Things I Saw In Reno

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

You don't see these every day:

 

 

Or these:

 

 

I think there are about 4 flying Zeros left in the world, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the only QED that is airworthy (it is a replica though, of course).

 

Does your Waco have have a power to weight ratio less than 1?  Invert that unhappy situation by adding a jet engine.

 

 

 

Korean War Hero was parked near the Zero, but they didn't fight.  Different wars, I guess.

 

 

This guy didn't mess with the Zero either.  Maybe everyone worked out their differences.

 

Edited October 9, 2014 by HeavyCavalrySgt

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

There were literally enough Sea Furies there to equip a squadron.  They were fast, and sounded like no other planI have ever heard.  It is a much lower pitch than the other race planes. Notice the lap speed on the last one - that is not top speed.  The Unlimiteds were a few tenths of a second slower than some of the jets.

 

 

One of the Long-EZs was dogging it in qualifying.  It would always finish high enough to advance, and then in the gold race it ran away from everyone.  Those wings have a LOT of flex in the high g-turns.

 

 

A fan favorite, Precious Metal wearing her new paint.  notice the Contra-rotating props: it is Griffon powered.  She had an engine failure and landed very hot in qualifying, fought her way into the gold race, and finished third but was then disqualified for a show line cut.  Fans were not amused.

 

 

Rare Bear, another favorite.

 

 

Tigercat

 

Strega getting an engine change.

 

 

 

Sunrises and sunsets in Reno are often awesome.

 

[352nd_Wheels]

Not a fan of Voodoo?

 

At this time Planes of Fame has the only Zero flying with the original Sakae engine.

 

Restored to flying condition in June 1978, this Zero fighter is still powered by its original Nakajima Sakae 31 engine.  It carries the same color scheme and markings it bore in combat for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the war.

 

Source: http://planesoffame.org/index.php?mact=staircraft,cntnt01,default,0&cntnt01what=stplanes&cntnt01alias=A6M5&cntnt01returnid=128

 

 

Wheels

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

Not a fan of Voodoo?

 

At this time Planes of Fame has the only Zero flying with the original Sakae engine.

 

 

 

Wheels

 

 

Huh, that is weird, I don't think I got any pictures of Voodoo this year.  Did you see that Sherman they painted up in Voodoo colors though?

 

I have never seen the Zero with the original engine at Reno.  Does it come out here too?

 

Some other -51s....

 

 

 

 

Czech Mate (a Yak-11)

 

 

About enough T-6s, parts, equipment, technical ability and skilled pilots to start training a generation of pilots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[79_vRAF_Friendly_flyer]

I'm just a tad envious...

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Great pics! Thanks for sharing

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

I'm just a tad envious...

 

Sorry!  It was very international, though - I was amazed at the number of Australians I talked to.

 

Precious Metal during the gold race, and losing the engine:

 

 

It is that second lap that the official claimed he crossed the show line.

 

I happened to have my hand held comm/nav radio on when Thom made that deadstick landing.  He was breathing like he had sprinted 2 miles.  I coulldn't see the roll out from where I was, but the people that I talked to that did see it thought he was going to run off the end of the runway.

 

 

Too bad the camera gyro tumbled.

[Heliopause]

Very nice!

Brings back memories. I was there in '99.

One heck of an event

[352nd_Wheels]

Huh, that is weird, I don't think I got any pictures of Voodoo this year.  Did you see that Sherman they painted up in Voodoo colors though?

 

 

Lol, yes I did see it. I was at Planes of Fame the Saturday they painted it. The Sherman was already painted Neon green for a Nike commercial.

 

I have never seen the Zero with the original engine at Reno.  Does it come out here too?

 

It rarely leaves Chino. It went to Japan last year for ten months to be displayed at the  TOKOROZAWA AVIATION MUSEUM. The museum is located at the site of the first airport in Japan and where aviation first took hold in Japan. It is back in Chino undergoing some restoration work to take care of some problems that were found when it was disassembled for shipment to Japan.

 

 

Wheels