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What Happened to all the Yak's?

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  • What Happened to all the Yak's?

    Specifically these two



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  • #2
    Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

    The top one was Holbrook Maslen's "Night Witch" N134US. It had a crash landing in 2005. Not sure what the disposition of the airframe is/was. It showed up at PRS once or twice but never raced.

    The bottom one, "Maniyak" was Asher Ward's plane. That photo is from 1987 with the Long EZ canopy on it. It was purchased by Tom Camp and for a few years had a stock canopy put on it. Then he put a bigger motor in it and converted it to a single seater. He raced it until 2002 or so and then sold it to a gentleman named Jim Nezgoda. Mr. Nezgoda had already rolled one Yak up in a ball at Reno in the late '90's, but when Tom tried to give him a cockpit checkout he replied "I'm a professional pilot...I don't need one", and then proceeded to lose directional control on takeoff from Ione on the first flight....and wrecked that one too. The wreckage was purchased by William Lewallen in Arizona, rebuilt as a two-seater, and flies regularly. Hasn't raced again, though.

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    • #3
      Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

      Originally posted by Big_Jim View Post
      The top one was Holbrook Maslen's "Night Witch" N134US. It had a crash landing in 2005. Not sure what the disposition of the airframe is/was. It showed up at PRS once or twice but never raced.

      The bottom one, "Maniyak" was Asher Ward's plane. That photo is from 1987 with the Long EZ canopy on it. It was purchased by Tom Camp and for a few years had a stock canopy put on it. Then he put a bigger motor in it and converted it to a single seater. He raced it until 2002 or so and then sold it to a gentleman named Jim Nezgoda. Mr. Nezgoda had already rolled one Yak up in a ball at Reno in the late '90's, but when Tom tried to give him a cockpit checkout he replied "I'm a professional pilot...I don't need one", and then proceeded to lose directional control on takeoff from Ione on the first flight....and wrecked that one too. The wreckage was purchased by William Lewallen in Arizona, rebuilt as a two-seater, and flies regularly. Hasn't raced again, though.
      Do you know the N-num for Maniyak?
      Reno from '99 to '22

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      • #4
        Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

        Originally posted by Big_Jim View Post
        The top one was Holbrook Maslen's "Night Witch" N134US. It had a crash landing in 2005. Not sure what the disposition of the airframe is/was. It showed up at PRS once or twice but never raced.

        She'll be back. Much progress has been made in the re-build. Engine is done.

        When Maslen first acquired N134US, he had a little 'drag' race, at altitude, with Jimmy and #9 'Cloud Dancer'. (This was back when Jimmy was getting right around the 400 mark at Reno). The Yak pulled away..

        - Joseph

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        • #5
          Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

          I've always been very fond of "Night Witch" and look forward to its return to flight. Below is what "Maniyak" currently looks like. Nice but I much preferred it the way Asher Ward had as shown above.

          http://images.forwallpaper.com/files...-maniyak_p.jpg

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          • #6
            Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

            Another couple of Yak's that have been missing from the action in recent years. Anybody know where they have been hiding?



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            • #7
              Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

              Originally posted by Idaho_cowpony View Post
              She'll be back. Much progress has been made in the re-build. Engine is done.

              When Maslen first acquired N134US, he had a little 'drag' race, at altitude, with Jimmy and #9 'Cloud Dancer'. (This was back when Jimmy was getting right around the 400 mark at Reno). The Yak pulled away..

              - Joseph
              Was N134US originally built by Dale Clarke? Was wondering if it's the Yak that he was building when I was a kid hanging around his shop.

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              • #8
                Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                Correct. Dale did most of the original build/fabrication. It's made into a Yak-3UR. Essentially a Yak 11, with a Yak 3 wing, and an R-2000.

                - Joseph

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                • #9
                  Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                  I have to ask you guys to only post photos as links, unless you have permission to display it in your post... I don't want to be a nit picker but some folks are pretty adamant about copyrights....

                  Thanks in advance!
                  Wayne Sagar
                  "Pusher of Electrons"

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                  • #10
                    Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                    Originally posted by Idaho_cowpony View Post
                    Correct. Dale did most of the original build/fabrication. It's made into a Yak-3UR. Essentially a Yak 11, with a Yak 3 wing, and an R-2000.

                    - Joseph
                    Thanks-brings back a lot of memories of being about 10 or 12 and being in awe at all the cool stuff as it went together. Dale was always very gracious about having a kid with a million questions hanging around. Except for the time I asked how much "thrust" the Yak was going to make. He looked over the top of his glasses at me and calmly (yet sternly) said "We measure things in horsepower around here-thrust is for jets."

                    I will never forget seeing it fly the first time. At an airport (KORS) in which the most exciting thing at that time was typically a twin Cessna or the occasional small corporate jet, I was awestruck at getting to see the radial start up, and the ridiculous climb rate after takeoff compared to the usual GA aircraft.

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                    • #11
                      Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                      How did the Long EZ canopy do on Maniyak? Does anyone have any more pictures of it in that form? Would the Long EZ canopy have helped or hindered Steadfast while Will had it? Just wondering.

                      Thanks,

                      Dave
                      Dave

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                      • #12
                        Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                        An early photo of Maniyak at Camarillo airport

                        Photo by me

                        Dan
                        Click image for larger version

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                        • #13
                          Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                          Originally posted by AAFO_WSagar View Post
                          I have to ask you guys to only post photos as links, unless you have permission to display it in your post... I don't want to be a nit picker but some folks are pretty adamant about copyrights....

                          Thanks in advance!
                          Just for the record - is OK for anyone here to use any image at the P1 site on this or any message board (as long as the copyright credits remains unaltered). I also would very much appreciate not hot-linking from the site directly. Download the image then re-upload onto the forums is best. Thanks in advance guys.

                          Thanks for lookin' out Mr Wayners - it's all good
                          Mark K....

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                          • #14
                            Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                            Originally posted by Pylon1_Mark View Post
                            Just for the record - is OK for anyone here to use any image at the P1 site on this or any message board (as long as the copyright credits remains unaltered). I also would very much appreciate not hot-linking from the site directly. Download the image then re-upload onto the forums is best. Thanks in advance guys.

                            Thanks for lookin' out Mr Wayners - it's all good
                            Hey bud, I figured that! I didn't want to single anyone out but I have been asked in the past by a photographer to not allow the "in-line display" of his images without permission.

                            I have absolutely zero problem with anyone's copyright claims and wishes!

                            Thanks Markers, you'd have had a ball this year!

                            Wayne Sagar
                            "Pusher of Electrons"

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                            • #15
                              Re: What Happened to all the Yak's?

                              Originally posted by pt17av8r View Post
                              An early photo of Maniyak at Camarillo airport

                              Photo by me

                              Dan
                              [ATTACH=CONFIG]21184[/ATTACH]
                              I so love this type of photo and history! This is a part of air racing that I fear is gone forever.. The innovator who could afford to indulge their genius! Peristroika! Mr. Awesome! On and on..

                              I know a lot of us have photos in our archives that we can share that bring this aspect to light, I've got a batch of Bill Whitlatch photos that I wish I'd have scanned at a higher res!
                              Wayne Sagar
                              "Pusher of Electrons"

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