Spitfire PR.19 G-CDGK

“Red Baron-51”?

Martin, why RB-51. R might be for Racing but B is obviously not for bomber.

It may have to do with the increased drag of the second propeller, namely not being as efficient as a single prop.

Contraprops were mainly designed to counteract the gyro effects of the propeller, especially at low speed, by having two props spinning in opposite directions.

Have to confess I don’t know a great deal about pylon racing, but one comment you’ve made has got me wondering…

Why are the contraprop aircraft slower than ‘normal’ aircraft?

2005 should be fun, and I hope to be there too. Will you be racing #47?

Cheers,
Richard

Southern Cross and I go to Reno for Pylon School (aka Rookie School) June 16-19. I also have to get a new race number, as 47 is John Bagley.

RB-51 at California National Air Races- Mojave 1979

’98 was a very good year. Southern Cross battled Riff Raff in the Silver, and I believe it was Stew Dawson’s rookie year in Spirit of Texas, where he raced in the Gold. It was also the year that Howard had engine failure on takeoff in his Sea Fury (due to a film crew accidently bumping the fuel selector in the cockpit). Howard cranked her around and landed without incident.

A very good year…let’s hope ’05 will be even better.

Thanks Steve… I thought ’98 was fantastic too. I remember Howard’s Sea Fury escapade very well…. that was an amazing recovery! I was out on pylon 7 when that happened, and we all had our hearts in our throats when he lost power on take-off…. and were all scratching our heads in wonder and relief when he managed to land safely. The one which really had me going though was the heat where Voodoo and the all white Yak-11 (forget it’s name) may-dayed. I remember the Yak pulled out of the race in a steep climb, belching smoke…. then there was a bang and huge gout of flame from the belly… we all thought that was going to be that, but thankfully he landed ok.

2005 should be fun, and I hope to be there too. Will you be racing #47?

Cheers,
Richard

Wasn’t it designated the RB-51?

correct

great pics, Mark12 – I love these shots with chipped paint and clearly showing where modifications have been done !

Martin

Wasn’t it designated the RB-51?

Name Game

Red Baron was highly modified. Was it still called a Mustang or was it given some other designation?

I think it could have been an Anglo-American Shacktang or perhaps Musleton.

You may of course wish to share your own thoughts…. but then perhaps not.

Red Baron

415 MPH for “Red Baron” in 78-79 wouldn’t even make the Gold race today. As I said, contra props look cool, and the crowds love them, but they’re slow.

Here are a couple of shots of ‘Red Baron’ in the early days.

In 1986 I spent some time with the late Dave Zeuschal on an engine recovery expedition up in Seattle. I would be pretty sure that lurking under those cowlings are some of the core engine parts from the original Griffon 88 engine from Seafire 47 VP441, this aircraft at that time being committed to going the modified Shack engine route.

Mark

I don’t want to blame anyone (especially not a very gifted pilot like this Reno-racer) but blaming a film crew for nearly causing an accident by knocking a fuel selector doesn’t seem to do justice to the film crew. In my book it is SOP for any pilot to check the fuel selector position before take-off. Taking off with the selector in the wrong position has nothinh to do with a film crew but is a result of not ptfotming your take-off checks; and that is the sole responsability of the pilot.

Harm-Jan

… still, I do love Sea Furies. Incidentally, I have some lovely pics of Southern Cross at Reno in ’98 when John Bagley owner her if you’re interested Steve. She sure is a beauty, and you’re a very lucky man indeed in my book!

Cheers,
Richard

’98 was a very good year. Southern Cross battled Riff Raff in the Silver, and I believe it was Stew Dawson’s rookie year in Spirit of Texas, where he raced in the Gold. It was also the year that Howard had engine failure on takeoff in his Sea Fury (due to a film crew accidently bumping the fuel selector in the cockpit). Howard cranked her around and landed without incident.

A very good year…let’s hope ’05 will be even better.

Miss Ashley II qualified in ’99 with something like 437mph if I remember correctly… certainly not Strega-fast, but up there. Sadly she was lost with her pilot, Gary Levitz, in the gold that year.

Back to Red Baron though. Steve Hinton set the absolute world speed record for piston powered aircraft in her in 1979 at a whopping 499.083 mph! That’s fast in anyone’s book… mind you, it was in a straight line, rather than on a closed course… perhaps the prop torque helps in a circuit race, maybe that’s the clue. Anyway, I believe that this record wasn’t broken for another ten years…. by Rear Bear I think. To my knowledge there have only been three contra-prop racers of the modern era (excluding the XP-60 from the Cleveland days… which crashed before the race if IIRC… and the Macchi Costoldi’s of the Schneider trophy if you want to go back a bit further), and they all have all been highly experimental, and had teething problems.

I think there’s still room for improvement there… it would be interesting to see what could be done with a little time and money… still, I do love Sea Furies. Incidentally, I have some lovely pics of Southern Cross at Reno in ’98 when John Bagley owner her if you’re interested Steve. She sure is a beauty, and you’re a very lucky man indeed in my book!

Cheers,
Richard

“Poop off a shovel”? Not really sure what that means. Precious Metal won the Bronze division in 2003 with a speed of 407 MPH. Jimmy came in 2nd with a speed of 402 MPH.

Don Whittington qualified it at 457 MPH for Reno 88!

T J

“Poop off a shovel”? Not really sure what that means. Precious Metal won the Bronze division in 2003 with a speed of 407 MPH. Jimmy came in 2nd with a speed of 402 MPH.

It’s a rural Yorkshire saying… means it went like stink (travelled very fast – sorry but, as a northerner, only part of my brain is fully developed!). I remember Precious Metal putt-putting around the pylons in the heats but it really shifted in the final! Great stuff. Can’t wait to see this Spitty fly!

“Poop off a shovel”? Not really sure what that means. Precious Metal won the Bronze division in 2003 with a speed of 407 MPH. Jimmy came in 2nd with a speed of 402 MPH.

The contra prop jobs never go fast at Reno. Just look at Precious Metal and Miss Ashley II. Slow, slow, slow.

Precious Metal went like poop off a shovel in 2003 – gave Jimmy Leeward a real race for his money!

Hey Steve…. think that you forgot about a certain “Red Baron”… now there was a contra-prop with attitude… and a few speed records too! Steve Hinton flew that too…. and crashed it after winning the Gold at Reno (1979?).

Cheers,
Richard

415 MPH for “Red Baron” in 78-79 wouldn’t even make the Gold race today. As I said, contra props look cool, and the crowds love them, but they’re slow.

Off the topic slightly, but do any of you know what ever became of #69 “Jeanie”? THAT was a beautiful aeroplane.

Dan

see here:

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/survivors/pages/44-15651.shtml

Best regards
Martin