy Miss. later on or are they two seperate planes? Thanks
Brian

[Big_Jim]

Re: P-39 Racer

Great pics of 9009........I've only ever seen a couple of pics of that plane before, so thanks for sharing. As I remember, wasn't the pilot killed when he bailed out over the ocean? Would enjoy hearing any info you have. Also, was the red P-63 that Lefty flew at Reno, did he become Tipsy Miss. later on or are they two seperate planes? Thanks
Brian

Larry Havens' P-63 (sponsored by Crazy Horse Campgrounds) raced at Reno '71 and then during testing for the '72 season suffered an induction system failure when pieces blew off and jammed the control surfaces. The plane crashed in Long Beach harbor, but Havens jumped out safely and was picked up by a boat. Parts of this plane, if I recall, were recovered by David Tallichet, and are used on the restoration at the Yanks Air Museum P-63.

The 'pilot who was killed' was Mike Carroll in the P-39 Cobra III. He bailed out on a test flight in 1968 and struck the horizontal stabilizer, incapacitating him.

The red P-63 in Sledge's pictures IS Tipsy Miss...it just doesn't have the name on it yet. The photos are from 1972. It didn't have Tipsy Miss on it until 1973, and didn't have it's true paint job until 1974. Lefty flew it from 1972-75. Gary Levitz raced it at Reno '76. It later became Mike Smith's "What Price Speed" in 1979, and later "Cobra" with Bob Reiser. Lost in a tragic in-flight fire coming back from an airshow in France while part of Stephen Grey's "Fighter Collection".

[Ken Adkins]

Re: P-39 Racer

Found a great shot of Crazy Horse Campgrounds in action at the 1971 California 1000 race in San Diego. Move back a few photos in the collection to see some awesome shots of Super Snoopy and a TBF Avenger rounding the pylons!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/8091644618/in/photostream/

[sledge39]

Re: P-39 Racer

...'Race 90' didn't get to actually race at Brown Field .. (engine).

The DC-7 didn't either .. or the Connie that also showed up to race .. (protests).

[supercub]

Re: P-39 Racer

Several years ago, (1980's or so) there was a guy, I believe in Washington State that was rebuilding a P-39. I believe he was an airline pilot. he wrote a warbird column in one of the aviation newspapers......I believe it was Western Flyer.....Was always looking for parts. Anyone remember this, and what happened to this bird?
Brian

[Big_Jim]

Re: P-39 Racer

Several years ago, (1980's or so) there was a guy, I believe in Washington State that was rebuilding a P-39. I believe he was an airline pilot. he wrote a warbird column in one of the aviation newspapers......I believe it was Western Flyer.....Was always looking for parts. Anyone remember this, and what happened to this bird?
Brian

I think you're talking about Fredrick Johnson's bird in Tacoma. That was one of the Tallichet airframes, but it went back to California several years ago. May still be at Chino.

[Mike51]

Re: P-39 Racer

Are there any P-39s currently flying? I've not seen any shots of Lewis' in the air since it arrived from Duxford, and is the CAF one still being fixed?

[Mustang1957]

Re: P-39 Racer

Racing,No. There Are Afew Air Worthy P-39's/63's Around. Check Out The Warbird Registrsy.Org Website.

[Leo]

Re: P-39 Racer

the Tallichet P-39's back in 74 at Chino.
Oops guess they aren't in that one, my bad...

[L.E.D.]

Re: P-39 Racer

the Tallichet P-39's back in 74 at Chino.
Oops guess they aren't in that one, my bad...

Maybe Milo traded them for something...

[Leo]

Re: P-39 Racer

Egyptian cotton. For the P-39's and the parachutes.

[Mike51]

Re: P-39 Racer

Racing,No. There Are Afew Air Worthy P-39's/63's Around. Check Out The Warbird Registrsy.Org Website.

The warbird registry is a decade out of date. There are just two P-39s (Lewis' and the CAF one) that have flown in the last quarter of a century or so (since Kalamazoo parked theirs), hence my question as to whether either of them were currently airworthy.

[Samuel]

Re: P-39 Racer

The warbird registry is a decade out of date. There are just two P-39s (Lewis' and the CAF one) that have flown in the last quarter of a century or so (since Kalamazoo parked theirs), hence my question as to whether either of them were currently airworthy.

The Palm Springs Air Museum flies theirs. I think Will Whiteside has flown it.

[Big_Jim]

Re: P-39 Racer

The Palm Springs Air Museum flies theirs. I think Will Whiteside has flown it.

That's a P-63, not a P-39.

There are two airworthy P-63's at the moment...at least since the CAF F-model had it's unfortunate off-field excursion in October. Palm Springs has "Polly" and John Bagley has his.