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"Argonaut", the Hawker Sea Fury
of the well known Sanders -Brothers with it`s own tractor, the "Tugnaut" |
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Race #11 "Miss America", Air
Racing legend and one of the fastest racers of the Unlimited Silver Class this year
equipped for the first time with a modified racing RR-Merlin engine. |
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A legend is back - Lyle Shelton`s F-8F
Bearcat, which made it`s last appearance in 1999, was longingly awaited by the fans. Lyle
Shelton won 6(six) titles in the unlimited class and John Penney the seventh in 1994.. |
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Tender loving care for "Miss A"
- such a multi million dollar baby needs a really complete service... |
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The "Rare Bear" is plagued with
the same two problems for several years: engine failures and missing sponsors. Here the
two engineers of the team are sharing their knowledge... |
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Nothing can be achieved withour teamwork
- the whole Miss America Air Racing Crew around Dr. Brent Hisey (kneeling without a hat). |
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...but even when the team worked until
late at night they didn`t manage to get Race #77 ready for the qualifying. So we have to
hope for 2003... |
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Preparations for an engine test run of
the Yak-11 "Miss Trinidad". This modified unlimited Racer is flown by Thomas
Camp. |
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Yes Jim - you will have to use all
of this roll of kitchen paper if you want to completly polish the Sea Fury. And
where was the rest of the team??? |
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Nightshift for the welder of the team
"Risky Business". It was the last season for the fast P-51 of Bill Rheinschild. |
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Jimmy Leeward's P-51 "Cloud
Dancer" stood almost all of the time alone in the pits - there simply were no
considerable problems. |
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The only Rolly Royce "Griffon"
in the competition - Ron Buccarelli`s "Precious Metal", truely one of the most
glamorous aircrafts of the Unlimited Class. Also remarkable: the contrarotating double
propellers. |
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Also Bob Button's heavily modified P-51
"Voodoo" ran precisely like a clockwork. So Pilot Matt Jackson flew his rounds
to sit afterwards quite relaxed between his "jobless" crew in the pits. |
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Also in this year bad luck for the
favourite "Strega": in the qualifying the lower part of the engine cover flew
away - not altogether harmless at 470 MPH. |
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Every year the same picture - in the pit
of the "Dago Red", which celebrated it´s fourth title in 2002, a lot of work
was done through day and night. |
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Ron Buccarelli (left) und Bill
"Tiger" Destafani, Pilot and owner of the "Strega" #7 discuss the
incident. |
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And compared with the unlimited class
that had all their pits under the open sky - as the Yak3"K.G.Bee"... |
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Some nightshifts had to follow for the
team and the volunteers of the other teams because the engine of the six times champion
had to be completely striped down... |
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...all of the competitors of the Biplane,
Formula 1 and Sports Class had to arrange themselves in 2 hangars... |
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...and it also showed the willingness to
work during the following engine tests but due to some remaining technical problems Bill
"Tiger" Destefani and his P-51 couldn´t fly in the final. |
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...even when on the first impression it
doesn`t look too spacious - it`s ok as long as there are no more coming. |
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A lot earlier hit the fate Tom Dwelle and
his "Critical Mass". Caused by a defective undercarriage the once in northern
Germany deployed Sea Fury fell on it`s body while taxiing - the end for another
favourite. |
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Here the Team "Outrageous"
offers a glance underneath the cowling. All Formula 1 aircraft are powered by the
same type of engine - a Continental O-200 with 100hp. |
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And also the extremly modified Yak-11
"Czech Mate" had to face severe problems. Through a failure of the prop
adjustment the engine overwound and for a seriuos engine check of any damages wasn`t
enough time left. |
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Also the T-6 Class is lined up in
formation on the apron of Stead Airfield. |
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