Some air race nostalgia for you

[Airpirate]

http://www.airrace.com/1949%20NAR%20.htm

[ebutner]

Re: Some air race nostalgia for you

Way cool stuff! Thanks for posting.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Some air race nostalgia for you

very cool... thanks for posting it...
but did any one notice who placed 8th in the Sohio race... a mr A.T. Whiteside..

[5150]

Re: Some air race nostalgia for you

Thanks for the link. As I was looking through the many cool planes, one really caught my attention. Anson Johnson's Race 45. Did a little looking and found this:

http://www.warbirdaeropress.com/articles/race45.html

Good read, sad ending. How do you lose a Merlin?

[Flyguy55]

Re: Some air race nostalgia for you

Thanks for sharing the pics .
Seeing Bob Downey's pics brought back fond memories. When Jon Sharp first started racing his Cassit
" Bilbo " he was working for a company I was associated with. I had a new 78 T 210 with about 35 hr on it.
I flew to the races with another friend and supported Jon and Steve at several races .It was probably 1978 .
They had a stock plane race at the Mexicali race . I joined RARA and entered the race . Bob Downey
" Ole Tiger " Flew with me a few laps , gave me some pointers on getting around the course , and signed me off to race .
The most interesting was holding bottom rudder through the turns to keep from sliding up in the tight pylon turns . It was a new sensation to point the nose slightly at the ground at pylon height , about 40 ft high .
I had just retired from Tunnel boat racing and caught on quickly.
It was a handicap race and I had to start more then I lap down to the slowest racers ,
I ended up wining all my heats . Bob was a great instructor .
I'd never seen pics if Bob Downey or his Shoestring .
Thanks again

Dick Roberts

[laminar]

Re: Some air race nostalgia for you

Hey Guys

I just bought this DVD and was very impressed with it. It covers everything that is on the site that is posted above but with large amounts of moving pictures and very nice descriptions of the different races. Downey and his Shoestring are in the video along with all the rest of the greats. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVAN4z_k3tU

Elliot Seguin
Race 68

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Some air race nostalgia for you

Lots of memories. Where did the last 61 years go. I've got the 1932,1938 & 1948 races on VHS. I'll try to get them on DVDs & bring them to Reno. I'll be between the Heritage Planes & the Warlock pit. I was @ Cleveland Air Races 1946 thru 1949. I always thought Anson Johnson was way ahead of the rest of them as far as really modifying a P51. I remember the pilots talking about Joe DeBona not having the pylon flying experience & they didn't like the wing tip radiators for that type of flying. In 1947 the Thompson Trophy race was won by Cook Cleland at 396 MPH the race was 20 laps for 300 miles. He won $19,500 dollars with his F2G-1 Corsair #74.