Nellis Airshow

[wardog]

btw - anyone know what happened to the Miss A site? can't seem to connect :-(

[John H]

Yep the Air Race in Boulder was pretty cool......the other question, the jet races were held in Wendover for a few years, starting around 1989 or 1988 although I never got to go them.

JH

[AAFO_WSagar]

Originally posted by wardog
btw - anyone know what happened to the Miss A site? can't seem to connect :-(

Long story... part of which involves the difficulty of dealing with network solutions/verisign when the person who owns a domain changes email addreses..

Domain is still active and getting the site back on-line is in the works from what I understand.. The person who is in charge of that particular email account is a VERY busy man right now (no, it's not me) and I think this has been put on a cool burner for the immediate future..

From what I know, the site will be back and will be revamped sometime also..

Wayne

[dclemans]

Out of curiosity...

In case I make it to the show this year, is there any public transportation from the LV strip or downtown to the Nellis airshow? Or is the only choice renting a car?

[AAFO_WSagar]

Originally posted by dclemans
Out of curiosity...

In case I make it to the show this year, is there any public transportation from the LV strip or downtown to the Nellis airshow? Or is the only choice renting a car?

The information the Air Force has out so far is that there are shuttles from the LV Motor Speedway to the Nellis AFB show site. They also have that other transportation methods will be posted as they are finalized..

If memory serves me correctly, last year, there were busses from downtown out to the show... I'm pretty sure you'd be able to swing it without renting a car. Also, Sam's Town and other Boyd Gaming properties have some show specials offered. My guess is, they would have shuttles from their hotels to the show being provided.. you could call and find out..

I'll prod the AF guys and see if the bus thing has been delt with yet or is on the near horizon.

Wayne

[speeddemon]

'65 Boulder City races

The races 'da Bear' was refering to were held at Boulder City in October 1965, just a couple weeks after the Reno race.

Chuck Lyford won in his P-51 Bardahl Special after Greenamyer dropped out in the middle of the race with Conquest 1. It was the only time Lyford ever beat Greenamyer. Come to think of it, it was only one of two times Lyford ever even FINISHED a Championship race. The timers said Chuck qualified at a then-record 423 mph. But the course was all messed up, not properly surveyed, and I don't remember any of the times actually being certified.

The whole Las Vegas race thing was a farce to start with. There were two competing promoters who both wanted to put on events in Vegas the SAME weekend at different airports. In the end, Jimmy 'the Greek' Snyder won out. Anyone who is old enough to remember 'the Greek' should understand why the race only happened once. I don't think anyone got paid anyhow.

The fatality was Bob Abrahms in his red #21 P-51D. Bob was a young pilot for Air America and though a relatively good stick, had more money than experience. They did some questionable modifications to the airframe, including removing the wing/fuselage fairing on both sides. Bob had 'survived' Reno a couple weeks before, and if I remember, had actually won a heat race. But at Vegas, he blew an engine during the first heat and as he was setting up for an emergency landing, he got into a high-speed stall at low altitude. Just got in over his head. Anyone who has seen the series of photos that Jim Larsen took knows and understands just how scary an accident this was.

But what most people seem to keep forgetting about the Boulder City venue....and something that Russ Francis sort of 'forgot' to tell the racers at the '89 Angel Plane race...is that the high power lines running from the city of Las Vegas to Boulder Dam on Lake Mead practically bisect the race course. Not enough to be concentrating on finding the course.....but having to try to avoid high voltage power lines???? Yeah...that's smart.

[John H]

Re: '65 Boulder City races

Originally posted by speeddemon
The races 'da Bear' was refering to were held at Boulder City in October 1965, just a couple weeks after the Reno race.

The fatality was Bob Abrahms in his red #21 P-51D. Bob was a young pilot for Air America and though a relatively good stick, had more money than experience. They did some questionable modifications to the airframe, including removing the wing/fuselage fairing on both sides. Bob had 'survived' Reno a couple weeks before, and if I remember, had actually won a heat race. But at Vegas, he blew an engine during the first heat and as he was setting up for an emergency landing, he got into a high-speed stall at low altitude. Just got in over his head. Anyone who has seen the series of photos that Jim Larsen took knows and understands just how scary an accident this was.

But what most people seem to keep forgetting about the Boulder City venue....and something that Russ Francis sort of 'forgot' to tell the racers at the '89 Angel Plane race...is that the high power lines running from the city of Las Vegas to Boulder Dam on Lake Mead practically bisect the race course. Not enough to be concentrating on finding the course.....but having to try to avoid high voltage power lines???? Yeah...that's smart.

I was just thumbing through Gentlemen You Have, it's spelled Bob Abrams. Yeah I remember those power lines, and asking Johnny Maloney at the 89 Chino show a few months later what he thought about the 89 Boulder event, and he said the course really wasn't that good for that reason.

JH

[DA BEAR]

High Power Lines on the Course

I'm curious as to who approved the course then...the protocol is that the course must be submitted to the Racing organization and their safety committee for approval before the race.

[CWRamey]

Originally posted by dclemans
Out of curiosity...

In case I make it to the show this year, is there any public transportation from the LV strip or downtown to the Nellis airshow? Or is the only choice renting a car?

Gentlemen,

Our regional transportation commission is going to provided dedicated bus service to Aviation Nation from the downtown terminal. The exact particulars are being worked out as to how this will work and we should have something for Wayne to post on the Web site shortly.

Chuck