Some old Reno pics

[Jan]

Weiner's Mustang "Boomer II", etc is still flying and now owned by... Fred Telling. Yes, that Fred Telling. I'll grab a photo of Weiner's red STP bird tomorrow for you John.

[Big_Jim]

Seems to me if Brad has nits to pick he should come pick them here...

Neal

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.

[wingman]

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.

Awww, who would make you feel unwelcome? You have been missed -- you are everybody's favourite punching bag! We love proving you wrong on things! Unfortunately you don't give many opportunities, as you're not wrong very often.

I hope whoever was mean to you is no longer here. I'd certainly like to see you around again.

Neal

[RAD2LTR]

Neal,
TO be quite frank, when I get here and you and Jan are sharing things, and we can comment it is like we are sitting in Jack and Sylvia Sweeney's motorhome with a beer or wine as I got older and are just visiting. It's like we are in some some surreal state where we are just the three of us, although EVERYONE is invited to participate. Heck even Sparrow dropped in for a drink. This is the literal room where we can share what we know and what we have. These conversations have reopened the boxes that are stored of Lyle's slides. One of the most bizarre slides is him in the starting formation Reno '69 heading down towards the course on the start.....that HE took through the windscreen going downhill. Now how does that work? Throttle hand on the stick, camera up, focus on infinity, click, oh, yeah back to racing. I've started to search for a quality device to digitize the slides so I can share. But also to preserve. However it takes you and Jan to motivate those feelings, otherwise the boxes just sit in dry storage a couple of blocks (and a million years) away. I loved my time.

Sincerely, Thank you.

I wish Brad would have a seat instead of just texting me corrections. Hint, hint.

John,

I have a really clever way to digitize slides. Its a product for a Nikon that uses a 60mm macro lens and you literally take a picture of the slide with it. If done in RAW format, you then can go back and edit it to correct things. I can also do negatives this way. The Nikon D850 has a special setting for doing the negatives. Let me know if I can help.

Thank you for being active here, and pulling everyone else in. This is what the site is for. This is WHY I want to keep it alive. The stories you guys tell, are amazing. I glimpse into history that some of us could only wish to have been part of. I don't have anything to add to the stories, but you better believe that I'm following along and loving every second of it.

Will

[RAD2LTR]

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.

Everyone is welcome, especially those people who know the history. You guys who know this stuff are exactly who I want active on the forum. I've got no issues with you guys who have been there and done that for years giving each other a hard time, because you know each other. If its someone else, and offence is taken, then I will take the appropriate action. I don't want to over administrate, but I don't want it to be shootout at the OK corral either.

Please come back, and take part.

Will

[Jan]

Ok John, ask and ye shall receive. Here's Weiner's STP Special at Reno 1969. As you know it was supposed to race in The Harold's Club Transcontinental Trophy Dash from Milwaukee to Stead. But E.D. was unwell. He was having stomach and chest pains and decided not to race. We know what that led to...

What did Lyle think of the airplane? (Eric Everill photo)

[Jan]

But before it was the "STP Special", No. 14 was "Bardahl II". E.D. and the airplane won the 1965 Harolds Club Transcontinental from Florida to Reno. Won the 1966 Paul Mantz Trophy Race from Florida to Palm Springs. Won the 1967 Cleveland National Air Races Transcontinental from Palm Springs to Cleveland and won the 1968 Harolds Club Transcontinental from Milwaukee to Reno. (Tom Piedimonte photo)

[Jan]

In case you're curious, Bardahl II "proudly used Autolite ignition" according to a press release from Bardahl. Here's the STP Special with Paul Mantz's famed No. 46 Mustang in Milwaukee. We have lots more photos of No. 14, No. 49, etc. (John Tegler collection)

[wingman]

Great set of photographs. Was that a white checkerboard or yellow?

[Sparrow]

Here's Dwight with Chuck Hall in 1980. Would that have been the year of the first Allison rod Merlin at Reno? Were you working for Dwight yet in 1980?

In 1980, I was working in the oil fields in Wamsutter (red desert) Wyoming and later that year on wheat harvest in Oklahoma and points north to home in Montana. I started on warbirds working for Jack Shaver in 1988 and ultimately went to work for Dwight in 1993.

The airplane Chuck is in is "Section Eight" as owned by Bruce Ellis at the time. I don't recall if Bruce bought it from Lyford or? And yes, that airplane was the test bed for "THE Great White Hope" as it was called, the prototype aircraft allison rodded race engine. My first year at Reno in '93, the White Hope was in Pegasus owned by Billy Speer and flown by airman DD Williams----- and that was my introduction to it.... Delbert was a character....

[Jan]

In 1980, I was working in the oil fields in Wamsutter (red desert) Wyoming and later that year on wheat harvest in Oklahoma and points north to home in Montana. I started on warbirds working for Jack Shaver in 1988 and ultimately went to work for Dwight in 1993.

The airplane Chuck is in is "Section Eight" as owned by Bruce Ellis at the time. I don't recall if Bruce bought it from Lyford or? And yes, that airplane was the test bed for "THE Great White Hope" as it was called, the prototype aircraft allison rodded race engine. My first year at Reno in '93, the White Hope was in Pegasus owned by Billy Speer and flown by airman DD Williams----- and that was my introduction to it.... Delbert was a character....

Del was great. Loved talking with him.

Neal - Bardahl II had a yellow checkerboard by that point. Prior to that it was a white checkerboard pattern with a green spinner.

[wingman]

Del was great. Loved talking with him.

Neal - Bardahl II had a yellow checkerboard by that point. Prior to that it was a white checkerboard pattern with a green spinner.

I didn't think it looked white in that air to air shot.

And Mike, I thought you started with Dwight much earlier.

I saw Chuck Hall race several airplanes over the years. It was always a pleasure. He was very comfortable low, and unlike some other pilots always felt in total control down low. Very smooth and would always be in the same spot lap after lap. He was fun. The last shot is from 1990, when Chuck raced Pegasus.

[RAD2LTR]

I didn't think it looked white in that air to air shot.

And Mike, I thought you started with Dwight much earlier.

I saw Chuck Hall race several airplanes over the years. It was always a pleasure. He was very comfortable low, and unlike some other pilots always felt in total control down low. Very smooth and would always be in the same spot lap after lap. He was fun. The last shot is from 1990, when Chuck raced Pegasus.

Pegasus became Voodoo Chile, then Voodoo correct? Awesome pics.

Will

[MRE]

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

[wingman]

Pegasus became Voodoo Chile, then Voodoo correct? Awesome pics.

Will

Thank you Will, And yes, this is the airframe that eventually became Voodoo.