'BUCK SHOTS'

[flyingjibus]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Something about the angle of that shot makes them look really big.

Very cool picture.

Thanks!

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Hamilton's Hawkers".......

Mon. 9/16/85-Reno NCAR-Qualifying & Practice- "Clear Prop!" Lloyd Hamilton's two Hawker Sea Furies come to life, as Art Vance fires-up the Bristol Centaurus of Race#16-"Baby Gorilla" in the foreground, while Lloyd follows-suit by starting the P&W R-4360 corncob motor on his bright red Super Sea Fury- Race #15-"Furias", -to go get some time out on the Stead Field racecourse.

Next to the Sanders Family, probably nobody else loved racing Sea Furies more than the late & great- Lloyd Hamilton. Guess when you own TWO or more of anything that's really big & really expensive to own & operate, it's a clear sign of love, or obsession (or both!).

Lloyd campaigned his Aussie Navy-painted "Baby Gorilla" regularly from 1972-1996 until he sold it. Though he was Race #16's primary race pilot (& was at the stick all 5-times his Baby raced for UNL Gold), Lloyd often enlisted the flying talents of his good pals- Art Vance, Bob Mackey & C.J. Stephens to share race jockey duties whenever needed.

Lloyd Hamilton was sole race pilot f/his Super Hawker- "Furias" fm 1984-1997 (-which included 4 UNL Gold competitions). After Lloyd's passing, new owner-Bill Rogers returned Race #15 to race again at Reno '00 & '02 w/Art Vance as driver & Gary Hubler taking-over as Furias' race pilot f/Reno '03 (-logging 5th-place in that year's UNL Gold). Furias is now-owned by Chuck Greenhill & is undergoing a total-rebuild by Sanders Aviation f/future UNL Gold competition w/veteran Matt Jackson slated as race pilot.

DBD

[Big_Jim]

Re: \'BUCK SHOTS\'

Lloyd was one of a kind. He had personality and was truly one of the friendliest and approachable guys I\'ve run into in the almost 40 years I\'ve been going to Reno.

I wouldn\'t call him a friend by any means...but was an acquaintence to the level that he would remember me whenever I would come talk to him and ALWAYS made time for me.

He did it on a shoestring and still managed to have fun. He and Gary Levitz passed away within a few short months of each other, and the air racing world was a lesser place without their personalities.

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

" D - R - A - G - O - N " . . . !

Mon. 9/19/88-Reno NCAR-Departures- Mike Bogue's majestic Douglas B-23 Dragon N747M lifts-off fm Stead Field's main runway on departure.

The B-23 first flew on 7/27/39, & just 38-examples were built, w/about 11 Dragon airframes surviving today. Powered by the same twin Wright R-2600 radial engines used by NAA's B-25 Mitchell bomber, the Dragon had a top speed of 282-mph w/a range of 1,400-mi. carrying a 4,000-lb. bomb load. The B-23 was the alternate deployment choice f/Jimmy Doolittle's daring April '42 carrier-launched raid on Tokyo, but never saw combat. Eighteen B-23s were converted to UC-67 transport versions.

The Dragon's 92-ft. wingspan's similar in design to Douglas's earlier B-18 & DC-3, & its' tall vert. tail design was adapted for use on the single-tailed PB4Y Privateer version of Consolidated's B-24 Liberator.

N747M started life as USAAC ser.# 39-033 & after WW2, Howard Hughes aquired this B-23 to convert f/use as his personal aircraft-NC49548. Next it went to owner-Gar Wood, becoming NC747, before the late-Mike Bogue bought the plane & based it at Oakland, CA. Mike made it a familiar visitor to W. Coast airshows & air races over the years, & the B-23 served as a support aircraft f/Jack Hovey & John Crocker's P-51D air race teams. N747M presently sits in static condition at Ione, CA. & is up for sale.

The Dragon is definately one of the most-beautiful aircraft designs to come fm the 1930s-era & its' sleek extended lines give it a really-distinctive vintage-period 'Deco' look, that's both elegant & unforgettable.

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Bouncin' The Blues!"......

Thur. 9/14/00-Reno NCAR- Captured on camera fm Stead Tower,-The USAF Thunderbirds F-16s execute a perfect surprise 'bounce' of their rival- USN Blue Angels F-18 jet demo team parked on the Stead Field ramp, while enroute to their next performance date.

DBD

[kiwiracefan]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Great pic bucky...

Just a quick one from me
Jasta 11 bounce

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Thanks, Kiwi! Hey- what happended to your photo post? (It seems to have 'bounced' out of the thread...?)

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"SUPER SKY CHARIOT!"

#5 RED BARON - Reno '78 NCAR

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Thanksgiving"...

Photos (L-R):

1. Capt. Courtney (Errol Flynn) thanks Sgt. Watkins (Melville Cooper) before takeoff in his British WW1 fighter 'kite' to go take on the Huns, in a scene from the 1938 Warner Bros. classic film- The Dawn Patrol.

2. P-51D Mustang #22-"Merlin's Magic" race pilot/owner- Stu Eberhardt (hat) thanks his crewman (ID?) before departing Stead Field on Monday after the Reno '99 NCAR.

3. After his team's Reno '88 UNL Gold Trophy victory, #77-"Rare Bear" pilot/owner & air racing icon-Lyle Shelton thanks his crew chief- Dave Cornell, as they all celebrate their great accomplishment.

4. Aviation legend- Robert A. "Bob" Hoover's huge world-wide fanbase is a real- "mutual admiration society" & this Reno '99 photo shows Bob exchanging thanks w/one of his many proud & grateful fans.

5. Reno 2010 NCAR Sunday Awards Banquet: Young race pilot- Steven Hinton, Jr. won his second consecutive UNL Gold Champion's jacket this year & Hinton generously made it a special gift of thanks & appreciation to his #7-"Strega" team crew chief- David Hughes.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" - Air Racers & Race Fans Everywhere!

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"BIG Friend - Little Friends"...

"Comin' home on a wing & a prayer" - No.1 engine's knocked-out & its' prop's feathered, with wounded aircrew aboard..."Today's mission was no cakewalk- ferocious swarms of enemy fighters attacked our group all along the way & heavy flak was waitin' to hammer us over the target. Thank our Lucky Stars that we had 'Little Friends' lookin' out for us that day, or we might've been goners for sure. Those Mustangs were all over the sky fighting the Luftwaffe, and two of our boys provided covering escort for our damaged Fortress all the way back to base. They sure did a swell job! God bless 'em."

DBD

[Big_Jim]

Re: \'BUCK SHOTS\'

Hey Bucky, is that Bill Harrison\'s B-17 at Miami 79? Looks like Aluminum Overcast before it was Aluminum Overcast. Can\'t tell what Mustangs are with it, though.

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Hi Jim-

Affirmative - that is indeed B-17 'Aluminum Overcast' (when it was Aluminum Overcast, @ '79 Miami/Homestead air races, as noted in the photo file name). Would have to take a closer look at which Mustangs are flying w/the Fortress in that pic.

DBD

[Sparrow]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Rt wing of B-17 is RRIII, L wing is Boomer.

Sparrow

[Big_Jim]

Re: \'BUCK SHOTS\'

as noted in the photo file name

Sigh....oh yeah...I guess there IS that. Right in front of my nose. Go figure. It\'s these tri-focal\'s I\'m wearing now. Yeah, that\'s it.

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Season's Greetings" & "Happy New Year" wishes to everyone!

DBD