BiffBallbag ... Ballbag Dude, These airplanes race in the Unlimited class. "Unlimited" means just that. Except for the restriction of being propeller driven, the contestants have only to adhere to a few rules, mostly for the safety of pilot, crews, and the public. There are racing rules that specify what constitutes the race course, a fair start and finish for instance, and rules governing pylon cuts, low flying, and other unsafe practices. The pilots and the airplanes are also subject to the same Federal air regulations that the rest of us are. But for the most part, the racers can be heavily modified without restriction as to airframe and powerplant (piston engines only). To answer your question, the easiest path to the Unlimited class is to modify an existing airframe, and when this sport started there were a lot more WWII fighters around than today. But any type including specially designed types are permitted. During the golden age of aviation (the 1920's and 30's) most air racers were "one-off" designs. I can only recall one or two of this type in modern times... "The Pond Racer". It was a ground-up purpose built racer, twin boom fuselage, and twin Toyota turbo charged car engines. Unfortunately, it and its pilot were lost during practice at Reno. "Tsunami" was built from scratch as a pure race machine, with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine. It was lost when the tail wheel hooked a wire whilst landing during a ferry flight. peace-out..Tc
Pond Racer used Electromotive built Nissan VG30s. Miss Ashley II was also a scratch built racer. Tsunami was lost when it rolled on approach being ferried home from Reno. The Unlimited class itself has been dead since 2013 and it was replaced with the Unlimited Warbird class. The only rules they're really restricted to outside of the ones you mentioned are a minimum of 4500 lbs. dry, the capability of handling 6 Gs, and the rules you mentioned.
Unfortunately these races have become less of a race and more of just a show. Please don't take this wrong or that I don't like these races...I love them. But the difference in speed from the winner to say 3rd place is like 50 mph +. Pretty much the only factor is attrition. Too many planes are just not competitive and too few a planes are left to compete.
In a balanced turn, the aircraft are not truly vertical, so there is still a component of lift upwards that balances gravitational force downwards. The degree of bank achievable depends on the speed of the aircraft, due to the component of lift from the wings being proportional to the forward speed of the aircraft. A novice Pilot will always keep an eye on his Turn & Slip Indicator during a turn to apply rudder and aileron inputs as is necessary to maintain a balanced turn. However, experienced/expert Pilots will tend to do this instinctively by "feel" of the aircraft, much as top Car & Motorcycle racers do in their respective fields and probably aren't even aware that they are doing it.
Fastdags Good answer with one extra proviso, the upward lift component is proportional to the speed of the aircraft, angle of bank AND angle of attack as controlled by elevator input, which has the effect of both tightening the turn and/or increasing height depending on the combination of both angles.
Yes, there were three in this race, the red and white one called Strega, the silver/yellow one with the contra rotating prop called Precious Metal, and the red, white and blue one called Miss America.
I would imagine that octane ratings of fuels would have improved and wonder if water or alcohol injection was or is used to improve performance. certainly lubricant technology has gone ahead in leaps and bounds since WW2.
Nope the fuel they need is only produced for the race and cannot be had anywhere else. Alcohol no benefit. Water was used way back when. Not sure it is here.
***** You can buy race gas at any race track, and most small airports. If you aren't in a close proximity to a track anyone can order it direct from most performance suppliers like summit or jegs. Water and alcohol injection is still used very prevalently today in piston engines, the subaru WRX STi for example. I dont know where you are getting your information. BTW, octane rating hasn't changed for the better since WW2, its gotten worse.
FSX test realist mode Reno with Mustang p51 ! It's Hard ! In real ? Ooops ! ... For example to see the check point... NB: 6Th FSX test maxi real mode ... + penality... Try it !
I wonder why they do not put these beastley engines in a smaller lighter aircraft, it seems our technology could get more speed, than these WW11 planes.
I was there that day, and filmed all of this, but your video is better than mine :) rock on dude! Strega did 508mph for the win.....P-51!
Gonna miss stead….
Awesome Video! Great quality, thanks for sharing it with us!
Hi Tim,
The song is called 'Pulse' by Dudio, found on dudiodotcom
No, Tiger retired after his win in 2008, Steve Hinton Jr. took over the rains and dominated for the next 4 years.
Exciting stuff! Thanks for posting.
AWESOME! Thanks for posting!!
great videos mate, keep up the good work!
Nice work Jason
Awesome beautiful planes.
I dont know anything about stunt planes, are these all custom one off designs or are they based off WW2 fighters?
They are all fighters from WWII.
Most are
BiffBallbag ... Ballbag Dude, These airplanes race in the Unlimited class. "Unlimited" means just that. Except for the restriction of being propeller driven, the contestants have only to adhere to a few rules, mostly for the safety of pilot, crews, and the public. There are racing rules that specify what constitutes the race course, a fair start and finish for instance, and rules governing pylon cuts, low flying, and other unsafe practices. The pilots and the airplanes are also subject to the same Federal air regulations that the rest of us are. But for the most part, the racers can be heavily modified without restriction as to airframe and powerplant (piston engines only).
To answer your question, the easiest path to the Unlimited class is to modify an existing airframe, and when this sport started there were a lot more WWII fighters around than today. But any type including specially designed types are permitted. During the golden age of aviation (the 1920's and 30's) most air racers were "one-off" designs. I can only recall one or two of this type in modern times...
"The Pond Racer". It was a ground-up purpose built racer, twin boom fuselage, and twin Toyota turbo charged car engines. Unfortunately, it and its pilot were lost during practice at Reno.
"Tsunami" was built from scratch as a pure race machine, with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine. It was lost when the tail wheel hooked a wire whilst landing during a ferry flight.
peace-out..Tc
Pond Racer used Electromotive built Nissan VG30s. Miss Ashley II was also a scratch built racer. Tsunami was lost when it rolled on approach being ferried home from Reno. The Unlimited class itself has been dead since 2013 and it was replaced with the Unlimited Warbird class. The only rules they're really restricted to outside of the ones you mentioned are a minimum of 4500 lbs. dry, the capability of handling 6 Gs, and the rules you mentioned.
BiffBallbag they take WWII fighters and modify them for racing, new engines, clipped wings are popular modifications made to the aircraft
Unfortunately these races have become less of a race and more of just a show. Please don't take this wrong or that I don't like these races...I love them. But the difference in speed from the winner to say 3rd place is like 50 mph +. Pretty much the only factor is attrition. Too many planes are just not competitive and too few a planes are left to compete.
Often wondered how they hold height in a "bank" as you would not appear to get lift, is it done by holding slight right rudder?
In a balanced turn, the aircraft are not truly vertical, so there is still a component of lift upwards that balances gravitational force downwards. The degree of bank achievable depends on the speed of the aircraft, due to the component of lift from the wings being proportional to the forward speed of the aircraft.
A novice Pilot will always keep an eye on his Turn & Slip Indicator during a turn to apply rudder and aileron inputs as is necessary to maintain a balanced turn. However, experienced/expert Pilots will tend to do this instinctively by "feel" of the aircraft, much as top Car & Motorcycle racers do in their respective fields and probably aren't even aware that they are doing it.
Fastdags Ok, thanks for that.
Fastdags
Good answer with one extra proviso, the upward lift component is proportional to the speed of the aircraft, angle of bank AND angle of attack as controlled by elevator input, which has the effect of both tightening the turn and/or increasing height depending on the combination of both angles.
Those planes are so cool.
What is the music at the front end of the vid?
Great video, thanks for posting.
Great...thanks for the info.
great video!!
Are these all vintage aircraft from the war or remakes/scale models, I think their real though
exiarules yeah they take WWII airframes, and modify them for air racing.
great planes!
Only two rules: Go fast & turn left!
Mustangs are V12, you can't be and inline engine and a V-cylander arrangment at the same time.
Thank you sir
Did Bill Destefani not fly??
BEST!
3 Mustangs, 3 Sea Furies, 1 Bearcat.
are there mustangs in there?
Yes, there were three in this race, the red and white one called Strega, the silver/yellow one with the contra rotating prop called Precious Metal, and the red, white and blue one called Miss America.
Never seen a contra-rotating prop on a Mustang before...does he run a Merlin or a Griffon in that aeroplane, does anyone know?
Griffin. The Merlin rotated one prop and the Griffin had the gear box for two props.
Aeroplanes go fast.
Matt Lawrence: How many mustangs had radials ? Christ if your going to comment at least get informed.
I would imagine that octane ratings of fuels would have improved and wonder if water or alcohol injection was or is used to improve performance. certainly lubricant technology has gone ahead in leaps and bounds since WW2.
Nope the fuel they need is only produced for the race and cannot be had anywhere else. Alcohol no benefit. Water was used way back when. Not sure it is here.
***** Ok, thanks for that.
***** You can buy race gas at any race track, and most small airports. If you aren't in a close proximity to a track anyone can order it direct from most performance suppliers like summit or jegs. Water and alcohol injection is still used very prevalently today in piston engines, the subaru WRX STi for example. I dont know where you are getting your information.
BTW, octane rating hasn't changed for the better since WW2, its gotten worse.
john brown the guy couldn't be more incorrect in his statement
BiffBallbag I suppose taking the lead out has inhibited octane development.
FSX test realist mode Reno with Mustang p51 ! It's Hard ! In real ? Ooops ! ... For example to see the check point... NB: 6Th FSX test maxi real mode ... + penality... Try it !
opupenno!
I wonder why they do not put these beastley engines in a smaller lighter aircraft, it seems our technology could get more speed, than these WW11 planes.
Fred Taylor One word, MONEY!
air race guys, rich chepskates
Fred Taylor yep.
AFAIK it's a Rolls Royce Griffin
8:45
Griffon.
grumman bearcat😙