Unlimited Gold Race by junge1

Photography • Aviation • posted on Jan 30, 2013

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Description

The Unlimited Gold Race is held on Sunday, following a week of qualifying races to determine who competes in the Gold, Silver or Bronze Races. The race is 8 laps over a total distance of 64.3391 miles. Speed is the determining factor. In this picture #232, the Hawker Sea Fury FB II 'September Fury' (lower left) and #77 the Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat 'Rare Bear' (upper right) are passing Pylons #8 and 9. #232 'September Fury' finished 2nd with a time of 8:27.111 and an average speed of 456.746 mph. #232 "September Fury' one lap qualifying time was 01:12.548 and its speed was 402.109 mph. #77 'Rare Bear' DNF. It completed 7 laps and dropped out due to over heating. Additionally it had been penalized 16 seconds for cutting pylon #4 in the 4th lap. #77 'Rare Bear' qualifying time was 00:59.535 and its speed was 490.002 mph. 'Rare Bear' is holding many records, including the 3 km World Speed Record of 528.33 mph (850.26 km/h)set August 21, 1989 and a new time-to-climb record 3,000 m in 91.9 seconds (9,842.4-ft - 6,426 fpm) set in 1972 breaking a 1946 record set in a stock Bearcat. 'Rare Bear' has won the Reno Unlimited Gold Races ten times in the past. Most of the Gold Race competitors exceed 500 mph on the leg of the course that leads to pylons #8 and 9. They fly so fast that the sound they generate barely arrives at the Grand Stands before they do. The most exciting time of the race is when they just about complete the 1st lap (at pylons#8 and 9) and they are all still bunched together. The rumble and growl of these highly modified engines reaches a pitch that is dominated by the sweet sound the Merlin-powered P-51s make. That sound is equivalent to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra playing Strauss at New Years Day. It was just about at this location, passing pylon #9, where the P-51D 'Galloping Ghost' crashed on 16 September 2011. 'Galloping Ghost', a P-51D (P-51-15-NA type), tail number 44-15651 was modified to make it more aerodynamic. The modifications included a Formula One race canopy, a total of 10-ft wing span reduction, removing water and oil radiators from the belly and replacing them with a boil-off cooling system. The horizontal tail was also reduced in span. The modifications were described as radical, all to improve aerodynamics. NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) findings: Deteriorated parts caused the crash, resulting in structural failure of the trim tab system. NTSB estimated that 'Galloping Ghost' had reached speeds of 530 mph - 40 miles faster than previously- and that at the time of the left trim tab failure he was traveling at 490 mph. This failure caused the aircraft to pitch up, creating an estimated 17G Force rendering the pilot unconscious. The aircraft went inverted and crashed into a box seating area in front of the grandstands. The impact killed the pilot, 10 spectators, and injured a further 69. The impact created a 2-ft deep hole in the ramp concrete designed to handle heavy Air Force cargo aircraft. This picture was taken on 16 September 2012, Sig...

Comments (34)

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mickeyrony

2:32PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

A lovely moment to contemplate those birds... Great pic again ((5++))

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Cyve

2:39PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Wonderfully done as alway !!!

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anmes

3:29PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Great capture

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rocdan

3:49PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

superb capture

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tigertim

4:16PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Cool photo.. rare bear looks pretty cool.. love the scheme.. by the look of the Fury with a 4 blade prop.. no longer has a bristol hercules engine!

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junge1

4:18PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Most of these racers are highly modified - engine, prop and other items!

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UVDan

4:28PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Superb shot and commentary!

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auntietk

4:32PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Great capture!! I'd probably get the tail as it zoomed out of frame. LOL! Nicely done!

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bmac62

4:33PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Super snapshot of these two roaring around. 1/500th got you some prop blur as it should. Thanks for the NTSB findings...I never followed up to find out what went tragically wrong in 2011.

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flavia49

5:15PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

splendid shot

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sandra46

5:56PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

SPLENDID WORK!

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Faemike55

6:49PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Cool capture thanks for the information

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jocko500

7:57PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

wonderful shot

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Richardphotos

8:46PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

I recall hearing about the accident. he went out doing what he loves. I like the information and a superb capture of the action

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Isabelle711

10:48PM | Wed, 30 January 2013

Awesome action image. :)))))) Love the rolling hills. :))))) Most excellent capture my friend. :)))) Thank you for sharing all of the beauty you see. :)))) Carry A Warm Smile In Your Heart :)))))

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