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**taglialavore** · 12-31-2008, 04:40 PM

Re: Ciao Bella

another photo
(photos by Joe Barbero, not mine)

Attached Files

**Stevo** · 12-31-2008, 06:58 PM

Re: Ciao Bella

Punch "Ciao Bella" into the Aircraft Name block here --> http://www.airrace.org/raceResultsQuery.php

From the RARA site... "After restoration in the US, this aircraft was raced at Reno before being taken to Australia."

It was also mentioned sometime back... http://aafo.com/hangartalk/showthrea...9&page=2&pp=10

And from the Sanders Aeronautics website... http://www.sandersaircraft.com/resto...9b-zuccoli.asp

**taglialavore** · 01-01-2009, 12:37 PM

Re: Ciao Bella

Thank you for this awesome information.

If there is only one in flight condition I would not blame Chuck Yeager statement if someone is trying to air race with it. May be I do agree to see it original stock around the race circuit, would be awesome, at 300 mph, cruising behind the fasters, doesn�t matter, enough.

All I had found about this airplane was extracted from Airliners.net :
"the G59 was the last piston-engined fighter aircraft to be produced in the world"
"...Powered by the legendary British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine instead of the Dailmer-Benz 605 for which it was designed".

**flyingjibus** · 01-02-2009, 12:31 PM

Re: Ciao Bella

That plane made the most spectacularly low pass on the backside of the course(back when you could be out there mind you) everyone on the little hill we would stand on was face down in the dust when he went over. It was incredible. I think I have it on vhs video. I need to get that stuff transferred to digital media.

**taglialavore** · 01-02-2009, 01:08 PM

Re: Ciao Bella

Originally posted by flyingjibus

That plane made the most spectacularly low pass on the backside of the course(back when you could be out there mind you) everyone on the little hill we would stand on was face down in the dust when he went over. It was incredible. I think I have it on vhs video. I need to get that stuff transferred to digital media.

Yes PLEASE, do it! I envy you for living those moments. I�ve seen many but never saw it flying nor even very low flying.
Thank you

**BuckyD** · 01-10-2009, 03:14 AM

Re: Ciao Bella

Hi Tag -

I happen to share your fondness for this particular ultra-rare, little Italian-bred stock Unlimited racing filly, which competed only at Reno '87 - before her export to Australia, right after the races.

Pilot/owner- Guido Zuicolli's Fiat G59-4B Racer #59 - 'Ciao Bella' (Direct translation means either: "Hello/Goodbye - Beautiful!", when addressing a member of the fairer sex), was restored by Sanders Aviation, utilizing a Zeuschel-prepared Rolls-Royce Merlin engine for power, and registered as NX59B.

Though she was qualified in last-place of 25 Unlimited Class aircraft entries that year w/a sedate speed of only 307.087-mph - Ciao Bella immediately-attracted a huge amount of fan interest, whether in the air or on the ground.

Here's a few photos culled from the photo archive vault for your viewing enjoyment of this pretty bird in action.

DBD

Top row (L-R):

1. Sat. 9/12/87 - Stead arrival.
2. Sun. 9/20/87 - Silver Race - Lap 4 - Outer Pylon 2. Completed 6 of 8 laps to finish last @ 281.000-mph.
3. Sun. 9/13/87 - Return landing w/passenger.
4. Thurs. 9/17/87 - UNL HT-1C - Outer Pylon 8. Fred Sebby's running in 3rd-place flying John Paul's P-40N #17 Spud Lag (310.418-av/mph), w/Guido Zuicolli trailing close behind in #59 Ciao Bella in 4th-place (310.297-av/mph).
5. Mon. 9/21/87 - Departure buzz-job.

Bottom row (L-R):

1. Mon. 9/21/87 - Departure takeoff from Stead Field.
2. Sat. 9/12/87 - Stead arrival taxi-in profile.
3. Wed. 9/16/87 - Qualifying Run - Outer Pylon 4.
4. Sun. 9/13/87 - Return landing taxi-in w/passenger.
5. Wed. 9/16/87 - Qualifying Run - Outer Pylon 4.

(Note: During Saturday's UNL HT-3C, Ciao Bella & Joe Kasparoff's P-51D #39 The Healer (flown by Skip Holm) duelled nose-to-nose to post a 300.926-av/mph photo-finish for the 3rd/4th-place. There should be some really-great photos out there of these two planes battling it out during this event - will check my B&Ws. Wingman?