'BUCK SHOTS'

[Smee Again]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Ridge Runner III @ Reno '09

The 8th USAAF's 4th FG is my favorite WW2 Mustang outfit & everytime I get to watch Dan Martin race his beautiful P-51D "Ridge Runner III"- painted-up in tribute of Maj. Pierce McKennon's famous fighter, I'm in absolute-'hog heaven'!

Here's a mini-gallery of Race #20 pics from last year's Reno NCAR (L-R/Top-down):

First two shots show Dan 'greasin' her in' on his arrival landing Sun. 9/12/09, w/a good profile of RRIII. Then a trio of pics from Sat. 9/18- an early a.m. runup fm Martin's dawn patrol test flight, & two of his crew workin' away on the P51 just before sundown. Last two Outer 4 Pylon race shots are from Sunday's 9/20 Gold Championship final.

"GO RIDGE RUNNER III!"

DBD

Hey Bucky,

GREAT shots of the old girl from 2009! Looking forward to seeing you in September!

SA

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Thanks Scott, Chad & Mike f/posting! Hope to see y'all at Reno 2010.

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Frank's FURY".........

The late & great Frank Sanders' name is synonymous w/the big & beautiful British Hawker Sea Fury in modern warbird flying restoration circles & his legacy lives on through his family-owned businesses- Sanders Aircraft, Inc./Sanders Aircraft Technologies located in Ione, Ca.-operated by sons Dennis & Brian Sanders & crew. They've established an indelible reputation as experts on the type & for producing many outstanding Fury restorations over the years, & many other classic WW2 types as well. We've especially come to know, love & appreciate the Sanders Family in Unlimited Class Air Racing for all their involvement & commitment on behalf of the World's-Fastest Motorsport.

One of the most impressively-moving & beautiful airshow acts of all-time, has to be the Sanders Sea Fury aerial ballet demo, featuring the Frank Sanders-designed wingtip smoke generators. I vividly-recall the first times I witnessed Frank Sanders performing his spectacular act back in 1978 at the Chino Airshow & then at Reno '78, 1979 Miami/Homestead Air Races & as a regular feature on the airshow & racing circuit thereafter. It was, & still is,-something to stop for & watch through its' entire routine.

Here's a few vintage 'Buck Shots' from the Dawsonian photo archives of Frank Sanders' beautiful Centaurus-powered Hawker #924 (s/n VX300/N924G) shot at the '79 Miami/Homestead Air Races held in Feb./March. (Believe that's Dennis & Brian Sanders taxiing-in on their arrival @ Homestead Airport fm Chino.)

Watching Frank Sanders drive the Fury straight up into the heavens & come zooming back down in his power dive was awe-inspiring & truly-amazing!

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Early Bird"...

6:54am-Wednesday-9/16/09-Reno NCAR- Start of another perfect day at the air races. How many of us can look back to our air racing roots & actually be proud to say we were the day's first fan to plant his flag in an empty GA grandstands (-usually pullin' duty to snag 'the perfect seats' f/our buddies on the way)? This guy definately can!

DBD

[Leo]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Ahh yes. Many a year watching that sun come up. Still doing it!
That cup of lousy coffee, the diesel from the emergency vehicles. The cold. All worth it when thae first flight goes up.

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

'Colorful Competition!'

RACE: Sat. 9/22/90-Formula One Bronze Final- An exciting 3-way battle's goin' on here f/2nd-Place in this Buck Shot, w/Rick Todd flying his yellow Taylor Titch-#56 'Titch 'N Ash' against his two hot pursuers- Bryan Richardson's Shoestring-#30 'Half Fast & Ray Sherwood's Cassutt-#27 'The Silver BB'.

After all the results were in f/the 8-lap event, Dave Morss was the uncontested winner in his Cassutt-#99 'Fast Lane Exit' w/his winning speed of 207.290-av/mph. The rest of the racers only finished 7-laps w/Rick Todd's #56 nailing down 2nd @ 173.747-av/mph. Todd's two competitors in this photo had some contest complications affecting their final standings: Richardson's cut of Pylon 4 during Lap-1 put him next-to-last in 5th-place @ 167.783-av/mph & Sherwood, who actually beat-out Todd f/the second spot @ 174.117,-got moved to last place (6th) for low flying.

The Cassutts of Madelaine Kenney in #66 'Video Cassutt' (3rd-pl. @ 173.037) & George Budde in #20 'Diamond Back' (4th-pl. @ 269.197) completed the field of contestants in this F-1 barn-burner. Once again- "It ain't over-'till it's over" & the results are printed, but nonetheless...

THAT'S- 'GREAT RACING!!!'

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Chino POF Airshow 2007's -

P-38 Lightning- " TRIPLE-STRIKE " !!!

Okay, we're not talkin'- "SIX P-38s" here, but three years ago, -there were- only three Lockheed P-38 Lightnings flying worldwide & it was the featured premiere event act for Chino's awesome annual warbird airhow extravaganza that year. And that was enough to get this oldtimer packin' his bags to fly down to join in the fun.

Here's a Buck Shot mini-gallery highlighting this beautiful & amazing Chino trio of Lightnings giving their superlative flying displays that year. They are: Rod Lewis' ultra-rare historic P-38E "Glacier Girl" (NX17630)-flown by Steve Hinton, POF Air Museum's P-38J "23 Skidoo" (NX138AM)-flown by Kevin Eldridge & Allied Fighters' P-38L (NL7723C)-flown by Jeff Harris.

Nope, I didn't get the chance to shoot any air-to-air photos, but I had a SUPER-GREAT time- just bein' there (& came home with one hellova cool souvenier ballcap too!). So now, we're talkin'- 'SIX'?! Well, all I can say to that is......"OH YEAH!!!"

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"EAGER BEAVERS"....

March 1981/Ketchikan, Alaska-TYEE AIRLINES seadrome-

Captured in the golden light of sunrise,- workhorse DeHavilland DHC-2 Beavers await their pilots & passengers to begin another busy day logging SE Alaska's lifeline flight support for business & pleasure.

Considered- "The Cadillac of Seaplanes", a total of 1,631 DHC-2 Mk.I Beavers were produced by DeHavilland of Canada fm 1947-1967, w/first flight 8/16/47. Today, hundreds of the type still continue to provide faithful service worldwide on floats, wheels & skis. Standard powerplant is the dependable 450-h.p. Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp, Jr. radial engine.

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"UNSUNG HEROES" - Keep 'Em Flyin'!

Mon. 9/13/99-Reno NCAR- The sun's just gone down after the first day of Qualifying Time Trials & Practice, & Mike Keenum's crew is still busy workin' away on their big hard-chargin' R-3350-powered Hawker Sea Fury- Race #99-'RIFF RAFF', in preparation f/racing competition. This veteran Unlimited Class race team always displays a professional attitude & keen desire to win, while maintaining a friendly rapor w/the fans.

"GO TEAM RIFF RAFF!!!"

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"Every-Inch A- RACER! ".........

Mon. 9/14/09-Reno NCAR T-6 Qualifying & Practice-

Veteran T-6 race pilot-Gene McNeely & his AT-6C racer- #90 UNDECIDED are captured approaching a pylon & looking 'all-business',-as far as air racing's concerned: No military paint job on this bird & plenty of racing checkers & sponsor stickers all over the airframe (not to mention Gene's flight helmet & suit!)

Gene's always been a fierce competitor, but has yet to win his first Reno T-6 Gold Trophy. At Reno '09, he qualified #90 5th-fastest @ 228.218-mph & finished 6th in Sunday's 5-lap T-6 Gold final @ 226.183-av/mph,-f/last place. It should be duly-noted here, that McNeely battled it out the entire race against 4th-place finisher- John Lohmar in #28 Radial Velocity (226.744-av/mph) & John Zayac in #37 McDonald Racer just ahead of him in 5th-place (226.647-av/mph). Those 3 close finishing speeds are true testament to the Great Racing that regularly goes on during T-6 Racing Class competition events.

BIG Thanks to Gene McNeely & his dedicated crew for bein'- 'In It-To Win It' -all these years & good luck wishes f/Gold in the future!

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

LearAvia's- Lear Fan 2100 Turboprop

Sun. 9/13/81-Reno/Stead Field, NV-

Bill Lear's- "Dream Ship!" -The remarkable & innovative Lear Fan aircraft design's first prototype- N626BL is seen undergoing it's lengthy & intensive test flight program, using Ed Messick's old Lockheed T-33 jet as chaseplane. First test flight was January 1, 1981. Powered by twin P&WC PT6B-35F turbine engines of 650-shp each, the 6-psgr. Lear Fan's max speed was 425-mph!

By the time the company & it's complex Lear Fan program went under in 1984 (200 Stead staff & 27 Irish employees lost their jobs), a total of three prototypes were built & flown: N626BL, N327ML & N21LF.*

DBD

* Note: N626BL is on permanent display @ Seattle's Museum of Flight & N327ML is on exhibit at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, TX.

[FlyKidChris]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"EAGER BEAVERS"....

March 1981/Ketchikan, Alaska-TYEE AIRLINES seadrome-

Captured in the golden light of sunrise,- workhorse DeHavilland DHC-2 Beavers... DBD

Another great photo.

One of my favorite layovers is downtown Vancouver, BC. I always ask for a room facing the seaplane base. More than once, I've been awakened to the sound of a R-985 starting. Well, usually more than one... The Beavers are usually soon joined by Otters and Twin Otters.

Even though I flew Twin Otters for a couple of years, it's the Beavers and Otters that I enjoying watching the most. Time and weather permitting, I have my morning coffee sitting on a bench, near the "wet-foot" DHCs.

Thanks for the awesome thread, Bucky.

[BaylesScott]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Posts: 589
Bucky, one of the best pictures i have seen, that would make a great
poster. Great Stuff

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

"EAGER BEAVERS"....

March 1981/Ketchikan, Alaska-TYEE AIRLINES seadrome-

I'll echo other's comments here Bucky, awesome shot! For those of you who might wind up going through Ketchikan (Bucky's AO) you owe it to yourself to book a flight with the local tour operators... of which one of, employs our great contributor Bucky, and I will not mention the name of said company unless Bucky says to do so.. Long story short, BeerNazi and I booked with Bucky's airline, and they are absolutely the best best best folks to fly with in that area! They fly both the turbine Otter and the wonderfully round powered Beaver (which we got to fly in) and the scenic flight is just beyond anything I ever expected! Your flight is over an hour and half, you fly through canyons and land on a remote lake, ya get to walk around on the pontoons and then fly back to Ketch!!!!!!

Priceless! If you take any of the inland passage cruise lines, they all stop in Ketchikan... You simply have to take the flight! Again, unless Bucky says it's OK to promote his airline, I'll just say, I'm not sure they solicit on the docks but if you go up a bit further north on the docks, their prices are completely reasonable, if you time it right, you'll go on a piston Beaver... you'll get a flight you'll never forget! I'll try to post some shots from the flight!

Thanks again for sharing Buckminster!!!!!

[BuckyD]

Re: 'BUCK SHOTS'

Hey thanks- Chris, Scott & Wayne...

Chris- Here's a shot just for you:

June 1986/Ketchikan, Alaska-Westflight Aviation seadrome-

Good lineup comparison photo of- DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver/DHC-3 Otter/DHC-6 Twin Otter seaplane types in company fleet colors. At this time, Westflight was simultaneously-operating a diverse fleet of 4-Beavers, an Otter, two Twin Otters, a Grumman Goose flying boat amphibian, a Cessna 180 & a Cessna 185 and a couple Cessna 206s - a plane f/every charter requirement (& a parts guy's nightmare!).

Then an A-2-A shot showing where we live- SE Alaska's Alexander Archipelago Panhandle - Thousands of mountainous islands in the Tongass National Forest,-all dotted w/myriad lakes & surrounded by endless miles of inland sea water passages where- 'The Seaplane is King'... (BTW- Average rainfall here is 13-Feet - "We don't tan-We Rust!" Keeps everything green & it's good for Big Fish.)

April 24, 1989/"Taquan Queen"- Taquan Air Service DHC-2 Beaver N67673 over Nichols Passage at Clarence Strait, w/Gravina Island's Dall Head in background below. Pilot-Solomon Guthrie, a Tsimpsian Alaska Native.

(BTW- I custom-designed all these aircraft's fleet color schemes)

Wayne, no worries- I'm proud to say I've been working as aircraft parts/purch. mgr. f/Promech Air since May '00 helpin' keep our fleet of DeHavilland Beavers & Single Turbine Otter seaplanes flying. Before that, I helped support a 26-strong seaplane fleet of Beavers, Otters & Cessnas at the original Taquan Air from Feb. '95 - Apr. '00. Glad you & Linda had a great PM Air Beaver flightseeing experience while you were here last summer. No doubt- 'Seaplanes will spoil you rotten', as the saying goes.

DBD