Blue skies, Doc!

[FENCELINER]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Remembering

[ignomini]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Never got to meet the man, but he cast a long shadow. Blue skies Doc, and condolences to your family and friends.

[r_willy]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Google turned up some bits of background info, like:

http://tinyurl.com/6dzler

http://tinyurl.com/6o9ec2

And this photo from the Miss Bardahl boat days:

http://www.missbardahl.com/gallery/v/Historical/1965/012a.jpg.html

Yep, one less wizard in the world . . .

[T. Adams]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

I remember the Air & Space story, great article.

[MUSNTCHIT]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

I imagine in the next couple of days there will be some good stories about Da'Doc from many sources, right now I've had a little too much Port Zinfandel to fathom telling any stories. I'm speechless and sad.

I hope Steve Bartholff, Mikey Wilton, Kerch and Tige drop in and share a little with us. I talked with Dwight on Monday and we had a trip planned for later in the month. He was doing very well, and we talked about engine stuff. He was one of a kind and I was honored to work with him. My prayers are with Rose, If any of us could find the love and happiness they have we'd be fulfilled.

Thank you John Slack... rb

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Does anyone Dwights age when this photo was taken?

http://www.missbardahl.com/gallery/v/Historical/1965/012a.jpg.html

[mouse_man_2]

Re: Blue skies, Big Brother

Dwight was 26 or 27 when this picture was taken.

Hey John Slack if you read this can you give me a call. You should still have my cell number. Rosie has it too. I'll be down at the end of the week.

Mark Thorn (Dwight's little brother)

Miss ya bro

"Little did I know that once you get in the racing scene, the fence surrounds the fanatics and keeps them on display for the more stable members of society"

Dwight Thorn 1937-2008

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Blue skies, Big Brother

Dwight was 26 or 27 when this picture was taken.

Hey John Slack if you read this can you give me a call. You should still have my cell number. Rosie has it too. I'll be down at the end of the week.

Mark Thorn (Dwight's little brother)

Miss ya bro

"Little did I know that once you get in the racing scene, the fence surrounds the fanatics and keeps them on display for the more stable members of society"

Dwight Thorn 1937-2008

Mark,

I have your number and will call you this evening.

[Racer 18]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Dwight was the greatest. He let me, a kid in his 20's, hang around his San Jose Merlin shop in the 70's, when he helped maintain the Club P-51 and T-6.

Randy Difani

[Warbird5]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Reno has not been the same since the man in shorts has not been there. As we all become older and I hope wiser we should stop and reflect on what life means. Dwight knew and shared his zest for life with all who could see what he saw.

Much of the enjoyment and excitement in unlimited air racing is due in large to part to Dwight and others who are no longer with us in flesh, but in spirit and memories. It's the memories of Dwight, Rose and a Merlin engine that are with me now and forever. So it's not good by Throny, it's until we meet again.

Willie

[doxwyf]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

I just would like to express my appreciation for the many remembrances of Dwight and kind thoughts to me.

Since his stroke in 2003, Dwight often said that although the illness hastened his retirement, he felt fulfilled. In his words: "I pretty much achieved everything I ever wanted to do with the Merlin. It's someone else's turn now."

We were married in 1971. Throughout the 37+ years that followed I could always state with conviction: "Whatever else, life with Dwight has never been boring."

Something you may not know..........Dwight enjoyed reading biographies. He'd just begun rereading Jimmy Doolittle's autobiography. He set it down for the last time at page 45. The title pretty much sums up my life with Dwight: "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again"

Thanks again..............Rosie

[wingman]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Thanks Rose -- Dwight is missed...

Neal

[BuckyD]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Reno NCAR - 9/15/02 - RARA Sunday Awards Banquet:

Here's four snapshots documenting a very special awards presentation honoring the late & great Unlimited Class race engine builder supreme- DWIGHT THORN.

Proud presenters were veteran race announcer Sandy Sanders (wearing blue shirt & red cap), who presented 'THA DOC' w/a magnificent & appropriately-tall special recognition trophy bearing his name, and longtime close friend & associate- Bill Kerchenfaut, Unlimited Class air racing's winningest crew chief, presented Dwight with a great specially-commissioned original artwork by noted artist- David E. Wells, illustrating his career highpoints.

Also visible in these on-stage photos are- the late Art Vance, veteran air race pilot- past-UNLTD Class president & class Safety Check Airman, at right, RARA Directors Joey Scolari & Tom Robinson at stage-left, w/announcer Frank Kingston Smith & CEO Mike Houghton also present.

The occasion helped cap defending champion- TEAM DAGO RED's successful 'Gold Clean Sweep' of the Unlimited Class at Reno '02 NCAR, for owner Terry Bland's P-51D Racer #4, pilot-Skip Holm & crew chief Bill Kerchenfaut, while running a very fine-tuned Dwight Thorn-prepared Mouse Merlin race motor. The sweep began with a blistering record qualifying speed of 497.787-mph!!!

DBD

[wingman]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

Thanks for this, Buck -- a very nice tribute to a very important man...

I've been planning to post some of my shots of The Doc from over the years, but obviously have not gotten to them yet.

Neal

[Flyer57]

Re: Blue skies, Doc!

'87' was my first time on the ramp at Reno and I obviously didn't know who he was. What struck me the first time I saw him was this guy walking down the ramp in a heavy jacket (it was blister cold that year) in those really, really short, shorts.
I looked twice and shook my head.
In '92' I met him when he came down to our pit to chat with us about why we were fouling plugs on Bill Klares P-51.
He didn't know me and I was just a yonker but I was included in the conversation by his looking at all in the group as he talked.
You don't see that a lot.
I had, of course learned, who he was by that time and he impressed me and made me feel like part of his race family.
Great Guy and My prayers go out to his family and all those he touched.