Biplane pics

[wingman]

There's a bit more interest in the history of the Biplane racing class than I thought, so here's a little quiz. What year is this shot of puppies headed for the feed dish? It was obviously back when the bipes and IF1s were still in the little wooden hangars up by the grandstands, and when shooting from the grandstands was still rewarding -- i. e. before the field became dominated by race trailers, vendor tents etc.

So give me the year, and some information about the racers...

Neal

[Apteryx]

Re: Biplane pics

So give me the year, and some information about the racers...Neal

Neal- can I play?
1980 First year back for the biplanes, and class had not split into two divisions yet
#99 Paul Greishaber-Mongster (Dave Morss owner)
#5 Don Fairbanks-White Knight
#90 Guy Paquin Buzz Job
#35 Jerry Marocola-Snaggle Tooth Sal
#9 Don Perri-Pronto
#22 Al Kramer-Cobra
of note, not shown
#1 Sundancer-Pat Hines
#89 Don Beck-Sorceress
#3 Dan Mortenson- Amsoil Mong
Tom Aberle, Bob Hugo, Stan Brown (Tonopah Low), Chuck Wentworth, Don Janson, Bob Pedigo (Starduster <smirk>), Earl Allen, Ed Enefer
Don't think the White Pitts was a racer, no number and a closed canopy.
No clue on the Caddie...
Think the F1 towing in is BOO Ray..
Think that covers it ?
Boy was that hanger crowded

Paul

[wingman]

Re: Biplane pics

Holy S**t Paul -- I'm impressed! That's far more than I ever could have come up with. I certainly didn't know any of these guys at the time. Heck, I don't even know if all your information is correct! The Caddie sign says "Ramp Control".

Striking how few Pitts's were racing at that time, as against now when the Pitts utterly dominates the entries.

A question for you -- Number 90 has the name "Washoe Zephyr" and a whirlwind cartoon on the tail. Wasn't that the name of the airplane raced for many years by Steve Brown's father Stan Brown? What was the connection?

Here's the companion shot. Interesting that you can see Racers almost all the way down the ramp -- Hardly any race trailers, RVs, vendor tents, etc etc.

New quiz Question: How many of the visible airplanes are still racing a quarter century later?

Neal

[wingman]

Re: Biplane pics

Forgot to mention among items of interest -- The ERA hangar says, for some reason, "Lear Fan"... LOL

[Apteryx]

Re: Biplane pics

A question for you -- Number 90 has the name "Washoe Zephyr" and a whirlwind cartoon on the tail. Wasn't that the name of the airplane raced for many years by Steve Brown's father Stan Brown? What was the connection?

New quiz Question: How many of the visible airplanes are still racing a quarter century later? Neal

Neal-
I remembered 1980 well, that was my first crew year.
If memory serves me, Stan started out racing around mid '70's in a modified Mong #90 Washoe Zephyr, later sold and raced as Buzz Job, Around '80 he bought Dave Forbes Smith Miniplane Forbes-Wolfram Special/Olympia Swallow #00, calling it Tonapah Low. which ultimately ended up with Alan Preston, who totaled it in a landing accident. I think it was when he sold Swallow, that he started racing a Pitts #0 as Washoe Zephyr II, and Steve in another Pitts #00 as Tonapah Low. I can't remember the significants of the names.
It all becomes so biblical after a while "Such&such" begat "So-forth" and so on, and so on, ...

I think, of that picture, Buzz Job, was the last bipe racing. White Knight is in a museum, Smith-00 was wrecked, Startduster was for sale THEN, think that's in civilian duty. Sundancer appears to still be in Pat Hines family, Mongster is dis-assembled and stored, missing Cobra & Sorceress are also in museum's. Don Jansens airplane crashed. Not sure about the white (Smith?) N103L, can't see a race number....

I miss Lear, had some GREAT dumpster-diving there..

Anybody ever do a biplane book like Hirsch's F1 book(s)? Tegler's an ok reference, but he do make mistakes...The biplane website is kinda thin, it would make good filler.

Brain's getting tired, Goodnight. Paul (check your PM's)

[GiantKiller.biz]

Re: Biplane pics

The pics are great! A few more details. #9 is still racing with Buhler and Aberle. Mongster eveoved into Dave Rose's "Mongrel" that turned into Rags. The wings still survive with one of the Formula 1, #45, owners.

[Apteryx]

Re: Biplane pics

The pics are great! A few more details. #9 is still racing with Buhler and Aberle. Mongster eveoved into Dave Rose's "Mongrel" that turned into Rags. The wings still survive with one of the Formula 1, #45, owners.

Think you need to qualify the Mongster data. I crewed for that airplane, and last I heard it was in pieces in Ried Hillview. Chris Furgueson might pipe in hear, he was aware of the owner and status, as of a few years ago, and Mongsters wing ending up on a F1 seem HIGHLY unlikely, with Jay Jones is possible, but he's never mentioned it, although he does have a Mong.

Paul

[Apteryx]

Re: Biplane pics

Forgot to mention among items of interest -- The ERA hangar says, for some reason, "Lear Fan"... LOL

I THINK they started out as the Lear Fan hanger, until they moved next door to the current F1/Bipe hanger.

Paul

[wingman]

Re: Biplane pics

Thanks to all -- more info than I knew! I knew there had to be some Biplane historians out there!

Regarding survivors, it's hard to see in the little scans, but among the IF1s (or IXLs or whatever they were at that time) are Jon Sharp's "Bilbo" -- now John Housley's Aero Magic, and Judy Wagner's #44, now raced by Holbrook Maslen.

Bill Lear's world map is still in his old office in the ERA hangar -- he really had a great view of the ramp and the airport from up there...

Neal

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Biplane pics

Paul, Welcome to the Brad Haskin/Randy Goss GEEK squad!

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Biplane pics

N103L

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20020917X02324&key=1

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Biplane pics

and.............. Rick Ruhman painted the #85 on Clay Klabo's trailer in the background........

[Apteryx]

Re: Biplane pics

Paul, Welcome to the Brad Haskin/Randy Goss GEEK squad!

I'm honored, (missed the NTSB report on the Smith, it was late, must've been a typo). I'll strive to meet your higher standards...

[Apteryx]

Re: Biplane pics

Regarding survivors, Jon Sharp's "Bilbo" -- now John Housley's Aero Magic, and Judy Wagner's #44. Neal

Re: F1's, the one under #44 is Chuck Wentworth's #69. Bob Downey's #28 above #43, Larry Jenssen's #25 in front of Sundancer, what I can't make out, is the Red w/blue wings & yellow numbers just above Sundancer. It APPEARS to have gear in the wings, but a much to long wing, for anything that was racing back then, short of Parker's American Special, and it's the wrong color for that. I'm losing to much detail when I enlarge the photo. Anybody have better resolution ?
Scheme-wise it looks like Phil Fogg's Fang, anybody know if the colors are right?

Paul

[wingman]

Re: Biplane pics

Yes it is "Fang". I think that may have been the year Ray Cote owned it and Paul White raced it, but I'm not sure offhand.

Don't think Phil ever owned it. I think soon after this it got rolled up in Livermore or Tracy or somewhere, and the new owner then got killed ferrying a spam can out over the Pacific. Don't know what happened to the remains, and I'm not at all certain of my information here...

Neal