Race 22 Mishap

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

Jim Eberhardt writing - I just met Wayne Sagar - this is the first I have known about the aafo forum. I must say that the reaction to our lousy week has been amazing and heart felt. Thank you.

Jim, pleasure meeting you, sad it had to be under such bad circumstances!

Anything we can do, we'll do it! The fans of this sport are pretty darn supportive and have dug pretty deep in the past to help keep the sport alive.

We've got a couple of airplanes that really need help or we'll lose them to the financial realities of the world.

Fellow race fanAtics... it looks like it's time to dig in again.. Stu needs our help and so does the Bear..

I'll look into any possible ways I can help/enable something to help this all to happen!

Wayne

[MikeS]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

Wayne,
I've got a friend that was willing to host a site for me. I'd be willing to give that space up on his server if you need it. PM me and maybe we can hash out details, if needed.

In the meantime, I found this picture of MM on RGJ this morning. Like everyone else, I'm glad no one was hurt.
Thanks to everyone for the great updates! Mike

[Danmilo]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

Here are a couple more shots.

Dan

[TomL]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

I was standing at the ramp fence right next to MM when the bottle blew. I don't think I've ever heard a louder boom. You could feel the concusion more then hear it.

I'm not sure what happened to the starboard panel, but it's not in the pictures that I have. Also, I didn't notice it before but there are a lot of small pieces or dots of something just in front of the tail wheel. Radiator fluid? Paint chips? Bottle or fuse pieces???

One of the ramp security people came by a minute or two after the incident with a 2" piece of fuse he found out on the ramp!

I sure felt sorry for the MM team. They came with such high hopes only to have the mechanical demons stike.

As I was leaving Reno this morning, I saw the fuse being trucked out of Stead heading South on 395. Hard way to head home.

TomL

[MRussell]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

Below is a crummy pic of the exploded tank... I just want to say that even late Sunday evening, as the disassembled (still beautiful) MM was being loaded onto the flatbeds, we walked by and noticed Mr. Eberhardt (Jim) was still taking the time to answer questions from the fans. Naturally, they were all repeat questions for him at this point, several times over, but he didn't seem to mind. Truly a class-act; a consummate sportsman under the worst of conditions.

[Air Race Addict]

Gary Matt and Tom

May I use these pictures to share with my fellow mechanics at Horizon Air to show them the dangers of servicing O2 and/or Nitrogen bottles? I think it's a good reminder........ especially for those who work around this stuff a lot....... it's easy to forget the danger.
Thanks, Bill
P.S. Pictures getting ready to load the wing on Monday afternoon and the damage to the rudder when the tailwheel collapsed.

[Unregistered]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

Help! Can anyone tell me how to send donations for Merlins Magic? Are they setting up something so that donations can be sent. I will never forget during the 1998 Reno Races that Stu took the time to let me sit in his plane and talk to me about flying and racing Merlins Magic. I got about 30 minutes to sit there and soak up all I could about him and this plane. Can you imagine the size of my smile (yes I got some pictures) of this event and still can't believe I got to do it. My first time in a P-51!
Anyways, I can't do much but a little from alot of people goes a long way. Help me if you can.

P.S. I registered as PEE51 but have but heard from the powers that be about posting. Hope it is O.K.

[Merlin's Magic]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

Jim Eberhardt writing -

Writing to thank everyone for the support. Our goal is to get Merlin's Magic racing again in time for Reno 2007.

I am still planning to create a web site. Some have donated some products for sale on the site to raise some funds for the rebuild.

Some have asked to help with an outright donation. That would be terrific of course. Please send any donations to mom:

Marilyn Eberhardt
481 Harper Lane
Danville, CA 94526

Also - please email me at jeberhardt@coastpad.com so I can keep you posted as the rebuild begins and progresses.

[Gary Osif]

Re: Gary Matt and Tom

May I use these pictures to share with my fellow mechanics at Horizon Air to show them the dangers of servicing O2 and/or Nitrogen bottles? I think it's a good reminder........ especially for those who work around this stuff a lot....... it's easy to forget the danger.
Thanks, Bill
P.S. Pictures getting ready to load the wing on Monday afternoon and the damage to the rudder when the tailwheel collapsed.

You're quite welcome to use my shot and thanks for asking. The accident had just occurred and pandemonium was apparent. Hope it can help someone in the future.

Gary

Oh, BTW.......GO SEAHAWKS!!!!

[Pink Panther]

Re: Race 22 Mishap

I stumbled across MustangsMustangs (I think) and accidentally discovered that Merlin's Magic was once owned by a family friend (Frank Berrena) and was based at our local airport (SBP) for a couple of years or so. My dad had the good fortune of riding the jump seat with Frank one time. I remember the Mustang sitting on the ramp quite well. I think it was painted black with gold trim at the time. As I remember, Frank had a close call with the Mustang and sold it soon afterwards. I think that's when it ended up in Haiti. I'm very glad to see that the airplane is back in the USA and in good hands.

Best of luck to you and the crew. Merlin's Magic is a beautiful machine!

Pink Panther