2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

[Jason S.]

During the 2002 Reno Air Races, Bill ‘Tiger’ Destefani in Race 7 ‘Strega’ had a
major backfire while crossing home pylon during his qualification run, the ensuing
backfire blew the induction trunk, and bottom cowling off the air frame in
spectacular fashion!!

Jason

[Guest]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

During the 2002 Reno Air Races, Bill ‘Tiger’ Destefani in Race 7 ‘Strega’ had a
major backfire while crossing home pylon during his qualification run, the ensuing
backfire blew the induction trunk, and bottom cowling off the air frame in
spectacular fashion!!

Jason

To quote another well known race pilot under somewhat similar circumstances , "You don't see that every day." Makin' metal in a really bad way...

Thanks for sharing, Jason. Always enjoy your work.

[Desertdawg]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

Jason,

Yes sir, Tiger the man of dead stick landings.

I remember the one time his engine blew and his canopy was covered in oil. Every person in the stands was watching and talking him down, "come-on Tiger you got this", once he was safely down we all could relax.

The man is a legend.

And thank you Jason for sharing all this wonderful stuff with us.

[Samuel]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

That's wild it came apart on the front straight!

[Plane Nuts]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

This pic was in the Reno Gazette Journal. I hope you all can see it at this resolution as I was forced to shrink it to 264 x 95 17.9 kb before the site would accept it. I am a semi-technophobe geezer so it took me awhile to do this once I dug out the newspaper.

[Plane Nuts]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

Yes it is unviewable. Any help on posting this so it can be seen.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

Yes it is unviewable. Any help on posting this so it can be seen.

Your issue is the opposite that some of the members have... Your image is just too small. Can you scan it larger, or take a picture of it that is larger? That should do it.. I'd suggest something less than 1000 pixels wide by whatever the height winds up being.

[Leo]

Re: 2002 Unlimited Air Racer Strega qual with mayday landing

The joke was that 14-32 never needed resurfacing because Tiger oiled it well at least once every September...