Shawn Time machine

[Shawn Aro]

[RAD2LTR]

I like the shark mouth on Cloud Dancer. That is a cool shot.

Will

[Jan]

That's probably 1978... or maybe 1979. Jimmy had changed the name of the airplane from "Miss Florida" to "Cloud Dancer" in 1978. Some people probably know why but maybe some don't. It carried its new name because Jimmy was among the pilots hired for the Hollywood film, "Cloud Dancer". It starred David Carradine as "Brad Randolph", a competition aerobatic pilot. There's more to the plot but not much... I think the flying scenes were pretty decent.

Jimmy flies his Mustang in the film. Also flying were Charlie Hilliard, Tom Poberezny, Gene Soucy and Leo Loudenslager. Most of the filming was done in Arizona in early 1978 but the film didn't come out until 1980.

The paint scheme was a little over the top but not bad. Shawn's dad took lots of good photos of Cloud Dancer. So did Neal, including some nice stuff from Miami in 1979. Got any of that stuff handy Neal?

[Shawn Aro]

Yes it was 1979

[GRNDP51]

That's probably 1978... or maybe 1979. Jimmy had changed the name of the airplane from "Miss Florida" to "Cloud Dancer" in 1978. Some people probably know why but maybe some don't. It carried its new name because Jimmy was among the pilots hired for the Hollywood film, "Cloud Dancer". It starred David Carradine as "Brad Randolph", a competition aerobatic pilot. There's more to the plot but not much... I think the flying scenes were pretty decent.

Jimmy flies his Mustang in the film. Also flying were Charlie Hilliard, Tom Poberezny, Gene Soucy and Leo Loudenslager. Most of the filming was done in Arizona in early 1978 but the film didn't come out until 1980.

The paint scheme was a little over the top but not bad. Shawn's dad took lots of good photos of Cloud Dancer. So did Neal, including some nice stuff from Miami in 1979. Got any of that stuff handy Neal?

Did one of the Poberezny members race Paul I that year? Didn't realize that plane ever raced.

[Jan]

Paul Poberezny raced in 1978 - not in "Paul I" but in "Lou IV" for Tom Kelley. Interestingly, Leeward raced the airplane too that year. Poberezny flew "Paul I" out to Reno in 1979 but failed to qualify. However, Poberezny did race "Paul I" in Unlimited competition in 1979 - at the Miami International Air Races (my Dad ran them). He raced the airplane in two Medallion heats, finishing 2nd in the first at 302 mph and last in the second heat. He actually crossed the finish line in 3rd at 301 mph but was dropped to 7th for cutting pylon 5 on lap 3.

[wingman]

I quite liked the paint scheme, at the time. The Mustang does not take well to a sharkmouth, but I think this is the best I've seen. It all made for a pretty flashy racing paint job.

[wingman]

issues

[wingman]

There was text for those Miami shots, but the website software ate it. There was another message after that one and the software ate it too. I'm struggling a bit with image posting here.

[wingman]

Pope Paul's airplane actually was raced several times during the 1970s by Bob Love. This was an original customized executive Cavalier buildup built for Frank Christenson of Christen Eagle fame. Bob operated it for several years, and as well as racing it did a spectacular aerobatic routine with it. It went to Poberezny and the EAA in a complex trade and sale involving two Mustangs and a wonderful Canadair Orenda powered F-86.

[wingman]

At Homestead. There was great light on those humid mornings.

[Jan]

That's good stuff Neal. Shot before the era of immediately being able to see what you captured with slightly less capable equipment - at least in some ways. Nevertheless, one could do a lot with a Nikon F, FM2, etc.

I really like the perspective on the shot above out in front of "Paul I" and "Cloud Dancer". The photo on the course is terrific, like the image with just Cloud Dancer as well... you can see the little clouds popping out behind the name more readily and the shot on the runway is fantastic too. Love the black and white...

Where were you standing when you shot that runway pic? It's another interesting perspective.

Bob Love showed up with the Mustang above, "Grey Fox", in 1973 after not having raced at Reno since 1964 when he had been fastest but lost to Mira Slovak due to the point system used that first year. A gent named Jerry Brassfield who owned Golden Products Company sponsored Love in a two-Mustang team for 1973. Grey Fox was the slow airplane. The "Oogahonk Special" was the fast 51. Jim Larsen, Dwight Thorn and Jack Hovey were involved. Love qualified Oogahonk in second position at 423.02 mph behind Lyle in 7-1/4% Special who set a new qualifying record at 426.60 mph.

Lyle and Bob had a very good battle in the championship race on Sunday. Lyle won, capturing his first championship. Love put Grey Fox in the tail end of the field in qualifying second to last.

1973 was a really interesting year for a lot of reasons throughout the racing classes. Delve into the history if you have time. In the Unlimited class names like John Crocker and Ken Burnstine popped up for the first time... Crocker in the Mustang "Miss Francis" and Burnstine in "Suzi Q".

Leroy Penhall was there and that time a young Steve Hinton was part of his gang.....

[wingman]

Thank you, Jan. Photography was indeed different 40 years ago.

That landing shot of Cloud Dancer was done from the Pylon 1 of the time. The pylon was inside the intersection of the two main runways -- a really unique place! Things were pretty relaxed there -- I knew the pylon judges and the pylon was not popular with photographers so we could move around the location, and work within 100 feet or so of the runway. It was a fun place in poor weather or late in the day. My all time favourite Bob Hoover shot was done from there too.

The question for the Hoover shot is: What was Bob doing on the course right in front of Dan Martin during a race? Dan would have been at least 100mph faster and is less than half a straightaway behind Bob. Did he just pass?

[Shawn Aro]

[Shawn Aro]