Do you know your history? (part XXIV)

WacoFan

Bigly
Tell me who -

Planes:
  1. Three time national aerobatic champion.
  2. Twice the holder of the altitude record for light planes.
  3. One time holder of the piston speed record over 3km closed course in a P-51.
Land:
  1. Drove over 300MPH on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a jet car.
  2. Holder of three land speed record at the Daytona Beach Road Course
  3. Set a transcontinetal speed record.
Stunted boats on the side and was a very succesful GM executive.

Member:
  • Florida Sports Hall of Fame
  • International Motorsports Hall of Fame
  • NASCAR International Automotive Hall of Fame
  • International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame
  • Corvette Hall of Fame
  • International Council of Airshows Foundation Hall of Fame
  • National Aviation Hall of Fame
  • Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
 
1485-a.bmp
 
Bingo!

And, I completely missed Hartzell too.

Betty Skelton was a bad ass. Not to hard on the eyes either.
Here she is after flying the P-51 to 421MPH over a 3km course. She weighed 98 lbs.
BettySkelton.jpg


Here she is jumping a boat:
bettyskeltonboatjump.jpg


and Lil Stinker - her Pitts:
lilStinker.jpg
 
She was indeed an impressive lady! As soon as I saw the skunk I knew what I did wrong. I never knew she was a GM executive!
 
If I've got my facts right on this, that airplane had gotten in pretty sad shape a few years back. Some organization, EAA maybe?, brought it to Conway Ark., and had the guys there rebuild it to new specs just like it was when she flew it. I think it's in either the EAA or Smithsonian now, if I've got this straight.

Also Waco, The shop mentioned is also the shop that built Jimmy Franklins Waco up for him. I saw it up there several times and it really looked crazy after he hung the jet between the gear legs.
 
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