forum1201-1202 web color - starting line forum 2012 1-4...bottom line: know your plane, know your...

FORMULAFORUM THE IF1 JOURNAL

Jan-Feb-Mar-Apr 2012

FORMULA FORUM, JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 20122

FORMULA FORUM IF1 INC. Formula Forum © 2011

International Formula One Pylon Air Racing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Formula Forum is the offi cial publication of International Formula One Pylon Air Racing, Inc., a Texas non-profi t corporation. Member of the Air Racing Council of the United States. Published bi-monthly.

DISCLAIMER Articles appearing herein may be edited and are the opinion of the authors and not necessarily the opinion of IF1 Inc.

FORUM Send contributions to: CONTRIBUTIONS Editor, Lista Duren

3233 Via Alicante #48La Jolla, CA 92037Phone: 858-452-7112Cell: 858-442-1811E-mail: [email protected]

All contributions remain property of Formula Forum.

MEMBERSHIP Membership in IF1 is open to pilots, owners, crews and technical people active in Formula One Air Racing for $60/yr. Anyone may join as a non-voting Associate Member, $35/yr. Applications available from the Secretary or on-line.

RULES For IF1 Technical and Procedure rules, check on-line at:

WEBSITE www.if1airracing.com Jim Cunningham, Webmaster [email protected]

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEDOUG BODINEPresident6299 East Highway #44 Rapid City SD [email protected]

BRIAN REBERRYVice President4632 W. Garden CourtBoise, ID [email protected]

DAN PETERSSecretary/Treasurer1438 Morningside Dr,Longmont, CO [email protected]

DIRECTORSTAMMY DEHARTPromotions Committee Chairperson5220 Walton Dr.Klamath Falls, OR 97603541-591-1785fl yfastfl ylow@fi reserve.net

TOM DEHARTTechnical Director5220 Walton Dr.Klamath Falls, OR 97603541-882-1589fl yfastfl ylow@fi reserve.net

BOB BEMENT Operations Director7320 Old Stage TrailKelsey, CA [email protected]

KIRK MURPHYPilot Committee Chairperson6140 Christa Lynn Pl. Prescott, AZ [email protected]

TOM WATKINSProcedure Rules Committee Chairperson10120 Brookpark Blvd. #313Calgary, Alberta [email protected]

(POSITION VACANT) Technical Rules Committee Chairperson

Volume XXIII Number 1 and 2

COVER PHOTOBill Falck poses with his modifi ed #92 Riv-ets in this 1949 photo taken by Emil Strasser and recently developed and printed by Gerald Liang. The story of the 1949 races starts on page 14, and additional photos are shown on the back cover.

CONTENTS 3 Vice President Report Brian Reberry 4 Rules Rule! Tom Watkins 5 Promotions Tammy Dehart 5 Calendar 6 Race Insurance Angie Harris 6 Air Race History Symposium 7 Family Supporters Sherawn Reberry 8 Salute to IF1 Heroes 10 Letter from the Editor Lista Duren10 IF1 Marketplace 12 IF1’s 2011 Race Planes 14 1949 Goodyear Racers Emil Strasser, photos

Gerald Liang, printsDon Berliner, text

FORMULA FORUM, JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 2012 3

International Formula One, like the other air race organizations, is doing its best to adapt to new conditions. As many of you know the FAA, NTSB and now RARA have presented us with some rule changes and challenges that we will need to adapt to in order to continue doing what we love. These requests are not illogical, they clearly defi ne our roles and responsibilities and clearly outline safety procedures.

Though they may be a challenge to work through, and they may represent some change to IF1 – the alternative of not having the races would be dramatically worse. A few examples of the rules changes:

1. Pilots are required to have a Type I or II medical certifi cate issued within six months of the event.

a. EKG and stress tests are recommended, but not required

2. Dates of arrival and preparedness to race have been moved up and these are fi rm dates:

a. All race planes in-place at Reno Stead no later than 12:00 noon on Saturday priorb. All pilots must register, have their aircraft ready for inspection, and in place ready to qualify no later than 5:00 p.m. Sunday of race week

3. Pilots will be required to run a practice session prior to qualifi cation to build G-Tolerance4. Our Tech Team will be required to form a Compliance Team to ensure that each team is in compliance with major alterations and changes—the head of the Compliance Team is required to be a Certifi ed Aircraft Mechanic

Moving forward, we are working with our Tech Crew to implement the procedures needed to comply with the new rules and regulations.

The other rule changes are self-explanatory, so please read them on the RARA website to ensure that you

understand and you are ready to race come September.

Though sometimes change is hard, these changes are easily implemented. Thus, we will move forward together as IF1 for another great week of camaraderie and racing.

The potential number of airplanes to race in 2012 is looking better than we had in 2011 with only 12 airplanes.

Please be assured, that although communication has been a minimum, your Board of Directors continue to work diligently with the RARA Team. Jethro has been involved in many President meetings and conversations with RARA. Thank you to Jethro for going to bat for IF1, and all racers, in order to negotiate the purse we received.

Dan has done an extreme amount of work to get us on track with the IRS—he sorted through many boxes of paperwork to get the information organized and clean. Your other Board Members are working conscientiously with each other to ensure everyone understands the new rules and procedures so come September we will be ready to go!

With all that has occurred this year we will fi nd time to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments—please plan on attending our IF1 Annual Banquet on Saturday, September 15.

We are all looking forward to seeing you at the Races!!! — Brian

Vice President Report: Looking ForwardBrian Reberry

…your Board of Directors continue to work diligently with the RARA Team.

Phot

o by

Zach

Wha

len

Pho

to b

y B

ill R

oger

s


Race week is approaching, and with the new year, there are some new rules!

My intent was to try to explain the rules changes imposed by RARA for 2012. However the changes have not yet been made offi cial as of mid-July when this issue goes to press, and I am hesitant to publically divulge all of the draft changes that have been circulating around. There are however a couple of things worth mentioning.

RARA has decided a Class III medical is no longer acceptable, and will now re-quire a Class II or better. In addition, they require the medical exam to be conducted within 6 months of the RARA event—not really a big deal, but a bit of a PITA.

There will be some changes with respect to our tech inspection process. I don’t have all the details yet. The best strategy is to make sure your airplanes are ready to

Rules Rule!

The New RulesThe following is a summary of RARA’s new rules, as explained on the RARA website. Please watch the RARA website for the full Rules of Com-petition (still not posted as this issue went to press.)

A. RARA requires each contestant, regardless of class, to have a current Type I or II Medical Certifi cate issued within six (6) months of any RARA race event, i.e. PRS and NCAR. Additionally, RARA highly recommends that all race pilots complete an EKG and a stress test and document same in the NCAR Race Entry Package.

B. All race aircraft must be in-place at Reno Stead no later than 1200 hours on the Saturday preceding Race Week.

C. ALL PILOTS must register, have their aircraft ready for inspection, and in place and ready to qualify no later than 1700 hours on the fi rst Sunday of race week unless corrective maintenance actions are on-going on the aircraft.

D. All pilots will be required to fl y one practice session prior to attempting to qualify. The purpose of the practice session is to contribute to the G force tolerance buildup prior to qualifi cation attempts.

go when they arrive at Stead. With fewer maintenance issues, we will be better able to keep the FAA and RARA at bay.

If any mods have been done on your plane make sure all of the required paperwork/logbook entries have been made. They will be scrutinized more than ever this year.

If you are trucking your aircraft into Stead, you will not be permitted to fl y un-til you have passed tech inspection. This has caused some heartburn in the past, but I expect this to be an offi cial rule for this year.

The spotlight will be on all of us this year, and the more prepared we are in all aspects of the event, the better!

Bottom line: Know your plane, know your abilities, and know the rules!

— Tom Watkins

Tom Watkins

Phot

o by

Birg

itta

Nur

mi

Phot

o by

Nao

mi W

est


Promotions

Good Day to All,It has been a busy year for us. In

this last year, poor Tom has moved me from Oregon to New Mexico and now to Texas!

SALE ITEMSWe will be having some items for sale again this year. There will be more information coming on this just before Reno, but if you would like to put articles for sale in our booth let me know so we can make room for you.

IF1 BLOCK OF ROOMSI was able to get hold of Western Village Hotel and Casino in Sparks, Nevada and they have committed to a discount to Formula One on a block of rooms. The price per night follows:

9/7 $69 9/12 $299/8 $69 9/13 $699/9 $29 9/14 $699/10 $29 9/15 $699/11 $29 9/16 $29

for a total of $ 490.00 plus taxes.

Here is the information to make reservations: “…your guests will be phoning in their reservation requests, to the following number: 1-800-648-1170. At the time of booking, a credit card will be required to confi rm the reservation. It is important that each of your guests contact the hotel no later than August 16 and identify themselves as part of your group with group code LFORM1, and provide us with guest name, home or business address, email address (if any), requested type of room, requested bed type (i.e. king, double queen, double king or suites), check-in and check-out dates, preference for smoking or non-smoking room and VIP status.” I reserved 15 rooms but if we use those

and they have more available then we can use more, but it is on a fi rst come fi rst served basis and they are fi lling up quickly due to the races.

OTHER RACE VENUESI sent out a few emails this year about some events that were going on but around the country, but after the September accident, many were apprehensive about adding an air race to their air show. Hopefully next year will be better.

IF1 BANQUET FAREWe will have BBQ this year for the banquet. I would like to personally thank all of you that donated your price of your ticket from last year to help offset the cost of the food on the last day and to help with the cost of the other expenses from the races.

I do look forward to seeing all of you (and my husband) at the races/ As you are preparing and practicing with your planes, please be safe, but most of all have a wonderful time. —Tammy

Tammy DeHart

Phot

o by

Lis

ta D

uren

2012 CalendarMarch Earliest acceptable medical for racing (email

Tom or Brian for date)

Jun 13-16 Pylon Racing School at Reno Stead FieldJune 22 Deadline for race entries to RARA (entries

accepted after this date are considered “Conditional”)

July 31 Completed entry package dueAug 16 Last day for IF1 rate at Western VillageSept 8 All race aircraft must be in place at Reno

Stead by noonSep 9 Ready for inspection by 5:00 p.m.Sep 12-16 Reno Air Races


A Letter About Race Insurance

Many of us experienced a tragic event last September and we are looking

forward to this coming September – a time to join together again, but this time in remembrance and in the spirit of moving forward. Here at Cannon Aviation Insurance we are getting geared up for the races in September, and also adapting to some changes on how the insurance is being handled this year.

Due to great losses that were experienced, the insurance premiums have changed for the 2012 Reno Air Races. In the recent years the underwriting companies were able to include the air race Liability coverage at no additional premium. Unfortunately this year there will be a charge for this coverage. It ranges from $250 - $1,500 depending on the Class. You will need to contact your broker to get the quote for your specifi c coverage. As always, the Hull coverage is an additional premium for race week.

You must purchase separate hull coverage for the week of the air races, and the premium is a percentage of your annual hull premium. It varies by underwriting company, aircraft type, hull value, etc. We can determine the exact premium for you

upon request. On average about half of the racers carry hull coverage during race week. It is entirely up the individual and their experience and comfort levels.

There are currently two underwriting companies who offer air race coverage – U.S. Specialty Insurance Company and Specialty Aviation Underwriters. Upon receiving a request for an insurance quote on your aircraft, we market you to both of the carriers to get you the best premium possible. Both carriers are very competitive and have worked very hard for the air racers year after year. We are grateful to have them behind us!

So with race season rapidly approaching, we look forward to continuing to support our many clients out there and also working with those of you who are new or returning to the race community. Please feel free to contact us via phone or email as listed below. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,Angie Harris, PresidentCannon Aviation Insurance, Inc.(800) [email protected]

Angie Harris

Phot

o by

Bob

Can

non

The 28th Annual Air Racing History Symposium was held.May 4-5 in Cleveland, Ohio. Featured speakers were: - Michael Gough, author of the new book “The Pulitzer Air Races”- Kevin Gratham, race photographer who writes about the P-38 Lghtning- Leonard “Sandy” Sanders, race commentator from 1964 to 1999- Joe Stamm, publisher of CDs about pre-war and post-war racing- Joe and J.P. Thibodeau, father and son race pilots- Timothy Weinschenker, technical writer for Golden Pylons newsletter

Phot

o by

Lon

nie

Perk

ins


Family supporters: Yes Dear, After Reno

“Yes, Dear...After Reno” resonates through our household most

months of the year. Just part of sup-porting a racer. However, this past winter I fi nally asked Brian to defi ne for me “After Reno” because I could clearly tell that our defi nitions were different. We have come to compro-mise, “After Reno” will always and forever be a part of our vocabulary, as long as we are racing...but we under-stand that between September 20th and January 1st all of those items that are on the “After Reno” list will be completed.

Now that we are beginning our prepa-rations for the 2012 Air Champion-ship Races I began to think about everything that must be done, aside from having a fast fl ying airplane. As Family Supporters there are many different aspects of being prepared for 10 days in the Pits. This year our preparation has been lingering for almost two years -- with a new plane fl ying we have lots to do. Aside from packing the race trailer with the es-sential equipment, we must also pack the camp trailer. Sometimes I think the

camp trailer is the more important item since this is where we keep the racers fed, clean, well rested and provide a spot to relax. Our list of items to bring seems to increase annually, perhaps because there are more us now, or be-cause we are seasoned...I’m not quite sure. Nonetheless, we arrive in Reno prepared.

As an aspiring pilot myself I have be-gun quite acquainted with checklists. If there was ever a time to implement a checklist preparing for Reno is it. A checklist will ensure that your items are indeed along for the ride. But, should one forget something there are plenty of places locally to purchase what is most likely sitting on your kitchen counter.

So...think ahead and pack to be pre-pared for almost anything: sun, bugs, rain, wind, and even snow.

As we make the fi nal inspection of our race trailer, we must not forget the fl owered screwdriver, because as a supporter I need the right tools too. — Sherawn Reberry

Sherawn Reberry

Phot

o by

Eug

ene

Hub

bard

Phot

o by

Ken

Lin

de

IF1’s Heat 3A fi eld lifts off for what turned out to be our last race of the 2011 race week.


A Salute to IF1 Heroes

Literally hundreds of volunteers work to make our races happen — far more than we can name or show in a couple of pages. These photos salute IF1’s every day heroes—all the folks who keep the sport going year after year.

WR

KL

WR

KL

KL

ZW

September Heroby Brian Reberry

With the news that the Reno Air Races will continue for the September 2012 season I feel I would be remiss if I

didn’t write a short piece regarding the September 16, 2011 races. The world witnessed a tragedy in September of 2011 at the races—a tragedy of different magnitude than prior years. What the world didn’t witness were the heroes that quickly took action with no regard for themselves.

To begin I’d like to highlight Dr. Matt Conklin. Matt is an emergency room doctor by trade but a pilot by heart. Matt and I were watching the events unfold in from of us—when suddenly Dr. Conklin was gone in a fl ash. He was off doing what he does best—taking care of injured people—in an emergency room unlike he had ever seen. Unknown to most of you Matt is an aspiring Reno Air Racer for Formula One—the tragedy that he witnessed is not deterring his dreams of becoming a racer.

Matt is just one example of the heroes among us from September 16, 2012. There are numerous reports of several trained medical personnel, or not trained, that lent a hand in a time of need. It is this selfl ess example of heroism that makes me proud of the people that surround us.

The racing world also came together on this day—not unlike they have with previous tragedies. When an airplane has an unfortunate landing—we lose a member of our family. There is always a gasp of air as we send our fallen comrade to the blue skies. However, the unwritten code remains—continue fl ying.


Photo Credits: Tim Adams (TA), Bruce Croft (BC), Ken Linde (KL), Lonnie Perkins (LP), Bill Rogers (WR), Naomi West (NW), Zach Whalen (ZW)

KL

KL

WR

KL

ZW

ZW

TA

LP

ZW

KL

ZW

KL

BC

NW


Phot

o by

Gen

e H

ubba

rd

IF1 Marketplace: Aircraft for Sale

Miss Demeanor, N96SR, Race 96 Race ready FLYING Formula One: Battery, Alternator, Starter, GPS, GRT EIS, MicroAir Radio and encoding transponder, NEW CYLINDERS AND PISTONS IN 2005, ENGINE OVERHAUL by LyCon in 2006 W/ NEW CASE, CRANKSHAFT, VALVES, ETC. Twisted Composites race prop. Sturba cruise prop. Uninstalled tapered horizontal stabilizer and elevators, produced by Craig Catto, designed to fl y with Miss Demeanor’s tapered wing. Sport fl y during the year, race at Reno in September. Win the Silver, fl y in the Gold! All for $35,500. Contact: Steve Senegal (650) 346-6967 [email protected]

Prior to purchase of any aircraft, please contact the Technical Director for any IF1 rules or compli-ance items that apply.

Ads are free as a service to members

Letter from the Editor: The Forum is Back

It has been a tough year for air racing, but thanks to the efforts of many, the sport is back, and so is your Forum. This double issue, labeled Jan-Feb-Mar-Apr, combines our annual historical issue with more photo coverage of IF1’s 2011 race week and a look at some of the changes in the 2012 races.

Brian Reberry and Tom Watkins take a look at rules changes in this issue, and Angie Harris addresses race insurance.

We also have a new voice in this Forum. Sherawn Reberry contributes the fi rst “Family Supporters” column for many readers who keep our sport going without actually piloting a race plane. The name “Women’s Wing” which applied to this group for years, no longer seems apropo as gender-specifi c roles blur. Several former and up-and-coming IF1 race pilots are women, and many supporters are men. But the idea is the same: recognizing, ap-preciating, supporting and commiserating with those who work to support our IF1 air racing family.

If you would like to respond to any articles or columns in this issue, contribu-tors’ contact information is inside the front cover. Or send a letter to the Forum editor for publication.

Our center spread features the 13 planes that were fi elded for the 2011 races. These are record shots for IF1, capturing infor-mation for the race historians.

Finally, check out the IF1 Marketplace which provides free ads to our member-ship. There are many updates and our next issue will fi ll you in on who bought some of the planes.

We’ve relocated the Marketplace in this issue so that we could present the 1949 photo article uninterrupted. In addition to the Emil Strasser photos from 1949, IF1 has 1949 images from Vincent Ast which we will feature in another issue.

Enjoy this issue. The PRS Report issue will be out very soon. —Lista Duren Editor, Formula Forum

Lista Duren

Phot

o by

Tim

Ada

ms


Formula 1 racing treasures accumulated over almost a decade of air racing. Too much to list... Your choice: Various Twisted Composite Carbon props; DeMuth and other wood props; Cato props; Carbon Spinners; Carbon and Aluminum Spinner Bulkheads; 4” to 8 5/8” Prop Extensions and misc. Spacers; 4 into 1 Exhausts; M40J and other Spark Plugs; Misc. Parts, Hardware and Instruments. Call or email for parts list and details. Contact: Gary Davis at texasfl [email protected] 940-458-5515 (home); 940-206-3079 (cell)

New Twisted Composites Prop - racing16 cylinders 0-2002 cases and 1 core 0-2005 cranks 0-2006 magnetos & lots of parts3 sets (4ea) pistons & rings4” & 6” prop extensions12 or more axles4 crush plates3 gas tanksToo much hardware to list.Spruce for leading & trailing edges.Spruce spar material Lower Cowl & Belly Mold4 complete Lower Cowls—fi berlassUpper Cowl & Canopy Mold4 complete Upper Cowls—fi berlass12 Whelpants10 Wing Root FairingsCarb Snorkel8 Gear Leg Fairings8 Brake CoversLarge Roll 5.5oz fi berglass clothSmall Roll 5.5oz fi berglass clothMedium Roll 10 oz fi berglass matCarbon Fiber spinner Plates and MoldSanders/planers, clamps, benches, tables, shelving and cabinets1 project complete fi berglass skin.Contact Brent Haugen [email protected]://www.cassutt111m.com/

FOR SALE: Cassutt Sport/Racer Copyright, Manufacturing Fixtures, Inventory

Graphite Race PropsRun One or Follow OneTwisted Composites, LLCwww.twistedcomposites.comContact: Steve Hill(505) 832-1148 or (505)321-6467 [email protected]

NAC Aircraft Display Mat (20ftx20ft) Plastic vinyl windscreen material with steel grommet boarder.Available colors: yellow, red, orange, green, blue, white, and black. Storage Bag Included Price: $300.00 plus ground shipping Contact: Tim Neubert 727.538.8744 [email protected]

AIR RACING BOOKS by Robert Hirsch

Wedell-Williams Air Service$20 + $3 S&H

Aircraft of Air Racing’s Golden Age 1928-1939, 2 Volumes, 1071 pages, 158 scale drawings: $75 + $10 S&H

Schneider Trophy RacersGoodyear and Formula One Racing (thru 1995): $45 + $5 S&H for both, or $25 + $3 S&H for one

Free S&H to IF1 Members

Make Checks to Maria Hirsch8439 Dale St., Buena Park, CA 90620Contact: Maria Hirsch (714) 828-7369

NEW COMPOSITE PARTS Light Weight 9” Spinners, $90Wheel Pants, $350. 10% Discount to IF1 membersContact: Ray Sherwood (530) 626-6106 [email protected]

If you have aircraft or other items for sale, or updates to your listing, please email Brian Reberry: [email protected]

IF1 Marketplace: Project Parts and Products


IF1’s 2011 RACE PLANES

Bill

Rog

ers

#78 Limelite C-FNZPPilot: Larry Mashowski

#44JudyN44JW

Pilot: Philip GoforthOwner: Holbrook Maslen

#36N-A-RushN6807C

Pilot: Bill Parodi

Pilot: Jay JonesOwner/Builder: Creighton King

#15Last Lap PlayerN6291N#11

EndeavorN616DH

Pilot: Steve Senegal

#20PooderN2020J

Pilot: Tom Watkins

#40Miss USAN5381

Pilot: Stephen Partridge-Hicks

Ken

Lin

de

Ken

Lin

de

Zach

Wha

len

List

a D

uren

Lis

ta D

uren

Ken

Lin

de

List

a D

uren

Zac

h W

hale

n

Lis

ta D

uren

List

a D

uren

Lis

ta D

uren

Pilo

t Pho

to: B

irgitt

a N

urm

iPi

lot P

hoto

: Birg

itta

Nur

mi

Pilo

t Pho

to:

Nao

mi W

est

Bru

ce C

roft

Pilo

t Pho

to:

Bill

Rog

ers

Pilo

t Pho

to:

Nao

mi W

est

Pilo

t Pho

to:

Birg

itta

Nur

mi

List

a D

uren


#50Scarlet ScreamerN135R

Pilot: Vito Wypraectiger

#69Knotty GirlN591A

Pilot and Builder: Philip Goforth

#96Miss DemeanorN96SR

Pilot: Doug BodineOwner: Steve Senegal

#45QuadnickelN53014

Pilot: Jay Jones

#54Miss MinN54ML

Pilot: Jim Jordan

#592Little TonyN592

Pilot: Brian ReberryOwner: Jim Whiteley

Phot

o: B

ruce

Cro

ft K

en L

inde

Nao

mi W

est

Nao

mi W

est

Tim

Ada

ms

Bru

ce C

roft

List

a D

uren

Lis

ta D

uren

Lis

ta D

uren

Tim

Ada

ms

List

a D

uren

Bru

ce C

roft

Pilo

t Pho

to:

Bill

Rog

ers

Pilo

t Pho

to: B

irgitt

a N

urm

iPi

lot P

hoto

: Zac

h W

hale

n

Pilo

t Pho

to: B

ill R

oger

sPi

lot P

hoto

: Birg

itta

Nur

mi

Pilo

t Pho

to: B

irgitt

a N

urm

i


1949 was the last year that Goodyear sponsored

midget racers, and as it turned out, the last year of the Cleveland races themselves. The midgets had become crowd favorites, partly due to their variety, and partly due to the level of competition. While Whitman, LaVier, and Chester—the Big Three—still dominated, the fi rst six midgets fi nished within just over fi ve seconds of each other. Once more, Emil Strasser and Don Berliner were in the crowd, watching and recording. In this article, Gerald Liang presents photos from Strasser’s collection of undeveloped fi lm, and Berliner provides commentary from his personal experience at the event

Logo

pro

vide

d by

SA

RH

1949 Goodyear Trophy Race Text and Captions by Don Berliner

By the 1949 Goodyear, Wittman-protégé Bill Brennand had racked up a 1st, a 2nd and a 4th in major competition. While much of the airframe dated back to the 1931 “Chief Oshkosh”, it remained one of the favorites, thanks to the recent addition of a simple-but-clean set of wheel pants. Brennand qualifi ed 8th at 174.443mph, won the fi rst of four Elimination Heats and went on to win his second Goodyear Trophy at 177.340mph.

#20 Wittman “Buster” NX14855 (dark red with yellow numbers) Planes in the 1949 Goodyear Trophy Race in order of fi nish

Photos by Emil Strasser

Text by Don Berliner

Prints by Gerald LiangGerald Liang has been photographing the air races ever since he attended his fi rst race at Reno in 1968. His work has been published in Air Classics, Air Progress, For-mula Forum and other aviation publications. When he inherited the Strasser collection in 1997, he started developing and printing Strasser’s air race photos. Mr. Liang con-tinues to photograph the air races using both color slide fi lm and digital cameras.

Don BerlinerDon Berliner is an aviation and science is an aviation and science writer who has been following Formula writer who has been following Formula One air racing since its beginning in 1947. One air racing since its beginning in 1947. He is the author of 29 books, including He is the author of 29 books, including Airplane Racing, A History 1909-2008, Airplane Racing, A History 1909-2008, and two recent books about World War II and two recent books about World War II aircraft. He recently retired as President aircraft. He recently retired as President of the Society of Air Racing Historians of the Society of Air Racing Historians (SARH). He has edited Golden Pylons, the (SARH). He has edited Golden Pylons, the SARH newsletter since 1985.

Emil Strasser photographed the air races from 1931 to 1996. His aviation inter-est was sparked by Lindbergh’s fl ight. He worked for Goodyear until 1945, then trav-eled west and worked for Northrop for 30 years. When Strasser died in 1997, he left more than 1,300 rolls of undeveloped fi lm. The photos in this article were taken with a Kodak Monitor bellows camera using 616 fi lm (6x9cm)

Phot

o by

Lis

ta D

uren

Phot

o by

Al H

anse

n


Photos by Emil Strasser; printed by Gerald Liang

#5 Cosmic Wind “Ballerina” N22C (dark green with cream trim and numbers)

In one full season, veteran racer Wittman compiled an enviable record, placing 2nd in the 1948 Goodyear, 1st in the 1949 Continental Trophy Race at Miami and 2nd in all three regional races in California. His ability to quickly fi gure out how to win in a completely new class has never been equaled. In the 1949 Goodyear, he qualifi ed 5th at 176.490 mph and then smashed all the records for a full race by winning the 2nd Elimination Heat at 184.588 mph, more than 10 seconds quicker than anyone else. Steve fi nished 3rd at 176.244 mph, trailing the runner-up by just 1.2 seconds at the Finish Line.

#39 Mike Argander Special “Deerfl y” N24C (black and white)

#1 Wittman “Bonzo” N1292 (yellow with blue numbers)

The third in the series of all-metal midgets from the LeVier & Associates group, it was raced to 7th place in 1948 by rookie and future great, Bob Downey, at 161mph. At Cleveland in 1949, Vince Ast, one of the builders of #16 Shoestring, qualifi ed 3rd at 177.941mph. Averaging 175.974mph, he placed 4th in the 10-lap Final race, less than one second behind Steve Wittman. The racer eventually ended up in England, where it is slowly being restored.

When the fi rst #39, called “PFTTTT”, failed to perform as hoped at Cleveland in 1947, designer Rod Nimmo went to work and created one of the cleanest midgets of the era. Keith Sorenson qualifi ed it 4th out of 25, at 177.881 mph. He then showed his outstanding abilities by winning his Elimination Heat at 178.042 mph and setting him up as a favorite. When Bill Brennand jumped off to a quick lead in the Finals, Sorenson held on to place 2nd at 176.726 mph, only 1½ seconds back, and barely one second ahead of Wittman.

FORMULA FORUM, JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 201216Photos by E. A. Strasser, printed by Gerald Liang

#4 Cosmic Wind “Minnow” N21C (bronze with cream trim)

#34 Williams 2X “Estrellita” N44183 (yellow with black trim)

After Herman “Fish” Salmon won the 1948 Goodyear Race, the airplane was converted into the prototype of the second-generation Cosmic Wind. A new, slimmer fuselage was built, along with a smaller tail, and the wing was raised from its original low position to the mid-wing confi guration. It certainly looked faster than the fi rst version, but pilot Eddie Custer could do no better than 9th in time trials at 171.233mph. Salmon fl ew it to 2nd place in an Elimination Heat at 167.820mph, and then 5th in the Finals at 175.728mph.

#16 Mercury Air “Shoestring” N26C (chartreuse and red)

It was designed by Art Williams, built by Guy Gully in 1947 and fi rst raced at Miami in 1948. At Miami in 1949, he was 6th at 166.698mph. In the 1949 Finals at Cleveland, “Kip” fi nished 6th at 175.016mph in one of the closest air races in history. On Labor Day weekend in an air show at the airfi eld of two-time Thompson Trophy winner Cook Cleland, Chester Black was displaying “Estrellita” when the landing gear/wing attachment failed. The racer crashed and Black died.

Its streamlining was the ultimate for the time, with particularly fi ne fairings. Rod Kriemendahl and the Ast brothers Carl and Vincent created the machine. Future great Bob Downey fl ew it to a 6th-place in qualifying at 176.027mph, less than 0.1 seconds behind Wittman. The 12-lap Final Race saw an historic battle for fi rst place, with six pilots fi nishing in the space of 5+ seconds, and Downey close behind in seventh. Construction drawings would be prepared, leading to several more Shoestrings being raced in both America and Europe.

FORMULA FORUM, JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 2012 17Photos by E. A. Strasser, printed by Gerald Liang

#67 Long Midget “P-Shooter” NX6111H (aluminum with blue trim) The initial goal of Piper Chief Engineer Dave Long was to have his handsome little sportplane produced in quantity by Schweizer, the sailplane people. That it just happened to meet the complex specifi cations of the 190 Cubic Inch Class could hardly have been a coincidence. After racing it in the 1948 Goodyear with modest results, Long sold it to Luther Johnson. In 1949, he qualifi ed 21st at 134.200mph and went on to place 8th in the Goodyear Finals at 167.308mph. Many Midget Mustangs and the two-seat Mustang II development have been built by individuals from purchased plans.

#31 Kistler “Skeeter” N31C (red and white)

#94 Foss “Ginny” N68732 (aluminum with various trim colors) Skunk Works’ engineer Bill Statler displayed his versatility with the wood-and-fabric “Skeeter” and the all-metal “Ginny” built for Al Foss in 1948. The latter was also larger, with a 21’ 4” wingspan, longer even than the Cosmic Winds. In 1949, “Ginny” was qualifi ed by owner Foss in 12th, at 162.623mph. In the Finals, Foss dropped out on the last lap. Finally, it became the property of Mike Dewey, who re-named it “Little Mike” and, with other pilots, campaigned it through 1970.

It was designed by Lockheed Skunk Works engineer Bill Statler and built for Jim Kistler. At Cleveland in 1949, Kistler qualifi ed 7th at 175.029mph, fi nished 2nd in his Elimination race at 162.917mph and 9th in the Final heat race at153.369mph due to having cut two pylons. Improvements in streamlining and speed came steadily. By the time of its retirement in 1984, at had carried a half dozen names including “Miss San Bernardino” and the “Art Scholl Special”. A total of nine different pilots fl ew #31 in dozens of races.


After its debut at Cleveland in 1948 with a huge bubble canopy and large vertical tail, “Rivets” began a long process of well thought out modifi cations. For 1949, it had a low, clean canopy made from Aeronca Champ windshield parts, and a smaller tail, along with its fi rst set of wheel pants. Falck boosted its qualifying speed from 141.998mph to 167.843mph, and then won the Consolation Race at 162.623mph on his way to one of the great careers in the class’ history.

#92 Falck Special “Rivets” N60089 (red, aluminum and yellow)

1949 Goodyear Consolation Race

#47 Pack Model C “Lil Rebel” N66317 (yellow with blue trim) Garland Pack & Associates raced their fi rst midget--#47 “Miss Nashville—but once, then dismantled it so parts could be used in the next one. Like their fi rst midget, it was patterned after Steve Wittman’s highly successful pair, with its thin mid-wing using external bracing wires for support. “Lil’ Rebel” was raced initially in the 1949 Goodyear by James Wilson (not the one who raced in the early days of Reno). In the Consolation Race, Wilson placed 2nd at 157.950mph, almost 10 seconds behind winner Falck.

1949 Goodyear Races: Rules Summary

The rules for the fi rst two Goodyear races worked well enough to retain them. The only signifi cant variation was the course, which had been reduced in length to 1.75 miles, the shortest ever used. Despite this, records were set at every opportunity.

Two years of highly successful racing by the midgets of the 190 Cubic Inch Class had re-energized the classic Cleveland National Air Races. And it had opened the door to what would later become a major element in American sport aviation: the fl ying of amateur-built airplanes, which had been illegal since the late 1930’s.

By 1949, the Goodyear Trophy Race was attracting the largest fi elds in American air racing history, with 25 qualifi ers, plus several others which were on the fi eld but failed to qualify, and at least another dozen which were entered but did not compete. While Wittman Tailwinds and Pitts Specials and Stitts Playboys were still in the unknown future, midget racers were being built in garage and basement workshops all around the country, as American sporting aviation began to remember its roots.

Photos by E. A. Strasser, printed by Gerald Liang


#42 Leighnor “Mirage” NX3154K (maroon with silver numbers) It was designed by Kenneth Razak, of the University of Wichita, and built by William Leighnor; it was one of the larger and heavier of the early midgets. After H.E. Bangerter placed 2nd in a Semi-Final Heat at Cleveland in 1948, Harry Ragland took over for the 1949 Goodyear, qualifying 13th at 159.401mph and then fi nishing 3rd in the Consolation Race at 149.426mph. #42 has long been inactive, at last report being stored in Michigan.

It was designed and built by Alvin Anderson and Carl Tietz, fi rst racing in the 1948 Goodyear by “Galloping Ghost” co-owner/pilot Bruce Raymond. He fi nished 6th in the Consolation Race at 127.107mph. At Cleveland in 1949, USAF Lt. Obie Smith took over, qualifying 18th at 153.400mph and placing 4th in the Goodyear Consolation Race at 145.829mph. In the next National Air Races—Detroit in August, 1950—rookie pilot James Vosyka qualifi ed at 167.442mph. Then a wing broke in Heat 3 and he crashed fatally.

#63 Anderson and Tietz “Ace of Diamonds” N5541N (red and yellow)

#97 Denight Special “DDT” N9059H (yellow with black trim) The beginning of a 20-year career for #97 was at Cleveland in the 1949 Goodyear Trophy Race, when it was one of just four new low-wing designs. Co-builder Bart Denight placed 5th in the Consolation Race at 142.760mph. Within two years, he was approaching 190mph. Roy Berry brought the racer out of hibernation in the 1960’s. In 1969, it was dismantled for parts to be used in #97 “Old Blue” and the surviving parts were restored for static display by Ed Fisher.


#14 Miller “Little Gem” N5623N (gray with red trim)

#77 Beville-Raymond “Little Spook” N42M (light gray)

When Jimmy Miller’s fi rst racer showed up at Cleveland in 1949 with wings from a Luscombe, and was placed 6th in the Consolation Race, it hardly hinted at its future: National Championships in 1954, 1959 and 1960, thanks in great part to a hand-hammered thin metal wing. From there it went on to victory in the fi rst Reno Races when Bob Porter fl ew #14 for new owner Denny Sherman. Bob Downey then whipped off 24 top-10 fi nishes in the next decade.

The Steve Beville-Bruce Raymond team had great success with their Thompson Class #77 “Galloping Ghost”, and so Beville tried his hand at a miniature, fabric-covered version for the 190 Cu. In. Class. In the 1949 Goodyear Trophy Race, he qualifi ed 19th at 143.384mph and fi nished 7th in the Consolation Race at 130.760mph. The following January, at Miami for the All-American Air Maneuvers, Steve qualifi ed 16th at 156.182mph, and placed 5th in the Consolation Race at 147.683mph.

The fi rst and only radical racer to appear at Cleveland in the Goodyear series was the work of faculty and students at the Lawrence Institute of Technology in Detroit. #29 was raced in 1949 by Carleton Ambler, who managed to eke out 22nd place in time trials at 127.992mph and then 8th in the Consolation Race at 127.964mph. With the opportunities for major improvements to the twin-boom pusher limited, it was retired and is now on display at the school.

#29 L.I.T. Special “Chappy” N139C (white with blue number)

Photos by E. A. Strasser, printed by Gerald Liang


#35 Coonley “Little Toot” N10E (orange with black number)

#40 Thompson “Screaming Meanie” N1210M (yellow with red trim)

Today, Hal Coonley’s Special would probably be considered an attractive sport-racer with good visibility and a sturdy molded-plywood fuselage, but a little heavy and draggy for serious racing. Yet it was at Cleveland in 1949 alongside the products of Wittman and Williams and the LeVier group. At Cleveland, he qualifi ed 20th in a fi eld of 25 at 137.789mph. Further racing was curtailed soon after when he bailed out during a cross-country fl ight.

A few of the airplanes that competed in the three Goodyear Trophy Races looked so hurriedly assembled that one wonders if the goal was not to win but to enable the pilot to say he had raced at Cleveland, a phrase that carried great prestige in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Pilot (as well as designer and builder) Carl Thompson qualifi ed 23rd in 1949, at 126.211mph, and then failed to fi nish the Consolation Race due to mechanical problems.

The 1949 Goodyear Trophy Race

When the 1949 Thompson Trophy Race ended, the Cleveland National Air Races ended, and so did the most successful series of major air race meets the world had yet known. While the obvious cause was the crash of Bill Odom’s P-51 “Beguine” into an occupied house during the Thompson Race, the most direct reason for the end was the June 1950 start of the Korean Confl ict and the withdrawal of major sponsors whose commercial activities had been shifting to jet-propelled airplanes, rather than those with propellers.

The midgets then carried on alone until the re-birth of the sport in 1964 at Reno.

FORMULA FORUM, JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 201222Photos by E. A. Strasser, printed by Gerald Liang

1948 Goodyear: Planes Eliminated in Heats#51 Johnson “Betty Jo” N2E (red with white number) Two midgets were built in

1948 for Luther Johnson: #60 “Idle Ours”, which was raced only in 1948, and #51, which was raced in 1948 and 1949. In the latter year, Charles Barton failed to complete time trials, but was allowed to race, placing 5th in the 1st Semi-Final Heat at 133.384mph. Both airplanes had conventional designs, but were considerably over-weight, which contributed to their poor performances. Neither was seen after 1949.

#84 Thompson “Balboni Special” N1305V (maroon with white number)

Another Massachusetts-based midget racer, this one was from Harry and Ralph Thompson. Harry was the designer and builder, while Ralph was the pilot. In the 1949 Goodyear, #84 was qualifi ed 24th at 126.111mph. In the 1st Elimination Heat, it was fl own to 5th place at 119.361mph. Moving on to the 1st Semi-Final Heat, Ralph fi nished 6th at 120.261mph. Like Thompson’s #40, it raced no more. Yet a third Thompson-named midget racer never showed up at any race site.

First Hand Impressions of a Teen-age Fan

Gate B, Box 44, Row A, Seat 17. That’s where I watched the third and fi nal Goodyear Trophy Race. And, yeh, it cost me a resounding $2.40 for a front-row box seat, no less! I was there with my two best friends from high school, with whom I would soon fi nd myself in the Air Force. But for a few days we were at the center of the known universe: Cleveland! The largest city in Ohio, it had given itself over to the National Air Races with enthusiasm. Every shop window in the busy downtown area was full of air racing photos and copies of trophies and posters and of course scale models of Wedell Williams and Chester and Wittman racers along with Super Corsairs and clip-winged Kingcobras.

Hotel rooms, even in a major industrial city, were impossible to fi nd on short notice, except for three racefans from Columbus who had travelled up by train and naively walked into the Hotel Carter, the air race headquarters, and inexplicably found a room. We soon crowded in two more like-minded teenagers who were willing to share the limited space and sleep on the fl oor. It was National Air Races weekend and such deprivations were of absolutely no consequence. We would have slept on our folding chairs at the airport if necessary.

No one could have predicted that this young kid would still be involved with the midgets after 65 (!) years and would have counted among his friends some of the stars of the Goodyear era: Steve Wittman, Bill Brennand, Bill Falck.

(No E.A. Strasser Photo for #84 in 1949)


#59 Christiansen “Zipper” N5713N (yellow with blue markings)

#10 Falcon Special II “Lil Rebel” N1E (green with cream trim)

#3 Cosmic WInd “Little Tony” N20C (Red with white trim

Harvey Christiansen was disqualifi ed from the 1948 Goodyear by the Technical Committee for having a weak wing. He rebuilt it and qualifi ed in 1949 at 156.425mph, good for 15th in a fi eld of 24. He placed 3rd in the 1st Elimination Heat at 144.334mph and was doing well in the 2nd Semi-Final when he encountered mechanical problems on the last lap. Recently, his son announced plans to restore the racer to its 1949 confi guration, though he has no plans to race it again.

One of the most famous of the Goodyear racers, it was fl own to 4th place in 1947 by owner Tony LeVier, and 5th in 1948 by Billie Robinson. In 1949, Billie set a national one-lap record by qualifying at 183.326mph but then lost the canopy and retired. In 1950 at Detroit, John Paul Jones won the Championship Race at 187.785mph. It was sold to Ian McCowen, who registered it in England as G-AYRJ. In 1971 and 1972 it was fl own to the British Championship, and in 1978 was returned to the U.S.A., where it is to be restored.

The fi rst Falcon Special was wrecked qualifying for the 1947 Goodyear Race, and was replaced in 1948, by the Mk.II which had a midwing and closed canopy. In 1949, Earl Ortman, who established an impressive record in 1930’s Thompson Trophy Races, qualifi ed 16th at 155.964mph. After placing 4th in his Elimination Heat at 141.936mph, he then fi nished 5th in the 2nd Semi-Final race at 140.763mph, which wasn’t good enough to get into the Consolation Race.

FORMULA FORUM3233 Via Alicante #48La Jolla, CA 92037

Photos by E.A. Strasser, printed by Gerry Liang

Keith Sorenson introduced the new Rod Nimmo designed plane #39 Deerfl y, which proved to be an able challenger for front runners Bill Brennand in Buster and Steve Wittman in Bonzo. Sorenson fi nished second in the Trophy Race.

Bob Downey raced the new #16 Shoestring built by Rod Kriemendahl, Carl Ast and Vincent Ast. He fi nished seventh in the trophy race, close on the tail of the six planes that were fi ghting for the lead. Both Downey and Shoestring went on to became champions.

Some Highlights of the

1949 Goodyear Midgets

Bill Falck remodeled his “ugly duckling” #92 Rivets from its ungainly 1948 appearance to a sleeker profi le in 1949. He won the Consolation Race. Then he continued to improve the racer.

1948 1949

Story starts on page 14

Taking “Experimental Aircraft” to heart, Lawrence Institute of Technology faculty and students built the twin-boomed pusher, #29 Chappy. Carleton Ambler raced it to eighth place in the Consolation Race.

forum1201-1202 web color - starting line forum 2012 1-4...bottom line: know your plane, know your...

Documents