'A Change of HEART'....
"A Change of HEART"....
Much as our incredible hearts serve as the organic pump motor for us human beings (& most other life forms relying on blood circulation systems), an engine is essentially the mechanical heart for all man's powered vehicles & devices invented over history.
In the air racing motorsport- 'heart transplants' (-in the form of engine changes) are performed frequently on a regular basis. Come to think about it,-the hectic scene of an all-niter engine change shares alot of similarities w/a hospital's special cardiac surgical department ward operating room: intensely-busy surgeons, supported by their nurse assistants, using specialized tools to beat the clock,-in an effort to restore or replace a patient's heart & keep him running after success in the highly-competitive racing Game of Life.
I thought it might be interesting to put up this photo gallery relating to Unlimited Class air racer engine changes at Reno from years' past (mostly P-51D RR Merlins). Having a spare motor is an essential part of any race team's equipment list, if it's in the budget. If not a backup race engine, then at least a stock ferry motor to get your bird back home after race week's over...
Photos (L-R/Top-to-bottom):
1. Sat. 9/17/83- Race X-SPECTER race motor spotted on the ramp following removal, after breaking during Jimmy Leeward's 2nd Qualifying attempt.
2. Mon. 9/15/86- #84-STILETTO's race engine suffered a broken oil breather line forcing pilot Skip Holm out of Sunday's Gold final on Lap 5. (Not sure if this is the race motor, or the replacement).
3. Wed. 9/11/02- #22-MERLIN'S MAGIC motor is out & on deck at sunset.
4. Sun. 9/7/97- #55-VOODOO CHILE gets a spare blue Sparrow loaner stock ferry engine.
5. Mon. 9/20/82- #6-SUMTHIN' ELSE's gold-painted race Merlin suffered a broken crankshaft on Lap 4 of Sunday's Gold, putting John Crocker out of the final competition.
6 & 7. Mon. 9/11/06- Another #22-MERLIN'S MAGIC motor that let go bigtime for Bill Eberhardt during practice & qualifying session, who successfully got his 'oil-drained' racer down w/a split-open engine case.
8. Mon. 9/17/84- #7-STREGA piston got burnt & holed,-knocking Ron Hevle out of Sunday's Gold on Lap 7.
9 & 10. Wed. 9/14/83- Race X-SPECTER's sundown motor swap- Engine-builder Mike Nixon directs crane operator Tiger Destefani on lowering replacement engine into Jimmy Leeward's racer. Darkness & work lamp light combine to create a spooky pit atmosphere w/both Merlins evident.
11-14. Tue. 9/14/99- #5-VOODOO's 'Pinky' race motor was damaged during Bob Hannah's Q-run attempt & Team Dago Red came through w/a loaner engine to qualify & race with. Engine-builder Jack Hovey prepares the Dago loaner motor f/install & confers w/motorman Ricky Schanholtzer.
15-17. Wed. 9/13/89-#45-RISKY BUSINESS all-niter e-swap in-progress under direction of Bill Rheinschild's vet crew chief- Bryan Marsh, w/assist fm team mates- John Slack, Chris Wood, Bill Rogers & others. Once the replacement Merlin's in, the intense hookup & adjustment work begins.
18. Sat. 9/18/93- #10-CRITICAL MASS in CIA Hangar w/another R-3350 bolted-on (f/ferry flight home) after Tom Dwelle's race motor (spotted in front) was lunched due to excessive prop vibration & other problems during Fri. UNL HT-2B. Radial engine changes are literally- 'huge undertakings'.
19. Tue. 9/15/92-#77 RARE BEAR in CIA Hangar w/a sick R-3350 race motor following Lyle Shelton's record qualification run (482.892-mph). This was 1st piston change, w/2-more replaced on Friday. No motor change done & Shelton's engine finally gave out during Lap 5 of Sunday's Gold final.
20. Sat. 9/14/96- #13-WHITE LIGHTNIN' broke a rod in its' L/H Allison engine during Lefty Gardner's Qualification attempt & gets a replacement powerplant inside a Stead Field Hangar, but didn't race at Reno '96 or ever again.
DBD
Much as our incredible hearts serve as the organic pump motor for us human beings (& most other life forms relying on blood circulation systems), an engine is essentially the mechanical heart for all man's powered vehicles & devices invented over history.
In the air racing motorsport- 'heart transplants' (-in the form of engine changes) are performed frequently on a regular basis. Come to think about it,-the hectic scene of an all-niter engine change shares alot of similarities w/a hospital's special cardiac surgical department ward operating room: intensely-busy surgeons, supported by their nurse assistants, using specialized tools to beat the clock,-in an effort to restore or replace a patient's heart & keep him running after success in the highly-competitive racing Game of Life.
I thought it might be interesting to put up this photo gallery relating to Unlimited Class air racer engine changes at Reno from years' past (mostly P-51D RR Merlins). Having a spare motor is an essential part of any race team's equipment list, if it's in the budget. If not a backup race engine, then at least a stock ferry motor to get your bird back home after race week's over...
Photos (L-R/Top-to-bottom):
1. Sat. 9/17/83- Race X-SPECTER race motor spotted on the ramp following removal, after breaking during Jimmy Leeward's 2nd Qualifying attempt.
2. Mon. 9/15/86- #84-STILETTO's race engine suffered a broken oil breather line forcing pilot Skip Holm out of Sunday's Gold final on Lap 5. (Not sure if this is the race motor, or the replacement).
3. Wed. 9/11/02- #22-MERLIN'S MAGIC motor is out & on deck at sunset.
4. Sun. 9/7/97- #55-VOODOO CHILE gets a spare blue Sparrow loaner stock ferry engine.
5. Mon. 9/20/82- #6-SUMTHIN' ELSE's gold-painted race Merlin suffered a broken crankshaft on Lap 4 of Sunday's Gold, putting John Crocker out of the final competition.
6 & 7. Mon. 9/11/06- Another #22-MERLIN'S MAGIC motor that let go bigtime for Bill Eberhardt during practice & qualifying session, who successfully got his 'oil-drained' racer down w/a split-open engine case.
8. Mon. 9/17/84- #7-STREGA piston got burnt & holed,-knocking Ron Hevle out of Sunday's Gold on Lap 7.
9 & 10. Wed. 9/14/83- Race X-SPECTER's sundown motor swap- Engine-builder Mike Nixon directs crane operator Tiger Destefani on lowering replacement engine into Jimmy Leeward's racer. Darkness & work lamp light combine to create a spooky pit atmosphere w/both Merlins evident.
11-14. Tue. 9/14/99- #5-VOODOO's 'Pinky' race motor was damaged during Bob Hannah's Q-run attempt & Team Dago Red came through w/a loaner engine to qualify & race with. Engine-builder Jack Hovey prepares the Dago loaner motor f/install & confers w/motorman Ricky Schanholtzer.
15-17. Wed. 9/13/89-#45-RISKY BUSINESS all-niter e-swap in-progress under direction of Bill Rheinschild's vet crew chief- Bryan Marsh, w/assist fm team mates- John Slack, Chris Wood, Bill Rogers & others. Once the replacement Merlin's in, the intense hookup & adjustment work begins.
18. Sat. 9/18/93- #10-CRITICAL MASS in CIA Hangar w/another R-3350 bolted-on (f/ferry flight home) after Tom Dwelle's race motor (spotted in front) was lunched due to excessive prop vibration & other problems during Fri. UNL HT-2B. Radial engine changes are literally- 'huge undertakings'.
19. Tue. 9/15/92-#77 RARE BEAR in CIA Hangar w/a sick R-3350 race motor following Lyle Shelton's record qualification run (482.892-mph). This was 1st piston change, w/2-more replaced on Friday. No motor change done & Shelton's engine finally gave out during Lap 5 of Sunday's Gold final.
20. Sat. 9/14/96- #13-WHITE LIGHTNIN' broke a rod in its' L/H Allison engine during Lefty Gardner's Qualification attempt & gets a replacement powerplant inside a Stead Field Hangar, but didn't race at Reno '96 or ever again.
DBD
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