Air Biscuit - a photo on Flickriver

Air Biscuit

            Folks who have been around air racing for a while might see something in this image that will stir their curiosity.  I refer, of course, to the wheel chocks emblazoned with, "Sumthin' Else."

Sumthin' Else was a highly modified and mighty fast P-51 back in the late 1970s.  Owned by John Crocker of San Mateo, CA, she was unquestionably one of the fastest racers on the course - capable of pushing anyone upto, and then past their limit.  

On a warm afternoon in the middle of September, 1979, Crocker and a young pilot in his mid twenties named Steve Hinton were dueling it out at Reno in Sumthin' Else and Red Baron, The fastest piston driven airplane in the world at the time.  Both were turning in laps of well over 400 MPH (record speeds at the time), when suddenly on the last lap Red Baron slowed down dramatically and Sumthin' Else rocketed into the lead.  

Screaming past the finish line Sumthin' Else won the race.  Moments later a VERY sick sounding Red Baron gurgled by, descended behind the drop off at the end of Runway 8, and crashed, sending up a huge ball of fire on impact.

A short while later it was announced to the crowd that Steve Hinton had been killed in the crash - a proclamation that turned out to have been false and thus premature - Hinton had been thrown clear of the explosion on impact, and though badly injured, was very much alive.

A few years later Sumthin' else was also involved in an accident.  The damage was severe and required significant rebuilding.  The rebuild plan restored the plane not to her racing status but to that of F-51.  It is part of a collection in Switzerland last I saw.

But someone has her chocks - and puts them on display every year at Reno!

P9202054

Taken in: United States / Nevada / Reno Stead Airport (show map)

Taken on: September 20, 2009

Tags:

Blue Angels

Mustang

P-51

Rare Bear

Reno Air Races

Reno national championship

Sea Fury

Strega

TZW

U.S. Air Force

air racing

airshow

airshows

fat albert

flying

fun

motorsports

navy

outdoors

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Sets appears in: • 50 Plus • Reno Air Races 2009

Groups appears in: • Flying • Four Thirds Users more » • WW II • Aeronautical • Warbirds • Flight • Airplanes • Olympus Users • Reno Air Races and Airshow • Flying Machines • WWII Fighters 1935-1945 • We Love Airplanes • Olympus E-3 • Aviation Group: Aircraft Lovers!!!!!! • The Airplane Group • AVIATION NUT CASES • WARPLANESPOTTING • Aviation Photography Group • Airplanes: Nose Shots • Aviation Photography is NOT a Crime! • ARTY AVIATION • Art' Flying Machines • ALL AVIATION PHOTOS « less

Camera: Olympus E-3, f/16.0, 1/80 sec, 185mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Olympus E-3
Lens:	90.0-250.0 mm f/2.8
Aperture:	f/16.0
Exposure Time:	0.013 sec (1/80)
Focal Length:	185mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	On, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Shutter speed priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh
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