MustangsMustangs
The North American P-51 Mustang
MustangsMustangs
Reno 1999
Home Bronze Silver Gold
P-51 Mustang at Reno 1999
The Bronze Unlimiteds
story and photos by Curtis Fowles

Don't be fooled into thinking that Bronze is for slow people. Turning laps of 360 mph is not going slow or loafing. Remember these speeds are around a course, not in a straight line. The aircraft is almost always turning at high speed-bleeding, g-pulling bank angles.

Bill Anders in #68 Val Halla qualified at 352 mph but developed a problem on Thursday and Friday. Bob Hannah in #5 Voodoo had to fly the bronze heat on Friday for cutting the deadline on Thursday. He took first in the Friday heat at 379 mph. Bill Anders dnf on lap 1 as well as Bill Rheinschild in Risky Business. Jimmy Leeward in Cloud Dancer finished 2nd, with Stu Eberhardt in Merlins Magic at third. Saturday saw Bill Rheinschild (in his Sea Fury this time) finished first at 385. Stu Eberhardt and Ike Enns, both in P-51s finished 2nd and 3rd.

31bt.jpg 32at.jpg 32bt.jpg 33at.jpg 33bt.jpg 33ct.jpg 33dt.jpg

Final Standings

1st - Vlado Lenoch placed 1st in the Bronze in his "Moonbeam McSwine" Blue-Noser #51 (cool #) at 368.771 mph. He qualified at 363 mph. Very steady and consistent 360's all week.

2nd - Thomas Camp in his Yak #2 "Maniyak" took 2nd at 349 mph. Qualifying speed was 350 mph.

3rd - Alan Preston in the Beacat #204 finished 3rd at 347 mph. He qualified at 366 mph.

4th - John Bagley #47 P-51 placed 4th with a speed of 346 mph. He flies one of the P-51s that Bob Hoover used to fly at airshows around the country, "Ole Yeller". Get up close and you can see that Bob Hoover autographed the rudder. John qualified at 357 mph.

5th - William Anders #68 P-51 Val Halla finished at 329 mph after having troubles during the week. Anders did not finish two of the heat races.

34ct.jpg 34dt.jpg 35bt.jpg 35ct.jpg 36at.jpg 36bt.jpg 37at.jpg IMG0052t.jpg

6th - Sam Richardson #29 in a Yak-11 named Czech Ride, finished at 316 mph. Richardson qualified at 330 mph.

7th - Brant Seghetti in #44 P-51 Sparky finished 7th at 309 mph. He qualified at 324 mph. Seghetti's are some very nice folks, stop by and say hi.

8th - Rob Patterson in "Lady Jo" #81 TF-51 placed 8th with a speed of 300 mph. Earlier he qualified at 323 mph. This TF-51 is based in Southern Cal owned by Mr. Bond.

9th - David Price flew his sand camo P-51 "Cottonmouth" #49 to 9th place finish at 279 mph. He qualifed this P-51 at 336 mph. This is another Southern Cal Mustang and is part of the Santa Monica Museum of Flying.

IMG0053t.jpg IMG0054t.jpg IMG0055t.jpg IMG0069t.jpg IMG0080t.jpg IMG0081t.jpg IMG0082t.jpg IMG0083t.jpg