AIRPLANE PAGE

AIRPLANES-RENO UNLIMITED_RACES

The Snowbirds, Canadian Armed Forces contribution to the Reno National Air Races and Airshow over many years.

This page contains photos of Reno Air Racers which I had nothing to do with except as a fan.

RENO UNLIMITED RACERS

(Not Just the Winners)

Sept. 2011. All races were cancelled following Friday's tragic crash of Jimmy Leeward's P-51 "Galloping Ghost" which killed Jimmy and several race spectators.

There once was a Skip Holm photo copyrighted by Mark Johnston, courtesy of Fred Smith . Mark asked me to remove it, and I have. Aw heck, I'll just put one of Skip and me on.

R.I.P.

Two racers which were point designed to capture the unlimited class at Reno are no longer with us, as are their pilots on their last flights. Tsunami, designed and built by a team led by Lockheed engineers Bruce Boland and Pete Law, crashed on it's return flight home from Reno following the 1991 races, killing owner John Sandberg. Tsunami was based on the P-51, powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin much more tightly cowled than the 51. Wings were short and thin. A beautiful airplane from any angle. First raced in it's silver and blue colors by Steve Hinton, and later by Skip Holm. The red paint job was really great.

The Pond Racer, commissioned by Bob Pond to be built of composites by Burt Rutan, was an exceptional design. It resembled a P-38 with twin booms and a center pilot cockpit. Powered by high horsepower Electramotive automobile engines, it required some sophisticated ground support equipment. Plagued with initial problems the first year it ran, it was impressive. The sound was unlike the Merlins or P&W round engines, a high whine of supercharged auto engines. During qualifying rounds in 1993, the airplane developed problems which even Rick Brickert, veteran race pilot, could not handle. The airplane went in and took Rick with it. Both of these airplanes showed great potential while competing at Reno. It is very sad that they along with John and Rick are no longer there.

Neither are long time friends Clyde Allen, Charlie Hall, Chuck Davidson, Bruce Boland, Ray Poe, pilots Bob Yancey, Gary Levitz, and so many more. That's why I don't attend the races any longer. Too many memories of too many friends departed. The following links lead to photos of the two late, great racing airplanes.

Tsunami with experimental scimitar prop.