"Precious Metal".....P51D with Mega Monster RR Griffon Engine.....!!!
 

.


Tucked away in the corner of Kissimmee airport is a Hanger in which a hard working dedicated team of people are sweating away in the Florida heat to put a very special P51 back into the air ready for Reno 2011.

This Mustang has flown before......and has crashed before ( Belly landing ) at an earlier Reno race meeting few years back. The airframe has been modified with clipped wings and a re-shaped "streamlined" cockpit. The owner Thom Richard will race her in the Unlimited class this year.

The streamling and engine combination was completed prior to purchase by
the owner. but and a BIG BUT....its what she is being prepaired for now that makes pure Aeroporn and dribble factor....

The Team have taken out the Monster RR Griffon V12 and are now fitting a MEGA MONSTER GRIFFON 57/58 V12 ex Miss Budweiser Racing Boat Fame.....!!!

This engine is (Quote) " Like no other Griffon, modified to the max , fitted with a Huge supercharger and ticks over like a Harley on Methanol "

Good luck to Thom Richard Racing Team for Reno this year, here are a few build picture's........................







What no motor.......?


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000165.jpg


Ah......The Beast............!!

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000162.jpg


Modified "Steamliner Cockpit"..............


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000163.jpg


The Gear in the Rear...............

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000168.jpg


Two are better than one....................!


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000166.jpg


The Beast is Home....................!


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000703.jpg


Suck Squeeze Bang Blow............!


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000704.jpg


Nose Art...........!!!.......................


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000701.jpg


Nearly there.................


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/P1000706.jpg


How she once looked.....................


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...apeimage_2.jpg



You Tube link......In previous Hands....Awsome Sound !!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVWmI1PMUUs

Ive seen alot of project builds being on car forums 1000bhpp toyota supras ect but never an Aircraft one ............ lot of spanner time must have went in to this ............. would love a read at the full thing.


Nice post :D

Awsome Wildboar! What a beast. Couldn't call her a beauty, but she still has the potensial to give me a good hard-on!

sweeeet pics willboar!!!!millions thx to share!!

Tell the truth, I don't like this. Its an abomination. Same reason I don't like the pimped american muscle cars with huge 22" crome wheels and monsterous engines. I like historic originality.

Thanks Guy's..........only a rumor and definately not to be repeated but she is expected to produce 3000+ horse power !! :-P:-P

Blimey...

Yup is true what you say Mr Pope, a classic is a classic , pure and simple , but if you could see the dedication this team put into the work you would be impressed . The wings were from a sold off gate gardian, once very poor condition , the airframe ?... no one really knows apart from built in 1949 from composite parts. The Griffon ..?... saved from the tractor pullin brigade who would blow her up and junk her when she failed in favour of another Griffon to rinse out until they are no more...........:(

This Baby will fly, and fly for the win and the pleasure of the crowd......if I was not scint from my last holiday...I would be packing my tooth brush and mankini just to stand on the flightline at Reno and chear her on ....!! :-P





.

I guess you're right, Taking my nostalgic history hat off I can see it a new way. The P-51 was built for fighting and in a sense that is what this racing plane is still doing. And just as the original Alison engined Mustang mkI was developed and transformed to swich rolls and become the long range escort that was the P-51D, this P-51D has needed to change to take on its new racing roll.

Thanks Wildboar, You've now got me interested. I think now I would watch it too. But mankini? :| :lol:

By the way, What other planes compete in this race?

always been interested in the reno air races. just found out they used to have some great air races not far from me....have investigate and see if its true. i remember as a kid looking thru books at the Bee Gee air racers. built a couple models of them...the design was replicated by many post ww1 and early wwII fighters....does the I 16 come to mind?? airshows are awesome but i think i want to experience a good air race.

Hmmm suppose the mankini would be a bit underdressed....maybe some flip flops too !!! :-P

Lots of classes over the race week, Biplane, F1 class, Jet, T6 (Harvard) class....

Here's a few sample pic's of plane's at Reno "Unlimited" class from recent years .....Enjoy Mr Pope......some you will need your sunglasses !!! :cool:


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate5.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...5620Medium.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/Rotate14.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/Rotate12.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/Rotate11.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...4/Rotate10.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate8.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate3.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate1.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...r44/Rotate.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate6.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate7.jpg

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...44/Rotate2.jpg



And now my all time favourite " RareBear " (Modified Bearcat)ok I admit its a pimp my ride one too far !!!


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...148-i-1280.jpg

WildBoar, thanks for those amazing pics. I never seen airplane racing but I can hear the thundering roarings of the engines from were I'm setting here in Ca.

Man you are so lucky........jump onto Interstate -5 turn right onto I-80 at Sacramento and 430miles later your there Bud !!! :-P


.

sweet pics! thanks....gonna have to make an effort to go see a race in the future.

Pope................ there is some info in here, its been going a few years, and in the article it features(ed) stock WW2 fighters, i think its great thing that guys keep the stock one flying great to see ............ but, as you said aswell not overly keen on the "highly" modified ones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reno_Air_Races


And we did have our own .............. at one point


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_Trophy



A P51 D set a record of 507.1 mph in 2003 and the Supermarine S.6B 407.5 mph in 1931 so not that far off considering the advances in fuel and the S.6B was a sea plane impressive to say the least.

Those Hawker Seafuries haul some serious ass.

Love the Lavochkin as well.

If it means we get to see them (and hear them!) in flight, then I'm all for racing them. One good fly by is worth a thousand museum static displays. Back when I was a teenager (ok, waaaay back) I got to clean the hangar where Dago Red was being built. Never did get to see her race, but the sound she made when the crew ran up that engine was something I'll never forget.

Here's a pic of Dago Red taken in 2006. I've got a couple of me with her taken back in 1980 or 81 if I can figure out how to scan them LoL

That's pretty sexy. Would be a blast to fly, I'm sure.

Couple questions from a writer who failed out of engineering college, how much difference does having two props make? I sort of understand why they spin different directions (spinning same direction would put too much pull on the frame left or right, correct?) but I'm interested to know how they got them spinning two directions on what appears to be one driveshaft.

calling in sick. cough! cough! Reno here I come.

I just developed a soft heart for the SeaFury...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMPdV...eature=related

Should be called December fury, The worlds most powerful set of christmas lights :P

I found a racer that actually looks better than the stock plane.
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../2/1119225.jpg

Used to be a yak11 trainer
http://photosite.pl/aviation/ferte06...ages/02864.jpg


I Really like the Vampire from the Jet class too.
video...http://vimeo.com/27683437
http://www.airventure.de/reno09/prev...et67_T7363.jpg

Fly low. Go fast. Turn left.
 

Indeed, but for me it goes like this: straight on I-80 and 530 miles latter I'm (we) are there. The gear is ready:

DSLR(s) (HD video capable), check
wide angle lens for those close-ups at the pits, check
mid range telephoto for those tight turns, check
Big guy (300 mm), check

Forgive me I just had to pretend I'm a pilot going through preflight checklist for a moment :)

And here is the taste of it for those of you who will not attend the event this year, enjoy:

http://tinyurl.com/4xun84u

Hi Crash...........;)

here is a close up, there are two shaft's, one inside the other, the red arrows are where the two shaft's interface.
http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...10001622-1.jpg


The engineering principle is lost on me, i hope there is someone who can give the techno rundown. Although not applicable to this tuned engine anymore, it came from a Shackleton , the Griffon fitted utilised twin contrarotating props to harness the better torque this engine produced at lower rev's and give the aircraft better range, reliability and ecomony on its long sea going flights.


I asked the question and was told it would produce around 15% more power than a single prop, may not sound much but to go from 400 to 450mph is a massive step and i think it all helps.

I do know that bigger engines need bigger prop's, the Corsair is good example, prop so big that the wings were canted to accomodate it without huge undercart legs. The twin props fitted to Precious Metal are short cropped paddle type and I think it helps reduce frontal area , reduced torque effect, allow's them to spin faster and there is some vortec thing that happens with the second rear prop i dont understand.

hope someone can step in and give the difinitive answer !!! :cool:




.

If Precious Metal gets the build in time, and you are the LUCKY bloke to get to Reno............take some snaps me Amigo !!!! :-P

some of the earliest modified ponies...from back in 45. look mom, no scoops!

http://www.warbirdaeropress.com/articles/race45.html

and sometimes it fly low, turn left, OH $#!T my wing just hit the ground....break and tumble, climb out and and clean your drawers. and you thought nascar or indy car wrecks were exciting???!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...unscathed.html

The main problem with a long prop is that the tips go supersonic, which leads to a tremendous drop in efficiency and an increase in vibration. Even a little Cessna can make the tips go supersonic if you leave the RPM up too high. Twin counter rotating props would theoretically allow for more thrust to be produced at lower tip speeds, but I'm not sure if this would compensate for the added mechanical complexity. Seems like there would be a lot more counter rotating engines around if it really worked as advertised. Gotta admit though, that Griffon is mighty bad assed :cool:

Since we're on the subject of counter rotating props I just had to bring up this little bird. The interesting thing about the TU-95 is that the prop tips are supersonic throughout much of it’s flight envelope, and I’m not sure I understand how that works :-P My guess is that so much thrust is produced by the section of prop that is subsonic that they are willing to put up with the problems associated with supersonic tips. One thing that is certain is that all those sonic booms make the TU-95 one of the LOUDEST aircraft in history.

Pope,

I was there last year................yes they let me into their country..........it was completely AWESOME!

If you ever get a chance, Reno is where its at.

They run several dedicated racing classes.

Warbirds last rear included

P-51's
T-6 Texans
FW 190
Corsair
Tigercat
Bearcat (Rearbear)
Yak 3
Wildcat
Seafury
P-40

etc.........

Update
 

Precious Metal P51XR has taken to the sky's once more....:o

After initial start up's and ground run's.....she flew a few days ago
to a successful air test....:-P

Thursday this week she (He?) will make the trip to Reno Nevada for the
air races beginning with qualification & practice shedule on Sunday 11th Sept

5 sleeps till Christmas then.....!!!! :cool:



Link here for full list of "unlimited" (Big Piston's to me an you ! ) class pilots & plane's...... Check out plane 145..... Yup now thats a class field !!!

http://reports.airrace.org/2011/2011...ft.Report.html




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c55jdENysqI

Kinda sad that Dago Red isn't on the list this year. I understand that Frank Taylor had to sell her again though I hope I'm wrong.

Update
 

Just an update........:)

"Precious Metal" XRP51 Griffon posted a qualifying speed of 399.179mph on the day , which put her at 12th overall for the pairings.;)

The honours went on the day to Modded P51 "Strega" with a stunning new Unlimited piston record of.........:grin: 499.160mph....!!!! :grin:


Precious Metal placed 5th overall in her Heat1A race.......more to follow !

Dadgummitt one of these years I'm gonna make it to Reno !!

A DNF In the heat2B. Did something break?
http://reports.airrace.org/2011/2011...ts.Report.html

Just read about the horrible crash of Galloping Ghost :(

My thoughts are with the people involed.

Reno Air races have been cancelled following the crash of Galloping Ghost.....It is a sad day for all those concerned, from this community our
thoughts and prayers go to those who have lost life and suffered injury.