Longing for the ‘golden age’ of air travel? Be careful what you wish for

^ That’s a nice looking navy fighter

#wehadherfirst
One of the fastest piston powered airplanes ever. Lyle spent a lot of time flying Skyraiders off of carriers during the Viet Nam era, If you have any interest in this nonsense Dell Rourks book, "Racing For The Gold" has a lot of history but it doesn't really give context or nuance (perhaps intentional?) to everything and everyone. It's a good history with an obvious bias towards Lyle because he and Dell were friends for decades. There was no single magic man responsible for the 528 mph 3K record, truth be told a key member of the team had to leave the night before the actual record run (he was doing something with nuclear power plants), the bearcat ran out of nitrous on the second pass, it was running 545 but anything worth doing is normally not going to go exactly to the plan. I used to always say that airplane is the fastest piston powered anything on the planet but I don't think it is anymore. First of all no one cares, secondly all of the magic that made it that fast has been removed. A perfect example is the exhaust. I hated the exhaust. It was always difficult, but it was built the way it was built (scavenging, thrust) were important. We would've loved to just rebuild it from scratch, but there was no scratch unless someone had deep, deep pockets. The reason why people think Voodoo is faster than Rare Bear is all about the exhaust. I know it sounds silly, but have you tried it?
 
^ no sir, i have not. I have a couple navy buds who are currently at the entry levels of the racing circuit. I don’t think in my current life, I have the spare time for such an endeavor, but of course, like any aviation enthusiast, it sounds really interesting.
 
^ no sir, i have not. I have a couple navy buds who are currently at the entry levels of the racing circuit. I don’t think in my current life, I have the spare time for such an endeavor, but of course, like any aviation enthusiast, it sounds really interesting.
If for some reason you need a hobby that will consume all your "spare" time I'd suggest pickleball. Racing airplanes is crazy talk. You might lose any fortune and familial relationships you thought were solid. Air Racing stinks and I'd suggest you don't do it, but if you're going to write the checks I'll be happy to help.
 
If for some reason you need a hobby that will consume all your "spare" time I'd suggest pickleball. Racing airplanes is crazy talk. You might lose any fortune and familial relationships you thought were solid. Air Racing stinks and I'd suggest you don't do it, but if you're going to write the checks I'll be happy to help.

Hah, no I think we agree on all this. I’ve seen more than enough obits from that sport to cast it aside as crazy talk in any realistic world. The fam might have justified my dying flying a grey jet in defense of the nation, which is probably even a stretch, but flying as a hooligan in some 80 yr old hot rod for fun, whilst spending tons of money, probably not so much. Same reason i never took one of those jobs flying Cold War fighters as a contract adversary.

As an aside, I believe pickleball was “created” by a former WA congressperson (or maybe governor?), so perhaps that is a good suggestion. Though my WA island is not Bainbridge
 
Hah, no I think we agree on all this. I’ve seen more than enough obits from that sport to cast it aside as crazy talk in any realistic world. The fam might have justified my dying flying a grey jet in defense of the nation, which is probably even a stretch, but flying as a hooligan in some 80 yr old hot rod for fun, whilst spending tons of money, probably not so much. Same reason i never took one of those jobs flying Cold War fighters as a contract adversary.

As an aside, I believe pickleball was “created” by a former WA congressperson (or maybe governor?), so perhaps that is a good suggestion. Though my WA island is not Bainbridge
It's an odd thing, apparently the pickleball enthusiasts are getting aggressive regarding trying to take over tennis courts. I don't care, I hope the golf cart and the lifted 4X4 meet at full speed.
 
One of the fastest piston powered airplanes ever. Lyle spent a lot of time flying Skyraiders off of carriers during the Viet Nam era, If you have any interest in this nonsense Dell Rourks book, "Racing For The Gold" has a lot of history but it doesn't really give context or nuance (perhaps intentional?) to everything and everyone. It's a good history with an obvious bias towards Lyle because he and Dell were friends for decades. There was no single magic man responsible for the 528 mph 3K record, truth be told a key member of the team had to leave the night before the actual record run (he was doing something with nuclear power plants), the bearcat ran out of nitrous on the second pass, it was running 545 but anything worth doing is normally not going to go exactly to the plan. I used to always say that airplane is the fastest piston powered anything on the planet but I don't think it is anymore. First of all no one cares, secondly all of the magic that made it that fast has been removed. A perfect example is the exhaust. I hated the exhaust. It was always difficult, but it was built the way it was built (scavenging, thrust) were important. We would've loved to just rebuild it from scratch, but there was no scratch unless someone had deep, deep pockets. The reason why people think Voodoo is faster than Rare Bear is all about the exhaust. I know it sounds silly, but have you tried it?
Yawn...

We have a plane at Chino that's faster than your Care Bear. I took these pictures when my friend Steve was flying it.

Somewhere I have pictures of it in the overhead pattern too.

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Yawn...

We have a plane at Chino that's faster than that. I took these pictures when my friend Steve was flying it.

Somewhere I have pictures of it in the overhead pattern too.

View attachment 70084

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Ask Steve Hinton Jr if he broke Lyles record. I'm not saying Voodoo is faster or slower than Rare Bear. Go ask him Frank, you're obviously very involved and Steve would be happy to comment right? Nope. Steve Hinton (either Sr or Jr) has no idea who you are, pretending the fact that you rent a hangar at Chino somehow makes you part of the team is retarded. They, not you, did set a new record but they didn't break the old 3K record.
 
Ask Steve Hinton Jr if he broke Lyles record. I'm not saying Voodoo is faster or slower than Rare Bear. Go ask him Frank, you're obviously very involved and Steve would be happy to comment right? Nope. Steve Hinton (either Sr or Jr) has no idea who you are, pretending the fact that you rent a hangar at Chino somehow makes you part of the team is retarded. They, not you, did set a new record but they didn't break the old 3K record.
Are you saying you were flying Care Bear ?

I don't have to ask which is faster... IT'S PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Not only do I pretend to rent a hangar at Chino. The county pretends to send me a bill every month and I pretend to pay it. The pretend key to the hangar is sitting under my monitor.

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Also that guy in the front row? The one who has given up on toupees because who's fooled? He's 52.

Some years back I picked my sister up at Love late one friday night and we stopped at Whataburger on the way home. Cute little girl behind the counter laughed at something I said and told my sis "Your dad is so funny and cute!" - my sister laughed so hard she likely peed her pants.

A year later I pick up my daughter from college one day. We stop at Torchy's for some tacos and the server dude tells her how cool it is that she's hangin' with her grandpa.

So today, I'm picking up RX's for my mom. She has an androgenous name - Lynn - so I give the name, and DOB of 12/25/1945. NINETEEN FORTY-FIVE. Seventy-eight and change years ago. The pharm tech asks if I've taken this before. Through clenched teeth/forced smile I explain it's for my mom, I'm not 78. Pharm tech girl says "Wow! She musta had you young!".

So your last sentence is violence. Thanks.
 
No one thinks I'm 25 anymore, so I *feel* the hurt you're experiencing.

Although 78, wow, you may be overachieving in the "let's bitch about getting old" sweepstakes. Always have to be first at everything, don't you?
 
Some years back I picked my sister up at Love late one friday night and we stopped at Whataburger on the way home. Cute little girl behind the counter laughed at something I said and told my sis "Your dad is so funny and cute!" - my sister laughed so hard she likely peed her pants.

A year later I pick up my daughter from college one day. We stop at Torchy's for some tacos and the server dude tells her how cool it is that she's hangin' with her grandpa.

So today, I'm picking up RX's for my mom. She has an androgenous name - Lynn - so I give the name, and DOB of 12/25/1945. NINETEEN FORTY-FIVE. Seventy-eight and change years ago. The pharm tech asks if I've taken this before. Through clenched teeth/forced smile I explain it's for my mom, I'm not 78. Pharm tech girl says "Wow! She musta had you young!".

So your last sentence is violence. Thanks.

Yep ... growing old ain't for wimps, wherever we might be on the timeline.
 
No one thinks I'm 25 anymore, so I *feel* the hurt you're experiencing.

Although 78, wow, you may be overachieving in the "let's bitch about getting old" sweepstakes. Always have to be first at everything, don't you?

Dumbest thing ever, getting "carded" at the grocery store to buy a six-pack of beer (I cook with it, most often) - grey hair all over the places which barely cover the wrinkles of time.

Liquor store - the place I buy the important stuff - has no need to see my driver's license; their eyes are all that's needed to see I qualify as a legit and appropriate customer.

Hate you, grocery store, for making me prove that I'm old.
 
Dumbest thing ever, getting "carded" at the grocery store to buy a six-pack of beer (I cook with it, most often) - grey hair all over the places which barely cover the wrinkles of time.

Liquor store - the place I buy the important stuff - has no need to see my driver's license; their eyes are all that's needed to see I qualify as a legit and appropriate customer.

Hate you, grocery store, for making me prove that I'm old.

Same. The cruel irony is I got carded for “R” rated movies until I was about 25.
 
I kinda like getting older, 68 this year. I like the retirement money being deposited into my checking account twice a month. I almost feel guilty.

Enjoying the special pricing seniors get for a lot of things and the free coffee at McDonald’s. Even get a discount on my taxes.

I’m enjoying working for a living, my dad worked until 81. He told me after you turn 80 it’s hard to find a good job.

I’d like to move to a place where I could count all the traffic lights within 25 miles on one hand. I’ve not touched any of the retirement money I’ve put away the last 40 years, maybe I’ll use it to pay cash for a little cabin. I‘m thinking about the one I’ve seen on the TV show Yellowstone. My wife has horses, she does cattle round up competitions. How hard can it be?

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8C31DA3D-ABDA-4601-B40D-E7F8F6AE2495.jpeg
 
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