This year I was not on assignment for AVWeb (they had been bought out and the new owners never answered any of my e-mail asking if they wanted me to cover the races this year or not) so unlike the last three years I could go wander, experiment, and have a more relaxed time than when on assignment.
I used my Nikon F100 and FE to capture all of these photographs using lens from 24mm to 1000mm. I ended up taking 11 rolls of film over the eight days I was there (when on assignment I took 25 or so). Thus these are only a small portion of the 300+ pictures that I took while at Stead Airport.
Plane
without an aileron This air show act features the pilot flying a 1930s
aircraft and deliberately jettisoning an aileron during the air show act.
Energy
Management demonstration similar to Bob Hoovers but using an high wing utility
aircraft from the 1930s. This shows that you do not need to have a running
engine to do aerobatics. From 5,000 over the runway he spent the next 10
minutes gliding down doing rolls, wingovers, stalls and other slow (and
quiet) maneuvers.
An
Alaskan Air National Guard C-130 on takeoff. This Alaskan based C-130
"Hercules" was a daily air show performer in the morning hours. It was used
to haul up the paratroops for their jumps every day.
A
Sea Fury takes to the air for a heat race. There are usually around
five Sea Furys at Reno Racing. Each pilot has a different style when taking
off.
A
pair of At-6 / SNJs fly pass the home pylon during a heat race. This
class is the loudest overall due to the engine and prop combination. Since
all aircraft are so similar the final Gold, Silver and Bronze racers are
so evenly matched that sometimes less than 1/10 of a second is between 1st
and 2nd.
Each day they have a raffle to win a ride in an AT-6 during the races. This year the winner got a treat of a low level pass down the runway after the race ended. I won a ride in 1995 but we did not do that.
A
pair of AT-6s battle it out around turn 8 before going past the home pylon.
Flying close in to the pylons also means close to each other. The first lap around the course is when they are bunched up the most. After three laps they are usually spread out over a mile from the leader to the tail end charlie.
Diving
onto the course out of the chute a gaggle of AT-6's enter the course.
This is how they look coming onto the course doing around 280 MPH while in a dive.
Mary
Dilda awaits the landing of an AT-6 before she can take off in her Two of Hearts.
Traffic control is hectic at Reno Air Races. There is always something going on which means takeoffs and landings always occurring.
Beech
D-18 World War II training aircraft restored to pristine condition.
The static display area at Reno can see rare aircraft on display most every year - and all are flyable since that is how they got there.
IFF
(Bob) picking up supplies in the Pits and transporting them to where they are
needed.
Racing does not always occur on the course. Here Bob helps out some (pretty) women needing a lift from one end of the pits area to the other end. The pits are 1/2 mile from one end to the other. The whole length you can walk from the hangers to the western end of displays is just over 1 and 1/4 mile.
British
1939 long distance racer after a demonstration flight around the pylons.
This aircraft raced from England to South Afrika in 1938 and set many records along the way there and back. Was shipped over to Reno just for this. First time out of the UK since 1939.
Bi-Plane
Jet-Car challenge race.
This year the Air Force is the sponsor of the Jet Car. Each day it raced the bi-plane down 1/4 mile of the runway. It can reach 250 mph easily since it has the same jet engine in it as an F4 Phantom.
Gene
Souchy taxis past the grandstands after one of his performances.
Gene has some incredible aerobatic moves that he can do in this bi-plane. He can lose a few pounds of water during his flights due to the 5 to 9 Gs that he pulls during the routine.
Gene
during a 8 point roll in his bi-plane.
Reno is about the best place to view air show performers. You look North into (usually) blue skies, the sun it at your right, back, or left, no obstructions (well there are a few light poles now) and with grandstand seating the person in front of you will not block your view unless they stand up.
Air
Force Heritage Flight of an A-10 Warthog and a P-51-D named Valhalla
Mixed aircraft flights regularly occur at Reno. F-18s with P-51s, A-10s with P-51s, formation flights and other surprises happen regularly at Reno National Air Races.
Lickety
Split passing by the home pylon during a heat race.
This AT-6/SNJ class racer has one of the most photographed paint schemes around.
Pilot
of an AT-6 name MYT-6 looking around the nose of his aircraft while S turning
on the taxiway.
Taxi prowess is required in WW-II era tail-draggers - you cannot see anything in front at all.
P-51-D
Lady Jo on the landing flair to the east
This side view shows the gear down and the technique needed to make good landings in a Mustang.
P-51-D
Lady Jo taxing back to the pits after racing.
Once down at the far end you have a mile of taxiing to do in order to return to your parking spot in the pits.
P-51-D
Speedball Alice on the taxiway.
Showing the early war color scheme along with invasion stripes used in the ETO this stock Mustang gets into the Bronze races every year.
P-51-D
unlimited racer Voodoo with the cowl off prior to an engine run-up.
No all P-51s are stock. Voodoo is highly modified unlimited racer with a very bright color scheme. You can always pick it out as it comes by doing almost 480 mph.
Static
display area at the Reno National Air Races as seen from the Grandstands.
From the regular grandstands you have a good view up and down the line. The runway slopes down to the west so you cannot see in the pits at all. Only in the reserved seating area can you see the pits.
Yak-9
Engine Run-up showing the prop in a sun-lit arc.
Knowing your camera gear, your film speed, lighting and aircraft engines is a must in order to get images like this. As they increase RPMs you must compensate in the camera to keep the same effect.
A
different view of a Yak-9 during an engine run-up
Engine testing is constant for the unlimited racers. Seldom do you see the need of other aircraft types to check out their engines.
The Russian Yak-9 fighter was one of the best aircraft Russia produced during the Second World War. All metal construction and entering into combat during late 1943 it was equal to and in some cases better than the Bf 109 that it was designed to counter.
A
Stearman painted in Zebra striped pattern.
From down under a Stearman, designed pre-World War II as a primary trainer, is painted with Zebra Stripes and is easily seen in the air.
Hawker
Sea Fury Race 232 September Fury taken in the right after sunrise at
Stead Airport. I got up at 5 AM so I could get there by 6 AM and be ready
to take sunrise pictures in the race pits before the crowds showed up. Carried
around my tripods, flash, two cameras and all my other gear to cover
all lighting possibilities.
Members
of the 52nd-Kiwi Squadron 5 members of the 52nd-Kiwi Squadron, who fly in
the World War II simulation Aces High, at Reno in front of an FM2 Wildcat in
the pits at Reno Races 2003.
The AT-6 Raffle Winner fly by
Yak-9
in a profile view