Las Vegas Countdown

Ron and Dave at work simultaneously, above and below Precious Metal, her airframe and her systems. The time is nearing 9:00 p.m., and they've been at it for sixteen hours straight, with only short breaks for breakfast at Hometown Cafe, in Lemon Valley, and a cheeseburger dinner from the Hi Desert Bar & Grill in Stead, NV:

Las Vegas Countdown

Thrashing is usually reserved for airplanes about to participate the next day in a full-fledged Air Racing event. These men are at work one week and one day after the 2002 Reno National Championship Air Races have ended. One must wonder, "why?"

The answer is simple -- devotion to a new found duty:

Las Vegas Countdown

Another view of Precious Metal under the night lights of the RARA hangar at Reno-Stead Airport, Nevada. The aircraft remains an exotic, hybrid beauty, even with cowlings, fairings and access panels removed; even when covered with a thin coat of dust from Sunday's (September 15, 2002) dust storms at Reno-Stead; even when covered in fingerprints and an oily sheen.

Precious Metal is the third in line of a series of "Precious Metal" Air Racers, the first, Race 81, belonging to the late Gary Levitz; the second, being the same aircraft, only as owned by Don and Bill Whittington, of Road Atlanta and Indy 500 fame, which carried Race number "09;" following that aircraft's water landing in the Gulf of Mexico, in which Don Whittington just barely escaped, this third "Precious Metal" was born, fitted with a Rolls Royce Griffon, which was modeled after the Red Baron RB-51; and presently carries in tribute to Gary Levitz and the Levitz-Rogers Air Racing Team, the Race number 38, which was popular on Gary Levitz's fleet of racers, which included a North American P-51D Mustang; a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, "Double Trouble;" and the elegant Miss Ashley II, which featured a Griffon engine, and a radical aerodynamic departure -- the merging of a 60-year-old piston-engine design, with the Jet age technology of a Learjet wings:

Las Vegas Countdown

Critical Mass and Precious Metal side-by-side in the RARA hangar at Reno-Stead Airport. Precious Metal is one of the racers scheduled to fly within the week at Reno-Stead. Race 7, Strega, is due to depart sometime within the next few days, to Schafter, California, and her Minter Field home, just outside of Bakersfield. Rare Bear is scheduled for ground runs at Reno-Stead on Thursday, with Lyle Shelton at the controls; followed by test flights on Sunday and Monday (when possible), with John Penney at the controls. Two of the three racers are scheduled for Nellis, and at this time of Press, it remains unclear as to whether or not Bill "Tiger" Destefani will appear in Strega. We are hopeful, especially since repair to his damaged loaner engine (from Dan Martin) were short and complete:

Las Vegas Countdown

Not to much longer to go...with the adjustments made to the timing, the magnetos and cams, the Valve covers are ready to go on the exotic "Precious Metal," a North American P-51D Mustang from the days of World War II, converted into a racing plane utilizing a P-51H tail and a Rolls Royce Griffon Mk. 57 engine from a Shackleton patrol bomber.

Interesting visitor today, during operations at the RARA hangar. A British man, who six years old and living in England during World War II, related his experiences living in a corridor where V-1 Buzz Bombs used to fly from France to targets in and around London, England. He recalled for us the sight of British pilots chasing the Buzz Bombs along, dipping their wings beneath that of a munitions-ladened V-1, and spinning the craft out of control, where it would explode in open land in around his home. The danger to him, though he didn't know it at the time, was extreme.
He finally figured it out when he remodeled the family home, and found buckets of shrapnel imbedded in the walls there.

He had travelled some six thousand miles just to catch the Reno Air Races:

Las Vegas Countdown

Dave Berry on the wing of Precious Metal, putting some final touches on the installation of the Rolls Royce Griffon's oil, cooling and electrical lines. The day would end with the Valve Covers going on at 10:18 p.m. Then it was straight to the hotel, en route to the airport, to deliver Dave to the airlines for the flight home. It is 3:58 a.m. as I finish this. Dave is either on the ground at Salt Lake City or approaching the City by air at this time of writing. His day is still not over, though it started at 5:00 a.m. this morning. He has another fifteen hours to go before he reaches home.

Ron Buccarelli is hopefully asleep in his hotel room in Reno. He has another long day planned tomorrow, requiring the filling of the engine with oil and cooling fluids, plus the bleeding of air from the lines. His visit to Reno will end tomorrow, but he'll have to return within days, to begin the start-up and ground running procedures.

This is the last image of the two threads. As I mentioned, contrast the dark of night and the hangar lights, with the lights and shadow seen in the first pictures from this morning.

Realize that these long hours, kept by these two aviators, are a tremendous strain on themselves, their family, their friends, their finances and their jobs, and yet, they do it with the belief that Ron Buccarelli will likely never race in actual competition again.

Why do they do it? Why, for the betterment of the Sport, and for you fans. Las Vegas offers many things, but most important, is the chance to expose 400,000 people to Air Racing; it is a chance to expose a number of major sponsor to Air Racing and it's Teams; and it is one more chance for Ron Buccarelli, his Team, and Precious Metal to shine against other racers.

However, before they can shine, another day must bring their efforts closer to fruition. Today, the Team was up and working in excess of sixteen hours, and the job is still not complete. They must purchase their air fare at $1000 per flight, because it was last minute notification; then they must spend a day or two in the air getting from destination to destination, not to mention hotel rooms and other related travel expenses.

However, this was the very same effort that brought them to and through the Reno National Championship Air Races, and will ultimately take them to Aviation Nation 2002, at Nellis AFB, NV, on October 5 - 6, 2002...

...have you thought about how you will get there, or if you will go at all?

The Las Vegas area -- even with an influx of 400,000 people -- is still going to have hotel rooms available. There will be no shortage of rooms at Aviation Nation 2002.

Knowing the sacrifice of Ron, Dave and the Precious Metal Air Racing Team, you might want to consider going if for no other reason than this: you can validate Ron, Dave and the remainder of the crew, along with their belief that appearing at Nellis is as important to you, as it is to them.

Make these hours spent by this team and others preparing for Aviation Nation 2002, all worthwhile. Be at Nellis AFB on October 5-6, 2002, to support this crew, this team, their pilot, the United States Air Force and others, to the fullest extent. For the hours they've invested in getting there, they deserve your support right now:

GOOD LUCK TO PRECIOUS METAL AND CREW!!!

We spent every penny to get to the race this year.
We camp straight across from Race #38 pit - and saw
much of the work going on,but we can't go to Las Vegas,
we will be watching every bit of info we can get.


Douglas
and Family