Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Early Thunder Mustang race history?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Early Thunder Mustang race history?

    Help me out here Joseph and everyone.

    I was bothered by the fact that I could not remember Estrada’s Thunder Mustang. I spent some time thinking hard about TM’s early race history, and below is how I recall it. Please correct me where I am wrong.

    1996 – Green TM (Race 25) at Reno, but it has not flown yet.
    1997 – Green TM (Race 25), flown by Dave Morss, fails to make the field as an Unlimited (no Sport Class yet).
    1998 – Green TM is lost before Reno. Tommy Rose’s (soon to be) red TM (as Race 25) is present at Reno, but the aircraft has not been completed (1st year of the Sport Class).
    1999 – Tommy Rose competes in the Red TM (now Race 3).
    2000 – Lou Meyer is now in the red TM (now Race 69). Estrada’s TM is not at Reno in 2000. Parker's TM is not finished.
    2001 – No red TM, but Estrada’s Blue TM (flown by Lou Meyer as Race 69) is there, and Parker has finished his TM (Race 351). Parker has a gear failure, but repairs the a/c in time to compete. Races are cancelled because of 9/11. I was not at Reno this year which is probably why I have no recollection of Estrada’s TM.
    2002 – Parker’s is the lone TM and stays this way for several years. Rose is lost in a Questair Venture.

    Thanks,
    Bill Pearce

    Old Machine Press
    Blue Thunder Air Racing (in memoriam)

  • #2
    Re: Early Thunder Mustang race history?

    I think you've got the essentials there. It's worthy to note that the Unlimited field was quite large in '97. My air racing history is boxed and in storage currently, but as I recall there was a dozen or so Unlimite'ds that didn't make the field... (crying shame to RARA) The Thunder Mustang prototype was about halfway up those dozen, give or take.

    There's some pretty cool video(s) in my archives, shot by a friend, with Dave qualifying #25 out with the Unlimiteds, and walking past stocker mustangs with ease.

    I distinctly remember Thunder's first fly-in arrival to Stead, and Destefani and Strega were out on the ramp as well. I vividly remember Tiger coming over in somewhat jaw-dropping awe at the sight and sound of the Thunder Mustang.

    - Joseph

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Early Thunder Mustang race history?

      Curious if there has been a year since the Thunder Mustang started racing that there has been no Thunder Mustangs?
      Random Air Blog

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Early Thunder Mustang race history?

        Originally posted by Samuel View Post
        Curious if there has been a year since the Thunder Mustang started racing that there has been no Thunder Mustangs?
        Well, 2003 had no racing Thunder Mustangs, and I think it was the same for 2007.
        Bill Pearce

        Old Machine Press
        Blue Thunder Air Racing (in memoriam)

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Early Thunder Mustang race history?

          Originally posted by W J Pearce View Post
          Well, 2003 had no racing Thunder Mustangs, and I think it was the same for 2007.
          You thought correctly, no TM's in 07
          Reno from '99 to '22

          Comment

          Working...
          X