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Post by Randy_Cain on Feb 5, 2009 19:24:38 GMT -5
Hi, With the discussions and release of the earlier air race packages here, I thought I'd pass this along. It would be an interesting project...especially in "mulitplayer". ;D www.airrace.com/1947%20NAR%20.htmlYours,  |
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Post by bhk on Feb 5, 2009 21:17:53 GMT -5
Is that the same Bill Lear of Learjet fame?
Bruce
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Post by Randy_Cain on Feb 6, 2009 0:25:40 GMT -5
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Post by bhk on Feb 6, 2009 2:50:25 GMT -5
Thanks, Randy. Oh my...June Allyson. (swoon) As a young, newly-pubescent teenager I had a crush on her a mile wide. Bruce |
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Post by Roger on Feb 6, 2009 3:02:59 GMT -5
Interesting to see Paul Mantz name too. He died piloting the "Phoenix" in the original "Flight of the Phoenix".
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Post by bhk on Feb 6, 2009 3:21:35 GMT -5
...He died piloting the "Phoenix" in the original "Flight of the Phoenix". Yeah.....the same thought hit me, Rog, when I saw the name. What I find quite amazing is how so soon after the war (two years) what were only recently top-shelf military aircraft were being owned and flown by civilians. Bruce |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2009 6:50:43 GMT -5
What I find quite amazing is how so soon after the war (two years) what were only recently top-shelf military aircraft were being owned and flown by civilians. Bruce Yes and they seemed to be able to buy them by the bunch as surplus. Wonder how much they paid for them then? Not much I bet - and certainly compared to what they'd be worth now. Mind you, wonder how many of those planes are now left? Reading through that account quite a few crashed and were presumably lost in that one event, and with other races in later years, probably a lot more have gone as well  Actually, reading the Bill Lear stuff (which I've not been able to finish because I'm supposed to be working) it says... On May 17, 1946, Lear Sr. gave his son $1,250 (plus $75 for two 165-gallon drop-tanks), which paid for his son's "love of his life," an all-new P-38L from Kingman Army Air Field, Kingman, Ariz. Blimey - know it was 1946 but that doesn't sound like much  |
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Post by AirCoaster on Feb 6, 2009 11:40:49 GMT -5
Great site, lots of info there on the old air races. CLE was about the only safe airport they could have the races at in those days. There were very few residential properties around CLE back in the late 20s, and early 30s. I remember my Grandfather telling me stories about the races, and he was just a young man in his 30s back then. I have visited this site several times in the past.
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Post by bhk on Feb 6, 2009 15:01:00 GMT -5
...... On May 17, 1946, Lear Sr. gave his son $1,250 (plus $75 for two 165-gallon drop-tanks), which paid for his son's "love of his life," an all-new P-38L from Kingman Army Air Field, Kingman, Ariz. Blimey - know it was 1946 but that doesn't sound like much Imagine what that would be worth today, particularly with the Bill Lear connection?!!! Bruce |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2009 16:21:44 GMT -5
Wow you're so right Bruce. But, typical kid - went and broke it  |
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Post by phil on Apr 19, 2009 15:46:45 GMT -5
In 1946 Steve Beville and Bruce Raymond bought a brand new FTO P-51D for $3000.00 That included all the OVM stuff, covers, tools, spare parts, manuals,everything that the airplane originally came with. That plane became the famous #77 "Galloping Ghost". At the same time Chuck Tucker bought two P-63C's for $1500 each. As I recall they had about 25 hours each on them. Chuck wanted to race both the Thompson and Bendix races so he wanted to prep one for each race.
Steve told me that a fellow stopped by the airport where they were working on the P-51 and told him that he had a brand new Rolls Royce Merlin still in the can that he would sell for $500.00. Steve told him to come back the next day and he would buy it. Steve said that there were only so many places in that area (Hammond, Indiana) that would have that sort of thing, it had to be in a salvage yard. So he just called all the salvage yards in the area until he found the engine. I think he paid something like $100.00 or so for it. Turns out it was a transport (low altitude) engine which he really wanted for his racer at the Cleveland field altitude.
Re the Cleveland races, there were really a lot of towns, villages, and housing additions in the area. By the forties the race promoters knew they would have to come up with a new course somehow. The old course really wasn't safe. Then in 1949 Bill Odom crashed into a house and killed himself and two other people. The Cleveland Plain Dealer circulated petitions to have the races stopped but they were a complete failure. All the residents in the area realized that while the Odom crash was a tragedy it was the first time that anyone had been injured on the ground during the races. Plans were made for the 1950 races and entry forms sent out. Then the North Koreans attacked South Korea. The US military had to respond to that and without a large military presence the Air Races were pretty much done. The races were several days long and the military displays and flying demonstrations were a large part of those events. There were only so many races and a whole lot of empty time between those. After the Korean war interest in air racing was pretty much a dead dodo. I can tell you that those racing years were the most exciting of my life. For a little kid who lived flying it was a big slice of heaven.
You guys should read Paul Mantz's book "Hollywood Stunt Pilot". Makes you sit up and wonder about a lot of things you always thought you knew. I get the library copy every few years and read it. One of these days I'll buy my own copy.
Cheers,
Phil
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