'SPIT & POLISH'...
With 2009's Airshow Season well-underway, and PRS just around the corner - Reno Air Race Week is 'fast-approaching' 
. Race team owners & their crews most certainly have lots of prep-work cut out for themselves, in order to be ready in time for the competition. The planes must be as squared-away as possible, in order to hold-up during the strain of maximum performance operations. Team coordination & efficiency is equally-critical, for both safety & success out on the racecourse. Everyone's job is important, and volunteers are included as essential members of most every air racing team, regardless of racing class.
No matter how well-prepared an air racer may be functionally, good presentation means alot - having a 'racy-looking' paint scheme design, along w/color-coordinated team caps & uniforms is always cool.
Keeping a sweet-lookin' bird clean & waxed, takes plenty of elbow grease & can even help add a couple knots of airspeed for the pilot too. Here's a Reno Air Races photo gallery salute to show some appreciation for all those unsung aircraft detailers at the air races
DBD
Top row (L-R):
1. 'Pretty girls & beautiful planes'-always a winning-combination...Mike Brown's #232 - 'September Fury', receives some family- 'T-L-C'.
2. Warbird maintenance expert & unlimited crewman- Chris Wood 'wipes the eyes' of David Price's big & bold MOF P-47 Thunderbolt.
3. Bob Button's P-51D #55 'Voodoo Chile', gets a 'nose-cleaning'.
4. Owner/pilot Jimmy Leeward works on the windscreen of his venerable Mustang - #9 'Cloud Dancer'.
5. The late & great pilot- Art Vance, looking out from the cockpit of Bill Rogers' Super Sea Fury #15 - 'Furias' for some needed crew assist, after a late Friday corncob engine test run.
Middle row (L-R):
1. Waxing & wiping-down the Planes of Fame #1 Super Corsair - is a really 'BIG' job!
2. Howard Pardue's rare Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat- Race #14, gets lots of crew attention, while Howard signs an autograph or two standing at the plane's L/H wingtip.
3. Veteran air racing crewman- Anton 'Willie' Wilson, giving a good canopy-cleaning to owner/pilot- Tom Camp's classic Grumman FM-2 Wildcat- Race #2 - 'Air Biscuit'.
4. 'Buffin' the blades' - Bill 'Tiger' Destefani's champion heavy-metal thoroughbred Mustang- #7 'Strega', is well-tended inside cush hangar confines at Stead Field.
5. Art Vance gets some crew relief at last in #15 'Furias', after his R-4360 engine test run- "Wipe her off good & let's do it again!"
Bottom row (L-R):
1., 2. & 3. The sun's just about down behind the nearly-vacated Stead Field ramp, but #77 Rare Bear's dressed-up vet crewlady- Chris Rakestraw, is seen still applying finishing touches for a thorough- 'Bear-cleaning'. The 'Great Blade' tip's shine is proof of her fine job.
4. & 5. 'Double-Vision' - Mike Keenum's Gold-class Sea Fury racer- #99 'Riff Raff', shows-off a prop so shiny- you could use it as a shaving mirror, & one of the crew accomodates for a posed photo to illustrate the fact.
. Race team owners & their crews most certainly have lots of prep-work cut out for themselves, in order to be ready in time for the competition. The planes must be as squared-away as possible, in order to hold-up during the strain of maximum performance operations. Team coordination & efficiency is equally-critical, for both safety & success out on the racecourse. Everyone's job is important, and volunteers are included as essential members of most every air racing team, regardless of racing class.No matter how well-prepared an air racer may be functionally, good presentation means alot - having a 'racy-looking' paint scheme design, along w/color-coordinated team caps & uniforms is always cool.
Keeping a sweet-lookin' bird clean & waxed, takes plenty of elbow grease & can even help add a couple knots of airspeed for the pilot too. Here's a Reno Air Races photo gallery salute to show some appreciation for all those unsung aircraft detailers at the air races
DBDTop row (L-R):
1. 'Pretty girls & beautiful planes'-always a winning-combination...Mike Brown's #232 - 'September Fury', receives some family- 'T-L-C'.
2. Warbird maintenance expert & unlimited crewman- Chris Wood 'wipes the eyes' of David Price's big & bold MOF P-47 Thunderbolt.
3. Bob Button's P-51D #55 'Voodoo Chile', gets a 'nose-cleaning'.
4. Owner/pilot Jimmy Leeward works on the windscreen of his venerable Mustang - #9 'Cloud Dancer'.
5. The late & great pilot- Art Vance, looking out from the cockpit of Bill Rogers' Super Sea Fury #15 - 'Furias' for some needed crew assist, after a late Friday corncob engine test run.
Middle row (L-R):
1. Waxing & wiping-down the Planes of Fame #1 Super Corsair - is a really 'BIG' job!
2. Howard Pardue's rare Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat- Race #14, gets lots of crew attention, while Howard signs an autograph or two standing at the plane's L/H wingtip.
3. Veteran air racing crewman- Anton 'Willie' Wilson, giving a good canopy-cleaning to owner/pilot- Tom Camp's classic Grumman FM-2 Wildcat- Race #2 - 'Air Biscuit'.
4. 'Buffin' the blades' - Bill 'Tiger' Destefani's champion heavy-metal thoroughbred Mustang- #7 'Strega', is well-tended inside cush hangar confines at Stead Field.
5. Art Vance gets some crew relief at last in #15 'Furias', after his R-4360 engine test run- "Wipe her off good & let's do it again!"
Bottom row (L-R):
1., 2. & 3. The sun's just about down behind the nearly-vacated Stead Field ramp, but #77 Rare Bear's dressed-up vet crewlady- Chris Rakestraw, is seen still applying finishing touches for a thorough- 'Bear-cleaning'. The 'Great Blade' tip's shine is proof of her fine job.
4. & 5. 'Double-Vision' - Mike Keenum's Gold-class Sea Fury racer- #99 'Riff Raff', shows-off a prop so shiny- you could use it as a shaving mirror, & one of the crew accomodates for a posed photo to illustrate the fact.
Attached Files
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As Wayne said more then twenty(20) years, and man are you guys right. It has been thanks for the memories and more importantly the memories of people. Like Bob Love, Dave, Malinda, Jack Hovey, John Crocker, Miss O, Jerry Ruddy, Denny, Lefty, Lloyd, Mike and Kathy Bogue, Kirch, Dwight and Rose Thorn, the Hintons the Pauls, Milo, Ray Din and the list goes on. 
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