Some old Reno pics

[wingman]

Another player not in Texas was Dreadnought. I think that the Sanders family was at the time dealing with the loss of Frank in the "Red Knight" crash. They were missed -- they generally turned up with something at any race held anywhere.

An unexpected Racer that WAS there was this one -- the Spoiler of Tiger's plans...

[RAD2LTR]

I need to check in with the Tsunami guys and see how the project is progressing. They didn't stop the rebuild when it was announced that Reno was done. They still have the dream to finish the rebuild and return to racing.

Will

[Big_Jim]

Another player not in Texas was Dreadnought. I think that the Sanders family was at the time dealing with the loss of Frank in the "Red Knight" crash. They were missed -- they generally turned up with something at any race held anywhere.

An unexpected Racer that WAS there was this one -- the Spoiler of Tiger's plans...

Outstanding picture there, Neal. I love shots that aren't cluttered with 'stuff' in the background...and that little racer was so pretty! If memory serves me correctly, that was the first race after they had moved the position of the wing. May have been the first race after Boland signed his letter washing his hands of the project in protest too.

That sure was a dynamic and interesting time in racing. That was the ARU era of trying to self-promote races. They managed to get three events out. The follow-on, ARL got an additional three...and at the same time they tried to get NARA to be the umbrella organization. But it was fascinating to note exactly who supported the races--who was there, and who wasn't. And eventually, as did everything that wasn't Reno, it all withered on the vine.

[wingman]

Thank you Brad. An interesting time indeed -- though I knew little of the politics or personalities involved in all these alphabet entities. There were few sources of information in those days beyond the NAG Rag. I did Texas and both Denver area races but I never even heard about the Kansas City race til after it was over. I just went anywhere there was racing and took a bunch of pictures.

Yes this was the first appearance after the wing was moved 9 inches forward and a bunch of lead removed. It looked pretty rough when it arrived, but they cleaned it up a bit and got some paint on it by Race days.

[BellCobraIV]

Outstanding picture there, Neal. I love shots that aren't cluttered with 'stuff' in the background...and that little racer was so pretty! If memory serves me correctly, that was the first race after they had moved the position of the wing. May have been the first race after Boland signed his letter washing his hands of the project in protest too.

That sure was a dynamic and interesting time in racing. That was the ARU era of trying to self-promote races. They managed to get three events out. The follow-on, ARL got an additional three...and at the same time they tried to get NARA to be the umbrella organization. But it was fascinating to note exactly who supported the races--who was there, and who wasn't. And eventually, as did everything that wasn't Reno, it all withered on the vine.

Brad,

"If memory serves me correctly, that was the first race after they had moved the position of the wing. May have been the first race after Boland signed his letter washing his hands of the project in protest too"

Correct on the first race after the wing move. Bruce's letter wasn't a "protest" letter as much as it was a statement that the modifications that JR was doing without any real engineering were dangerous. The letter was also an attempt to release himself from the liability of the "New" design.

John

[RAD2LTR]

I can't remember, was moving the wing a smart move? Did it make positive gains? Or was it just a move that produced a net gain of ? I think the plan for Tsunami is to put the wing back where it was on the plans as they have no notes for where it got moved to.

I have always wondered why air racing didn't take off in other places. Its only ever worked in two places. Cleveland, and Reno. Reno I can understand as its got all the infrastructure to support the races. Easy transportation in by air, lots of places to say, lots of food, and some nightlife. I get the idea that most of the other places were lacking at least one of these pieces.

Will

[Plane Nuts]

Thank you Brad. An interesting time indeed -- though I knew little of the politics or personalities involved in all these alphabet entities. There were few sources of information in those days beyond the NAG Rag. I did Texas and both Denver area races but I never even heard about the Kansas City race til after it was over. I just went anywhere there was racing and took a bunch of pictures.

Yes this was the first appearance after the wing was moved 9 inches forward and a bunch of lead removed. It looked pretty rough when it arrived, but they cleaned it up a bit and got some paint on it by Race days.

Speaking of the "Nag Rag" I have a stack of them, 1994-2016. I also have Air race editions of Reno Gazette Journal 1998-2013, Reno Air Race programs 1984-2022, a stack of various aviation magazines air race editions and various air show programs. I also have Smithsonian Air and Space mag 1984 first issue to present. These are FREE to anyone that wants them. I am giving you all first shot before they go on Craigs List for free, then next stop is the recycle bin. Hey Will, you know you want these.

[RAD2LTR]

Speaking of the "Nag Rag" I have a stack of them, 1994-2016. I also have Air race editions of Reno Gazette Journal 1998-2013, Reno Air Race programs 1984-2022, a stack of various aviation magazines air race editions and various air show programs. I also have Smithsonian Air and Space mag 1984 first issue to present. These are FREE to anyone that wants them. I am giving you all first shot before they go on Craigs List for free, then next stop is the recycle bin. Hey Will, you know you want these.

Haha, I would like them, however I don't have the space for anything more. I literally have zero flat spaces to put another thing. My coffee table is covered in stacks of books, 1 foot tall, as is the floor... When I say I have no space, I mean, I have no space.


Will

[wingman]

Speaking of the "Nag Rag" I have a stack of them, 1994-2016. I also have Air race editions of Reno Gazette Journal 1998-2013, Reno Air Race programs 1984-2022, a stack of various aviation magazines air race editions and various air show programs. I also have Smithsonian Air and Space mag 1984 first issue to present. These are FREE to anyone that wants them. I am giving you all first shot before they go on Craigs List for free, then next stop is the recycle bin. Hey Will, you know you want these.

A lot of racing history in that pile of paper! I hope it gets saved.

[wingman]

Outstanding picture there, Neal. I love shots that aren't cluttered with 'stuff' in the background...and that little racer was so pretty!

I loved Tsunami from her beginning, but I never really thought her pretty. Aggressive looking, with an old time Racer vibe like Yancey's Yak, but not exactly pretty.






She looked best in the air.