Howard Purdue's BlueBear, Tuesday Nites Frenzy :)

[Bob]

We watched these men work their arses off all day tuesday and late into the nite, at about 10:30 they buttoned her up and rolled her out for a test fire. A crewman stated that they found a bent or broken pushrod.



Here are a couple of their run-up at about 11:00-11:30 that nite. I had to lean up against the fence to get this, I had a flash but mostly relied on a 3 sec exposure and nerves steadied by coors light



And another



Next year I will have a digital camera, I am quite disappointed with what I have now and having to rely on someone else to devolope it. (rant off)

[JET1]

thanks for the memory!

years ago I crewed on Lefty Gardners thunderbird. The last time we had it at reno the impossible happened and the aftercooler was leaking into the intake logs. we spent the whole night on the ramp working to change it out, Bill K was with strega at the time and he brought their mobile lighting down, Rhino offered us parts off his spare engine and we had two teams working like crazy to get the plane qualified by 4 pm the next day. we got it running and all but didnt make the time deadline and that was the last time we had thunderbird there. I wouldnt trade that night for anything. Gordon Beeson, George Roberts and a whole cast of folks pulling together to make it.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS!

[dvddude]

Re: Howard Purdue's BlueBear, Tuesday Nites Frenzy

Cool pictures, thanks! Not to be anal, but "Blue Bear" is actually the name of Ray Dieckman's Bearcat. Even though, officially, Howard's Bearcat is named Miss Kimberley, I believe it's just referred to as "Bearcat" for race purposes. At least, that's what he registered it as.

[Bob]

Re: Howard Purdue's BlueBear, Tuesday Nites Frenzy

LOL, you are correct, and I even had notes. Hahahahaha

would you believe me if I said I was distracted?

[Frank C.]

Re: Howard Purdue's BlueBear, Tuesday Nites Frenzy

Yea, those were the days! If someone had a problem other crews pitched in to help. All real gentleman.

Frank C.

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Howard Purdue's BlueBear, Tuesday Nites Frenzy

Off Topic.As a teenager helping Jimmy De Santo with his P38 @ the post-war Cleveland Air Races there were rumors that some of the race planes had sugar poured in their fuel tanks so as a precaution most of the pilots had someone watching the planes all night. I voluntered to watch Jimmys P38 so with a lunch & no fluids I was oked to sit in the cockpit all night. Well early on I was ok but after shooting down some Japanese zeros & various German fighters I soon grew tired & fell asleep. The next AM the crew & pilot found me fast asleep in the cockpit with my lunch eaten.Those were the days for me. The fuel turned out to be a bad batch & all turned out OK. Jimmy flew in the SOHIO race that day but was disqaulified for flying too low. Skimming some tree tops.

[ebutner]

Re: Howard Purdue's BlueBear, Tuesday Nites Frenzy

OT or not, thats a cool story. This is the stuff I come here for. Thanks