Great Miami Air Race

[rbonneau]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Wow - great memory!

The trophies that are shown are believe it or not, Not the first place gold trophies, those first place trophies had a lot more wood and stood three feet high.

The ailerons on the future rare Bear were still silver as Tony Bernard had just finished building the short wing set for the Bearcat.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Yes Shawn that was Katherine, she had more pairs of boots than anyone I ever met. She absolutely defined the word elegant, and had a wonderfully warm and charming personality.

I think I'm STILL in love with her...and I haven't seen her in what...almost 30 years?

Sigh........

[rbonneau]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

[T J Johansen]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Great stuff there Rich...

Any more photos of N469P seen here with the yellow rudder? Especially one which shows the front of it? Never seen a photo of it with military markings!

None of the 51s in this photo had a very long career after the races, N469P coming to grief three months later crashing into several light a/c in Atlanta. Both occupants died! NTSB report here: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=68365&key=0

The late Don Plumb's beautifully polished CF-USA is another grat looking 51. This one of course went down in a thunderstorm in 1975 while en-route from "Connie" Edwards ranch. Pilot killed...

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=51227&key=0

T J

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Sliker and Lyle had planned before the heat race that Howie blew up in, to let him win that heat race, They both thought the extra publicity for Miss America and her sponsors would be good for the overall group. I can still remember vividly the smirk on Lyle's face when Jack ambled up after the race and said, "Poor Capt. Zoombag, he can't even win when we try to let him."

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

I think I'm STILL in love with her...and I haven't seen her in what...almost 30 years?

Sigh........

Elegance is such a rare quality today that most people wouldn't know how to deal with it. There was humor around her but absolutely NO vulgarity even implied. She had that look that she could give that could make you know you should just shut up and leave, and then Rotten Richard would slide on over and quietly escort the offender from the pit.

There was something about the way True Southern Women of Distinction handled things, Lyle's Mother Ida Mae had that quality also in spades, I saw someone try to pick up a check once when she had invited several of Lyle's family out to dinner at Reno, and he was a big ol' boy, she did not say a word, but looked over her glasses and the offender sat the check down and apologized for attempting to pay. She just smiled and went about her party.

[Wingnut]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Wow, that's a load of oil. Getting back on the ground must have been harrowing. Can anyone identify the prop on Miss A? My eyes aren't the best but it looks like the shape of an F8F Aeroproducts.
-Jeff

[Big_Jim]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Sliker and Lyle had planned before the heat race that Howie blew up in, to let him win that heat race, They both thought the extra publicity for Miss America and her sponsors would be good for the overall group. I can still remember vividly the smirk on Lyle's face when Jack ambled up after the race and said, "Poor Capt. Zoombag, he can't even win when we try to let him."

Z and his damn Bearcat prop experiment on the Mustangs.

Both Miss A and Miss Candace had them at Miami '73. By September they were gone.

[rbonneau]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Any more photos of N469P seen here with the yellow rudder?

TJ - I haven't found anymore of 69P. I also have some b&w pictures to go through, so there may be one there.....

Here are a few more.....

[stuntflyr]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Sliker and Lyle had planned before the heat race that Howie blew up in, to let him win that heat race, They both thought the extra publicity for Miss America and her sponsors would be good for the overall group. I can still remember vividly the smirk on Lyle's face when Jack ambled up after the race and said, "Poor Capt. Zoombag, he can't even win when we try to let him."

That was a fun time.
Isn't that you in the white windbreaker talking to me in the blue and white striped shirt, fishing hat and canvas camera bag next to Tony?
Long time ago, wasn't it?
Chris...

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

That was a fun time.
Isn't that you in the white windbreaker talking to me in the blue and white striped shirt, fishing hat and canvas camera bag next to Tony?
Long time ago, wasn't it?
Chris...

Yes, that is me, I saw that in the picture, and I thought " nobody would pick that out, So, I didn't comment and you picked it out. Also the girl in the picture walking somewhat towards the Camera is my cousin Jyll, at the only race she and my cousin Mike (brown cordoroys) ever got to see.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

BigJim, can you spot Lois Jean and Alice Rand? And I think now that I look again Nikki Sparks.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

BigJim, can you spot Lois Jean and Alice Rand? And I think now that I look again Nikki Sparks.

Oh yeah, they're the two in the matching red outfits, right?

[Race 22 mech]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

Is there a list of the aircraft that participated in the races, T-6 and P-51's in particular?

chip

[julij97]

Re: Great Miami Air Race

THANKS AGAIN, AND KEEP 'EM COMING. YOUR PICTURES ARE SPARKING A LOT OF INTEREST.