Another Wingman quiz

[TWD]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

So Ken built up Kitchen Pass as pretty much a direct copy of Tinkertoy. It is an SNJ-5 vs HVD II, but in general the race mods are all on it. Last time I checked, Kitchen Pass needs 3 more inches of MAP to keep up when in formation. Meaning if Tinkertoy is 24 inches, KP is at 27. Same RPM of course. This is in stock trim. This can make life difficult when Dad leads the formation (he only flies Tinkertoy), he likes to run a lot of power and it is hard to keep up. I have to call him at least once per flight to "give me a couple of inches".
One thing that engine builder Larry Klassen always said was that the engine on Tinkertoy was the strongest of all the ones that he built for Eddie, Al, John Moore and Us. He didn't know why as he built them all the exact same way. He used to run them on a test stand at his shop with a fixed pitch prop, so he could quote the RPM that each engine achieved.
After we finished building it, I raced Kitchen Pass the first time. I landed after qualifying and Ken was pissed. He was disappointed with my qualifying time and was convinced it was my fault (not his new airplane). I told him that I was quite sure that was all the speed that thing had at the time. Someone can check, but I recall that he raced it the next year and it went about the same speed. He finally forgave me after that.
A friend of mine has been flying KP for a year or so now. KP is the only T-6 he has ever flown. I am planning to put him in the front seat of Tinkertoy this spring to get his opinion on the differences between the two.
TJ
PS - Dad says he misses Birgitta too.

Tom -- Gary always said #97 (the future Tinkertoy) was special, and that he really didn't know why it was quite fast even with pretty stock power. It was built up pretty much as a racer, as Kitchen Pass was thirty years later. How do the two airplanes compare today, in level flight at comparable power?

Here's the future Tinkertoy on the course at Reno 1977.

Tell your Dad Hello for us. Tell him Birgitta misses him.

Neal

[wingman]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

More than that, I think. It turned up painted at one of the Mojave races, so maybe as early as 1978.

[TWD]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

So much of the paint job is 37 years old. Wow.
TJ

The airplane that became Tinkertoy had a number of lives before Tom Dwelle. Here in 1983 it's the pace plane, taking newbies out for a practice race. Jerry was not part of the formation -- we were on a different mission (which led to a couple of widely published images -- a posthumous thank you to Jerry MacDonald for that little flight). We had gas, and Jerry heard over the radio that the practice race was happening and we went over to get a couple of photographs. I don't think we were as close as this looks -- racers always are the priority and don't need distraction...

Neal

[wingman]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Thunderbolt had my all time favourite T-6 paint scheme. Not authentic for a T-6 at all, but it really was a good looking airplane.

Neal

[wingman]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

The airplane that became Tinkertoy had a number of lives before Tom Dwelle. Here in 1983 it's the pace plane, taking newbies out for a practice race. Jerry was not part of the formation -- we were on a different mission (which led to a couple of widely published images -- a posthumous thank you to Jerry MacDonald for that little flight). We had gas, and Jerry heard over the radio that the practice race was happening and we went over to get a couple of photographs. I don't think we were as close as this looks -- racers always are the priority and don't need distraction...

Neal

[Racer 18]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Yes, we still have Tinkertoy. It is our Smoker. We make a point of flying it over the local parades. Dad is king of burning the smoke oil. He still flies it regularly although he is 83, so my brother, sister and i bought him an Aeronca L3 to continue his flying antics after he gets cut off from flying Tinkertoy.
A friend just finished restoring a stock T-6. Took him for a ride and he could not believe how fast it is. I would reckon that any T-6 that won the gold race over the years is plenty fast compared to a stocker. The paint is getting a little tired as much of it hasn't been painted since before we bought it in 87. Critical Mass is getting painted as I type this, so maybe Ken will decide that we need to go thru it. He is the driver of our project list.
As a side note, Dennis Sanders told me last month that Tinkertoy was the first T-6 he ever soloed. Gary owned it at that time.
TJ
PS Fence Sence is correct. Tinkertoy and Kitchen Pass are part of the stable.

TJ,
Great to see the Dwelle family is prospering. Flew my last race in '94, with you as #1 and myself #3 in Silver. Always enjoyed flying and racing with the Dwelle's. Fond memories of a demo race at Abbotsford, BC and flying home night formation with your dad, Eddie Van Fossen, Al Goss and myself. Sold my T6 about 10 years ago and upgraded to an RV6. Please say hello to the family.
Randy
Thunderbolt #18 (ret.)

[wingman]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Tom -- Gary always said #97 (the future Tinkertoy) was special, and that he really didn't know why it was quite fast even with pretty stock power. It was built up pretty much as a racer, as Kitchen Pass was thirty years later. How do the two airplanes compare today, in level flight at comparable power?

Here's the future Tinkertoy on the course at Reno 1977.

Tell your Dad Hello for us. Tell him Birgitta misses him.

Neal

[TWD]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Yes, we still have Tinkertoy. It is our Smoker. We make a point of flying it over the local parades. Dad is king of burning the smoke oil. He still flies it regularly although he is 83, so my brother, sister and i bought him an Aeronca L3 to continue his flying antics after he gets cut off from flying Tinkertoy.
A friend just finished restoring a stock T-6. Took him for a ride and he could not believe how fast it is. I would reckon that any T-6 that won the gold race over the years is plenty fast compared to a stocker. The paint is getting a little tired as much of it hasn't been painted since before we bought it in 87. Critical Mass is getting painted as I type this, so maybe Ken will decide that we need to go thru it. He is the driver of our project list.
As a side note, Dennis Sanders told me last month that Tinkertoy was the first T-6 he ever soloed. Gary owned it at that time.
TJ
PS Fence Sence is correct. Tinkertoy and Kitchen Pass are part of the stable.

Hello Tom. Do you all still have Tinkertoy? That was always a great airplane -- I remember when it first turned up at Mojave in the '70s with Gary Meermans. How many T-6s does the family have these days?

Neal

[Fence Sence]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Pic of Mr. Awesome’s vert stab...

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showt...-metal-freebie

[Fence Sence]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Hello Tom. Do you all still have Tinkertoy? That was always a great airplane -- I remember when it first turned up at Mojave in the '70s with Gary Meermans. How many T-6s does the family have these days?

Neal

Last time I was down there they had Tinker Toy and Kitchen Pass.

[Plane Nuts]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Post a pic of the vertical fin from Mr. Awsome please.

[wingman]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

Hello Tom. Do you all still have Tinkertoy? That was always a great airplane -- I remember when it first turned up at Mojave in the '70s with Gary Meermans. How many T-6s does the family have these days?

Neal

[TWD]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

My first year at Reno was 1987. Dad bought a T-6 and we went racing. Never got to be a fan and then work my way onto a race crew. Just saw life from the pits right from the get go. I am very thankful to have been there during the boom times. Simply some amazing people and machines!
PS - it all came flooding back a few years ago when I saw the original Vertical fin from Mr Awsome in a dessert boneyard. I could not have told you the color or the race number, but when I caught a glimpse of it, there was no doubt what it was. I texted a picture to my father as my own Wingman Quiz and he ID'd it with no hesitation.
PPS - it fits inside a Subaru Outback.

I think 1988 will always be looked at as the Zenith at Reno for pretty much all the classes. Speeds have gotten higher, but I'm not sure you ever had more competitive, full fields all the way around.

As I've said before, I'm glad I lived it.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

In 1988 who could not be enthralled by the Unlimiteds? Qualifying alone was exciting because you knew, and the pilots knew, that several teams that had worked and suffered to get there would not even get to race because there were several more racers than available slots. Sunday's Gold Race was all supermodifieds. It was a remarkable time. But there were 40 or more other airplanes in the other classes that worked just as hard to get there and make the show. I've been telling people for many years now that much of the best racing at Reno was in the IF1 and Biplane ranks. Some amazing people too.

I'm always glad when these folks get some of the attention they deserve.

Neal

I think 1988 will always be looked at as the Zenith at Reno for pretty much all the classes. Speeds have gotten higher, but I'm not sure you ever had more competitive, full fields all the way around.

As I've said before, I'm glad I lived it.

[wingman]

Re: Another Wingman quiz

In 1988 who could not be enthralled by the Unlimiteds? Qualifying alone was exciting because you knew, and the pilots knew, that several teams that had worked and suffered to get there would not even get to race because there were several more racers than available slots. Sunday's Gold Race was all supermodifieds. It was a remarkable time. But there were 40 or more other airplanes in the other classes that worked just as hard to get there and make the show. I've been telling people for many years now that much of the best racing at Reno was in the IF1 and Biplane ranks. Some amazing people too.

I'm always glad when these folks get some of the attention they deserve.

Neal