Some old Reno pics

[wingman]

So who had the first extended coolant door ? I'm thinking Dago.

I have wondered the same thing, Mike. As big and effective as the extended door turned out to be, it got remarkably little attention at the time. I think I have photos of Strega around 1990 with the extended door. I'll have to do some digging in the archives.

Neal

[wingman]

This is from Reno 1990 -- definitely the extended exit door.

Look how much the scoop and doghouse seem to be inflating...

[wingman]

Here is Daglo Red at Reno1989 right after David Price bought it. I don't think this exit door is stock, but it's not the eventual full version



Here is Dago in 1994, when Price came back with his first Mouse motor. It's worth remembering that this was the period when Kerchenfaut was coming down to Shafter every weekend to work on Strega, and Destefani was secretly having the Dago guys in during the week to buy the secret squirrel ideas that Kerch was putting into Strega. This extended door thing feels like something Kerch might have come up with from his many hours poring over old NACA papers and such in the Caltech archives. It seems to me quite possible that Strega's exit door idea originated with Kerch and was copied for Dago and later by everybody else who wanted to go fast. (This is all pure speculation on my part).



Neal

[SpinB]

I forgot how beautiful Dago Red looked without the 'kelp'....."I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille"

[wingman]

Here is one relevant to Will's question earlier in the thread. So name the year, the players, and the race. This one is doable. Speedy would know...

[BellCobraIV]

Just a lurker these days. The last time I came here to pick nits it was made clear that I wasn't welcome. So I just poke and apparently get thrown under the bus by BCIV. :-) Carrion.

Well, The bus was up in the air and you were standing close... And the Banana peel assisted me.

[Sparrow]

And Mike, I thought you started with Dwight much earlier

I first met Dwight in early 1988. Mike Wilton was working with him at that time. I don't know when Mike started with him. I was working for Connie Edwards and Dwight rang me up and asked if I would be interested in coming to work for him as Mike Wilton was going on his own, which I did. I started for Dwight on Aug 8, 1993. I worked with Steve Bartholf who was there when I started, as I recall Steve had started there not too long before I did. Since the 3 of us, myself, Steve & Mike are basically the same age, I would assume Wilton had been with Dwight for at least a few years prior to 1988. I know prior to being in Gilroy area Dwights shop was in town, (SJC area), have no clue if Wilton worked for him there or not.

Our (Mystery Aire) first engine in Dago was in 1996. I don't think Bill was the originator of the long coolant door, I will hafta ask someone who may know. Lengthening that door adds a fair bit to the speed. Overall, the H door I think is still longer as well as the tailwheel retracts in the opposite direction than the other Mustangs.

[Jan]

Here is one relevant to Will's question earlier in the thread. So name the year, the players, and the race. This one is doable. Speedy would know...

Ok, I'll have a bite of the apple. I'm not sure unless I look it up but I think that may be 1986 in a Gold heat, Skip in Stiletto ahead of Preston in Dago. Well... Neal?

[Pylon1_Mark]

Ok, I'll have a bite of the apple. I'm not sure unless I look it up but I think that may be 1986 in a Gold heat, Skip in Stiletto ahead of Preston in Dago. Well... Neal?

I'm not too sure about that sir... zooming-in on the white mustang you'll note what appears to be the name of the racer below the exhaust stacks (not above the stacks like it was on Stiletto)... the only white mustang who flew against Dago (in my memory) that foots that bill would be Voodoo. Back when Bob Hannah was at the controls, before she got her trademark paint scheme. That was 1998, my first year with the team when Bruce Lockwood was piloting Dago Red.

Also it doesn't help your cause Neal when the name of the file is R98 Fri 2A (kinda gives it away my friend).

[wingman]

I'm not too sure about that sir... zooming-in on the white mustang you'll note what appears to be the name of the racer below the exhaust stacks (not above the stacks like it was on Stiletto)... the only white mustang who flew against Dago (in my memory) that foots that bill would be Voodoo. Back when Bob Hannah was at the controls, before she got her trademark paint scheme. That was 1998, my first year with the team when Bruce Lockwood was piloting Dago Red.

Also it doesn't help your cause Neal when the name of the file is R98 Fri 2A (kinda gives it away my friend).

So how did you find the file title in this software, Mark? I've poked around and not been able to find it.

Actually Stiletto was an interesting possibilty that I had not thought of -- though I'm not sure numnutz ever got this close to Skip. I really like white raceplanes, and there have not been many white raceplanes over the years.

So Mark is correct -- well done on this rather obscure little quiz involving a one year phenomenon (Voodoo being white).

So, Mark -- Did you get the answer before or after checking for the file name??



.

[Pylon1_Mark]

So how did you find the file title in this software, Mark? I've poked around and not been able to find it.

If you right click on the image, there is an option in the dop-down menu to "save image as"... the filename populates automatically after you left-click the "save image as" link. Like the last photo in your post above - the filename is R98 Fri 2A 0 copy.jpg

So, Mark -- Did you get the answer before or after checking for the file name??

I looked at Will's post and saw he was inquiring about Voodoo, so I already had a hint. So I started looking at the image on the post and clicked on it to see it larger. Then I noticed what appeared to be a tail number & name on the plane like Voodoo had back in '98. I downloaded the picture to zoom in on it to make sure I was seeing what I thought I saw and after determining that I didn't see the leading-edge air intakes, trailing vapor aft the wings, nor the Stiletto where it should be... I then noticed the file name just as I was about to respond.

Too funny - looking for the obvious isn't always my strong suit.

[wingman]

As mentioned here I always loved wtching Chuck Hall on the course. He always seemed to be exactly where he wanted to be, and he was comfortable low.

Here he is in Miss America.

[BellCobraIV]

Neal,

Now that my racing days are over, and I've moved to other adventures. I would like to point out things that you personally provided that helped the Rare Bear go faster, if you don't mind going through pictures of your own. The Bakersfield pictures where we first identified the issues going on structurally from your pictures. The pictures in the mid 1980s that show the spray bar water coming off of the oil cooler exit and down several inches. Then the pictures in the late eighties that show the spray bar water tighter against the lower fuselage.

The oil pattern how it flowed around the airframe. Nowhere was this more obvious than when the super Corsair let go at speed and covered the Bearcat as it was lapping the Corsair with fine oil spray from top to tip. I can't remember if it was you that Richard Tracy and Jim Chase had photograph every inch of the "wind tunnel" oil drop test of the airframe. We learned a lot over the years looking at pictures and what they showed. Carl Friend once commented that analyzing the pictures was good for fifteen knots over the years.

We appreciated your input.


John

[wingman]

I was really pleased that I could help a little bit. I liked and admired the whole group of people and always loved the airplane.

The gear door is not all the way up and the tailcone stinger is squishing. This may be at the start of the Gold race -- I was at home pylon. If so he was at warp speed.

[wingman]

I do like white raceplanes.

Shafter is really flat...

I wonder how Lyle would have liked this one.