John Crocker

[planecrazy2]

Re: John Crocker

Ooooh great shots here. Thank you thank you thank you.

Dad and I have many memories of watching John fly.

I wonder how fast P-51's go in Heaven?

[Smee Again]

Re: John Crocker

As several have noted here, John Crocker liked kids -- including his own.

This shot with Skip Holm and the great Dave Zeuschel was taken one evening at the 1982 Reno Race.

Whatever was being said by the guy on the left certainly had the attention of all four listeners...

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that's a very young Ricky Shanholtzer chatting with Crocker, Zeuschel and Skip.

SA

[wingman]

Re: John Crocker

Could be -- would he have been working for Dave at that point? I think 1982 was the year of the legendary prop overspeed on Jeannie...

Neal

[taglialavore]

Re: John Crocker

All I can say, thank you very much for posting these wonderful photos Mr. N. Nurmi.

[wingman]

Re: John Crocker

This was a photo flight done early in the week at Reno 1984. In the back seat of Bob Love's Mustang was San Jose Mercury News photographer Ron Burda. Photo taken out at the old Pylon 4.

[SCEPTER]

Re: John Crocker

I really enjoy seeing these pics. Thanks Wingman

[BuckyD]

Re: John Crocker

Here's a trio of Mon. 9/8/80 pics, + a Sun. 9/14/80 UNL Gold Race shot, taken from a different vantage, to add to Neal's great thread-

First, -John Crocker's Stead Field arrival w/#6 Sumthin' Else, to defend his '79 Championship Trophy title. Second shot captures Neal Nurmi shooting J.C.'s portrait as he exits the cockpit & third photo captures the special moment of John giving his good pal- Steve Hinton (proudly-wearing his RB-51 tee-shirt) a pre-flight cockpit & systems familiarization briefing, to allow him the rare privilege & treat of taking his beautiful Mustang racer up for a familiarization test hop. (What a true & kind gentleman you were- Capt. John Crocker!)

Lastly, Reno '80's dramatic Sunday UNL Gold Championship duel f/1st-Place is captured from Outer 2 Pylon during very windy conditions: Roy 'Mac' McClain flies Wiley Sanders' #69 JEANNIE low & tight to hold his narrow lead over a hotly-pursuing John Crocker in #6 'Sumthin' Else', seen flying his signature higher courseline. Crocker failed to get around McClain, & finished second @ 429.781-av/mph behind McClain's new race record winning speed of 433.010-av/mph for the 8-lap final. That was really one of Reno NCAR's most-unforgettable- UNL Class 'Barn-Burner' Gold Races ever! WOW!!!

"BLUE SKIES FOREVER"-J.C.

DBD

[jarrodeu]

Re: John Crocker

This was a photo flight done early in the week at Reno 1984. In the back seat of Bob Love's Mustang was San Jose Mercury News photographer Ron Burda. Photo taken out at the old Pylon 4.

Was the "old pylon 4" significant? Where was it from today's pylon 4 and was it better?

Jarrod

[wingman]

Re: John Crocker

Hi Jarrod -- I certainly thought so. It was about a half or three quarter mile farther North on a fair sized hill. The problem for me with the new 4 is that there is no time to pick up the airplane and get myself stabilised before the airplane is past and going away. They just appear over the hill and "boom" they're gone. At the "old" 4 you just had MUCH more to work with in terms of angles and distances because you had several seconds before they were past...

Neal

[wingman]

Re: John Crocker

Boy, look at the hair on that skinny photographer in Bucky's second shot...

[Warbird5]

Re: John Crocker

Afternoon To All,

This thread gets better and better. Just goes to show the wealth of information, especially history that Neal and Bucky have gathered. But you know the really important information is in their heads! This has got to be preserved.

This has got me to thinking....Maybe Sager, AAFO and Scotty G could give some thought to creation of a section of their respective web sights for the storage of Reno historical information. And I mean stored in such a manner that it could be viewed, but not downloaded or copied to protect the posters rights. That's my thought for the day. What do you think?

I'm still somewhat amazed at the great reception this thread has garnered. Please if anyone has pictures or stories about John or Bob please put them up.

Willie

[BuckyD]

Re: John Crocker

Here's a another trio of pics to serve up for this- John Crocker tribute thread - this time from Reno '84 NCAR...

Photos (L-R):

1. Mon. 9/10/84- 3/4-frontal approaching view of Race #6 Sumthin' Else, w/Crocker turning old Outer 4 Pylon, during the afternoon practice & qualifying session f/Unlimiteds.

2. Sat. 9/8/84- A candid portait of John Crocker- sitting on Race 6's wing following his arrival at Reno's Stead Field, as one of Reno '84's most-favored Gold Class entrants. When he wasn't flying his potent Mustang racer or helping-out w/crew maintenance chores, John really loved to stay close to his pretty bird, and you could often find him perched on a wing as a favorite spot to just sit & relax or mull things over.

3. Wed. 9/12/84- A powerful profile view of #6 Sumthin' Else roaring-by Outer 4 Pylon during John Crocker's qualifying run of 442.569-mph, logging 2nd-fastest in the Unlimited Class time trials right behind Neil Anderson's 442.747-mph speed in the Sanders' big Super Sea Fury #8 Dreadnought.

Crocker then went-on to finish 2nd in Reno '84's Sunday UNL Gold Championship final, behind leader Skip Holm-flying Alan Preston's Zeuschel-prepared scoopless P-51 rookie entry- #84 Stiletto, after challenger Rick Brickert in P-51D #4 Dago Red mayday'd out on Lap-3 w/a broken connecting rod & engine fire.

"Stunningly-Beautiful"- Sumthin' Else's elegant lines were created via numerous airframe race mods designed by aerodynamics expert-Jim Larsen (also still-famous as- 'dean of modern-era air racing photographers').

DBD

[Race 29]

Re: John Crocker

This has to be one of the best threads on AAFO!! Thank you everyone! I love the pictures!! I've always thought "Sumthin' Else" was one of the best looking racers out there. That canopy looked so smooth, I'm glad it's now on the "Galloping Ghost"!! Again, thank you to everyone for honoring John Crocker here, and sharing your pictures and experiances with us!

Race 29

[Warbird5]

Re: John Crocker

Does anyone have any pictures, video or information of Bob Love in Hovey's Mustang doing a roll over the top of Howard Pardue past pylon one in 84 or 85 I think was the year.

I remember the Competition Committee pulling up the the plane before Bob got out. I was up on the wing and he asked me what they were there for with a slight grin on his face. Later he told the crew that Howard was moving toward him and not looking at him and he felt the safest thing to do was....roll over the top of Howard so he could see him all the time which is what happened. Bob wound up on Howard's left wing and I don't think he lost a position. I don't believe Howard ever saw what happened.

Willie

[Big_Jim]

Re: John Crocker

Does anyone have any pictures, video or information of Bob Love in Hovey's Mustang doing a roll over the top of Howard Pardue past pylon one in 84 or 85 I think was the year.

I remember the Competition Committee pulling up the the plane before Bob got out. I was up on the wing and he asked me what they were there for with a slight grin on his face. Later he told the crew that Howard was moving toward him and not looking at him and he felt the safest thing to do was....roll over the top of Howard so he could see him all the time which is what happened. Bob wound up on Howard's left wing and I don't think he lost a position. I don't believe Howard ever saw what happened.

Willie

1984...between pylon 2 and 3 up on the hill.

On of the "Sportscenter highlights of my mind" of all the years I've been at Reno. But what I remember was Howard being on the outside and slightly in front of Bob--at least the view from the pit area--and moving in at an angle, so Bob pulling up, rolling to the right over the top of Howard, and ending up on his outside. People around me were thinking he got caught in propwash or something, and all I could think to myself was 'Oh, no way...that was on purpose!'