P-39 Racer

[B29FE177]

Re: P-39 Racer


The nose section of Mr. Mennen. Dick Martin put an extra G-35 battery in the nose and took some ballast out. If you need weight, why not pick up some electrical power?

Don Vance

[stuntflyr]

Re: P-39 Racer

The question keeps arising as to's why Mira Slovak's P-39 Mr. Mennen could be or was not a successful race plane. It could've been, were it not for an overzealous FAA lawyer, a retired ex-FAA egotist and a Continental Airline's Vice President. The aircraft itself was not the problem it was a people problem!

Now that's out of the way let's get to the mechanics of the airplane itself. In 1972 after the airplane's return to Dick Martin's facility at Van Nuys a new 40 gallon tank was installed in the nose for ADI and spray bar fluid. At the same time, bearcat brakes and wheels were installed. The paddle bladed three blade prop had returned from the prop shop and was installed at that time. Dick Martin was moving his operation from Van Nuys to Palomar airport so Mr. Mennen was flown down there with no problems. Once it Palomar, Mira was contacted by another Continental Airlines Capt., Ted Janczarek to do a flight test article on the aircraft for Sport Flying magazine. That article was published in the January and February 1974 issues of that magazine. Mira gave Ted a cockpit checkout and Ted made two trips around the pattern with no problems of instability. It should be noted that Ted flew right-hand patterns which had been virtually impossible with the paddle bladed four blade prop. Ted then proceeded to deliver the airplane to Oxnard California. During the latter part of that flight the propeller began to malfunction by trying to overspeed. Ted was able to continue to Oxnard where he landed successfully. The toothpick three blade prop was reinstalled and Ted finished his flight test article for the magazine. Mira then flew the airplane to Santa Paula where was put in his hanger. So, as you can see the airplane with the paddle bladed three blade prop was completely controllable. Big Jim in his thread leaves the impression that the airplane craft was still unstable with the paddle bladed three blade prop and that is why it got parked and later sold. That was completely untrue! Mira was busy trying to pay for lawyers to fight the Reno violation, doing airshows in his Lunak glider and Bucker Jungmann. During one of those shows at Mojave I approach Mira about taking the P–39 to Torrance where I could work on it on my weekends. He quickly agreed. We made plans to take the airplane, with the repaired paddle bladed three blade prop, to the Cape May air races. We were going to approach Skip Cooley, who built the engine, and Bill Yoak, who worked for Dick Martin during the rebuild to assist me at the races. At that time we felt we had a viable race plane.

It was on the ferry flight from Santa Paula to Torrance that the retired FAA inspector, Jim Dewey filed as I recall seven violations against Mira's flight leaving Santa Paula. They were so ridiculous the FAA advised him to drop his allegations, which he did. However, the allegations were somehow turned over to our illustrious VP who threatened Mira's job unless he got rid of the aircraft. That, is why Mr. Mennen no longer raced and any other allegations are completely false!

Between Jerry Duty and Jim Dewey there were lots of people that were forced to make the big decision as to continue to fly with the airline or not. Jerry being violation happy at the races and all. A well known prick.
Jim Dewey was a first class a$$hole with a raging &%$#-on for airline pilots. I always figured it was jealousy, he didn't get a job at the airlines and Santa Paula was populated with tons of airline pilots with cool airplanes, wah, wah!
Thanks for setting the record straight, I'd often thought of what might have been.
Chris...

[B29FE177]

Re: P-39 Racer

In all fairness, Jerry Duty testified favorably on Mira's behalf during the hearings. But, how do you fight an FAA attorney and a NTSB judge? It's too bad that interested people can't read the trial briefs. Anybody with an Airman's Certificate wouldn't sleep well after reading those documents.

[Samuel]

Re: P-39 Racer

Anybody with an Airman's Certificate wouldn't sleep well after reading those documents.

But the new pilots bill of rights made all that better, right?

[stuntflyr]

Re: P-39 Racer

In all fairness, Jerry Duty testified favorably on Mira's behalf during the hearings. But, how do you fight an FAA attorney and a NTSB judge? It's too bad that interested people can't read the trial briefs. Anybody with an Airman's Certificate wouldn't sleep well after reading those documents.

No doubt. Many pilots seeking a long career at the airline had a short one at Reno.
Chris...

[First time Juke]

Re: P-39 Racer

I just had to post this !

[Lon Moer]

Re: P-39 Racer

Bumping this thread because I'm building a P-63/Crazy Horse conversion and I'm looking for some pictures from after the plane had been painted white with red wingtips.