Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

[TheRickster]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

Pretty interesting stuff..

[mike geren]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

Since both parties are no longer with us, I suppose I can bring this up safely. Ron Reynolds was absolutely positive that it was Wally McDonnell who pranged the airplane at Mojave. Ron had pulled out of the 1970 Mojave 1000 with an oil leak and after the races they parked it in Wally's hangar over the winter until they could fix the problem.

All of a sudden, the plane mysteriously gets taken up on a joyride and groundloops on landing.

McDonnell denied it to the end. Ron accused him to the end, saying that one of Wally's employees confirmed who did it.

Oh well. As a result of the broken prop suffered when the gear collapsed, they went ahead and mounted a Skyraider prop on it as they made repairs...that what it was running when Mike had the fire.

I'd have to go back and look at my notes, but Ron told me that he cautioned Mike when they swapped during the pit stop that it was burning a LOT of oil and thought it would be best if they parked it. Mike said they were close enough to the end of the race that 'they'd be okay'. But everyone I have talked to about the incident agrees with the bit about Mike attempting to stay with it and using power to make the runway only made the fire worse...and just like with Bud Fountain, by the time it burned through the firewall, it was essentially too late.

My guess is that both pilots were incapacitated before the airplanes ever touched the ground.

hello , how do you know all this info , my name is Mike Geren the 3rd , mike was my grandfather

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

hello , how do you know all this info , my name is Mike Geren the 3rd , mike was my grandfather

Mike, welcome to the Hangar! I apologize that your first few posts wound up in the moderated queue for new members! Had to set it up that way to keep out the amazingly energetic SPAMMERS...

Again, welcome to the hangar!

[Big_Jim]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

hello , how do you know all this info , my name is Mike Geren the 3rd , mike was my grandfather

I was friends with Ron Reynolds...you grandfather's partner, and friends with Ralph Payne who was Ron/Mike's crew chief on the Bearcat at San Diego when the accident happened.

[frankster]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

hello , how do you know all this info , my name is Mike Geren the 3rd , mike was my grandfather

Hello there Mike. My dad, Chris Christopher owned N5005 before your grandfather. It was registered N500B when he owned it. My dad sold the Bearcat shortly before he died of cancer in '70. Here's a pic for you. Hope it comes out.
-Frank Christopher

[frankster]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

hello , how do you know all this info , my name is Mike Geren the 3rd , mike was my grandfather

Here's a couple more for you Mike. One is a pic of when the Bearcat when my dad bought it surplus in Linden, New Jersey.
-Frank

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

As things slow down around here, I sometimes wonder if it's worth it to keep this place open...

Then I see an exchange as above and I'm reminded of why I started this place and the value to the community that it brings!

I'm so glad you guys were able to meet here!

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

hello , how do you know all this info , my name is Mike Geren the 3rd , mike was my grandfather

Mike,
Welcome to the website, Big Jim is very knowledgeable on this subject. My dad was Lyle Shelton, as a 12 year old kid I went with Ron Reynolds and my dad down to Brown Field after the wreckage was released to Ron. My dad took care of making all the wreckage disappear.
John

[Samuel]

Re: Looking for photos of old racing Bearcats

Another Bearcat picture.



http://www.beech18.com/bearcats.htm