Before it was Rare Bear

[wingman]

A man named Pete Behenna was part of the original crew building up a trashed and stripped carcass into an (eventually) all conquering unlimited air racer -- The airplane that eventually became Rare Bear. Pete apparently kept a camera around during the process and left us a remarkable record of the build. Pete was quite a good shooter, and was using a Rolleiflex, I believe, producing larger format negatives that were a pleasure to work with when I had the opportunity years ago to print a few of them for a Rare Bear project.

These guys really didn't start with much. The shop was pretty minimal, too. This was big time Air Racing in the 1960s...

Neal

[wingman]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

And a question for John Slack: I've always thought that The Bear in the early years had an essentially stock Bearcat cowling. I noticed, though, that in the first flight photo that much of the cowling looks like new metal. In the above photo there is a cowling nose bowl with some framing. Did these guys fabricate a lot of the cowling?

[wingman]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

We established in another lost thread that I have no idea what Cliff Putnam looked like. I never knew any of the original crew other than Lyle and the remarkable Bill Hickle. I was pretty preoccupied with women and the US Army in 1969 -- I didn't even know that Warbirds still existed til years later. Cliff Putnam was an absolutely crucial figure in the story of that original build in Compton California.

So which of the guys in this Pete Behenna crew photo is Cliff?

Neal

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

A man named Pete Behenna was part of the original crew building up a trashed and stripped carcass into an (eventually) all conquering unlimited air racer -- The airplane that eventually became Rare Bear. Pete apparently kept a camera around during the process and left us a remarkable record of the build. Pete was quite a good shooter, and was using a rolleiflex, I believe, producing larger format negatives that were a pleasure to work with when I had the opportunity years ago to print a few of them for a Rare Bear project.

These guys really didn't start with much. The shop was pretty minimal, too. This was big time Air Racing in the 1960s...

Neal

Pete's pictures are a treasure trove and yes he shot pictures of all of the process.
From left to right on the wing in the picture above;
Cliff Putnam, George Williamson, Lyle Shelton, and Harry Smith in the background. The aft fuselage has already been attached at this point.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

And a question for John Slack: I've always thought that The Bear in the early years had an essentially stock Bearcat cowling. I noticed, though, that in the first flight photo that much of the cowling looks like new metal. In the above photo there is a cowling nose bowl with some framing. Did these guys fabricate a lot of the cowling?

Post #2, Second picture,

The cowling that went to Reno was borrowed from Ed Maloney, the top pieces came from Bob Kucera's wreck, and Lloyd Nolan of the CAF. The brand new engine mount, nose bowl, and intermediate cowl section still in their blue paint came from Palley's Surplus in Los Angeles. What s place that was! I went there with my Dad a couple of times. They had thousands of parts for warbirds. Sadly huge lots of the parts were scrapped unsold and unloved in the early 70s. As an example there were eight of brand new QEC sections in the Grumman box. Lyle bought one told someone else that bought one a couple of years later six were scrapped.
John

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

And a question for John Slack: I've always thought that The Bear in the early years had an essentially stock Bearcat cowling. I noticed, though, that in the first flight photo that much of the cowling looks like new metal. In the above photo there is a cowling nose bowl with some framing. Did these guys fabricate a lot of the cowling?

Post #2, First picture,

That was most likely the run-up just before the first flight from Orange County ( now John Wayne) the indications for me are Lyle's helmet is on in the earlier run-ups either Cliff Putnam did the runs or Lyle didn't have his helmet on. During one of the ground runs Cliff let the tail come up and pulled the tie down ring out of the ramp. In addition the tail cone is now on which went in just before the first flight. George Williamson is in the doorway of the 1960 1/2 ton pick-up truck. Unseen in the bed of the truck is myself as a 10 year old kid there were special places I was supposed to be when the propeller was turning.

Cliff was an excellent mechanic and by this point was a First officer on Convair 880s for TWA.

[wingman]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

Post #2, First picture,

That was most likely the run-up just before the first flight from Orange County ( now John Wayne) the indications for me are Lyle's helmet is on in the earlier run-ups either Cliff Putnam did the runs or Lyle didn't have his helmet on.

As a side question, John... Is this the Pete Behenna print that you once mentioned? I'm still trying to figure out whether this shot is by Pete or by Birch Matthews.

Neal

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

We established in another lost thread that I have no idea what Cliff Putnam looked like. I never knew any of the original crew other than Lyle and the remarkable Bill Hickle. I was pretty preoccupied with women and the US Army in 1969 -- I didn't even know that Warbirds still existed til years later. Cliff Putnam was an absolutely crucial figure in the story of that original build in Compton California.

So which of the guys in this Pete Behenna crew photo is Cliff?

Neal

Left to Right
Cliff Putnam - Crew Chief, Harry Smith, Pete Behena, Bill Hickle, Bill Kientz, Chuck Hart, Dave Dallery, Lyle Shelton in front. Definitely at Compton, at this point Lyle was flying in and out of Compton.

Something in the back of my mind makes me think that this may be a Birch Matthews picture. I'm not sure, just think so.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

As a side question, John... Is this the Pete Behenna print that you once mentioned? I'm still trying to figure out whether this shot is by Pete or by Birch Matthews.

Neal

Neal,
The picture I was thinking of the pickup truck is gone, our original APU was a smaller unit, didn't have a cart and was with me in the back of the truck. Lyle is looking at the camera in the other picture. I'll see if I can find it.

[wingman]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

That could well be -- I was pretty obsessed with pulling decent prints, and had access to both sets of negatives at pretty much the same time. My record keeping was not great. It would not have occurred to me that thirty years later I'd be trying to figure out for sure who took what. I'd assumed that Pete set the shot up and had some else press the button, but I know Birch was around a lot too. They both used similar medium format cameras and film so there's no technical way to distinguish them either.

Neal

[Dusty]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

SO, I'LL PUT IN A LITTLE INFORMATION I HAVE ABOUT THE PRE-RARE BEAR:
SOME OF YOU OLD GUYS WILL KNOW THE NAME OF EARL REINERT. HE AT ONE TIME OWNED SEVERAL FIGHTERS AND I MET HIM THROUGH HIM HAVING A FEW BEARCAT PARTS THAT I PURCHASED. IF I CAN FIND THE LETTER AND PICTURES HE SENT ME, IT WOULD BE A MAJOR MIRACLE AS I AM MOVING AND ALL MY ARCHIVES ARE IN BOXES THAT I DIDN'T PACK. ANYWAY, EARL SENT ME LITTLE PICTURES OF THE BEARCAT OUT IN THE SNOW AT VALPARAISO WITH THE WINGTIPS TORN OFF IT; ENGINE LAYING UNDER THE WINGS, AND WAS ONE SAD SIGHT. IN HIS LETTER WAS THE MOST INTERESTING PART: EARL HAD PURCHASED THE BEARCAT FROM THE MAN WHO WRECKED IT ( NO NAME MENTIONED) FOR $1200 AND GAVE HIM THE CHECK AT THE AIRPORT. ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE MEETING, THE MAN WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND WAS KILLED AND THE CHECK WAS NEVER CASHED. SO, CONSEQUENTLY, EARL BECAME THE OWNER OF A FREE BEARCAT AND SOLD IT TO LYLE FOR, FROM MEMORY, $2500. IF I CAN FIND THE LETTER, I WILL SEND IT TO JOHN SLACK.
THE REST IS HISTORY..........
DUSTY

[wingman]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

Hello Dusty. This is an interesting post -- it seems $2500 in 1969 would be about $18,000 in 2021 dollars. I'd say Mr. Reinert did pretty well considering this was a stripped wreck that nobody wanted...

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

Hello Dusty. This is an interesting post -- it seems $2500 in 1969 would be about $18,000 in 2021 dollars. I'd say Mr. Reinert did pretty well considering this was a stripped wreck that nobody wanted...

Earl Reinert, Mike Couches, The actual owner was not the pilot that crashed it in Valparaiso, the man who crashed it was ferrying it for the new owner. Lyle bought the Airplane from Mike Couches ($2,500.00) who advertised it in Trade-A-Plane. Lyle also paid money to Earl Reinert ( less than $2,500.00). Later on an additional person said they owned the airplane, but dropped their claim when confronted by Lyle's paper trail. So the airplane had a clear title and we knew about Earl's free Bearcat claim. There was no doubt ever that it was Lyle's airplane.

[wingman]

Re: Before it was Rare Bear

So this would have been very early on in the build. That shop must have been really unpleasant in the summer. Actually it must have been pretty unpleasant in the winter too...





And here's the rear fuselage. This does not look like fun -- it's truly amazing what volunteer labor and expertise will do if the project is interesting enough.



Neal

[L.E.D.]

Aircraft Cylinder and the Bear

From John Slack:

Big Jim,
Wow! Some of my favorite years, outside of those years there.

1965 was especially neat due to the raw atmosphere of being there. There really was a learning curve going in and even as a 6 year old kid polishing the canopy of the Mustang my Dad was racing that year a lot. I can still smell Supe Hoisington's cigars. And the dirt, every time s plane ran up there was lots of dirt. The guys that were there that were starting to get the feeling of the lay of the land were Darryl Greenameyer and Chuck Lyford. Everyone else was just there.

I can come up with my 15 favorite years of Reno, but I feel that will require 15 additional posts to cover. Which will probably require Big Jim to come and correct me on facts that I will undoubtedly skew towards my memory.....

1969, first year with the "Big Stick" My Dad had a friend in George Byard, George Byard owned Aircraft Cylinder and Turbine in Sun Valley, California. Aircraft Cylinder was in the radial engine business. George gave Lyle a 3350-26WC to use in the Bearcat for air racing. George told Lyle that as long as it was fun, and as long as Lyle would provide the labor, the engines were free. That was the beginning of how the Bearcat had a sponsor that lasted for over thirty years.

Come on Brad, let's take a trip down memory lane. I'll bring my memories, you bring the facts.

Last edited by BellCobraIV; 04-29-2021 at 03:04 PM.

John Slack