Warbird Information Exchange

Anybody out there have a pic of B-17 "Smokey and His Firemen" from the 97th BG? I don't know the S/N but would like to know it.

Thanks,
Dave

Would that be the one piloted by the famous NASCAR owner Smokey Yunick?

If you pick up Smokey Yunick's bio, I think it has a few war-time pics of him and his plane. I read an online biography that said he flew with the Flying Tigers as well. Any truth to that?

Yeah, that's the guy -- genius race-car designer/builder, mechanic extraordinaire, and WWII B-17 pilot -- my kinda guy! I've got the one-volume version of "Best darn Garage in Town" but it's only got one pic of his 17, no S/N visible. He said he flew search and rescue with the 7th Emergency Rescue for the Flying Tigers; he didn't fly fighters. Didn't have much good to say about Chiang Kai-Shek either.
The book's a great read if you're a racing and airplane nut like me.

Dave

Sure sounds like an interesting guy...
Thanks for introducing him!
I'm off to order the book...

Here is his bio from his official website:

http://www.smokeyyunick.com/

Who Was Smokey?


Highlights

Grew up on a farm in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania

Flew B-17s for the Army Air Force in WWII

Flew for the Flying Tigers

Driver, mechanic, crew chief for stock cars in 1950s and 1960s

Won two Grand National (Winston Cup today) Championships

Won Indy in 1960

Worked in Ecuador for 30 years in oil drilling and gold mining

Wrote for Popular Science and Circle Track magazines



Accreditations

Founding Member and Director of Embry-Riddle University

Honorary Doctorate in Aeronautical Engineering, Embry-Riddle Engineering

Professor Emeritus, Daytona Beach Community College

S.C.O.R.E Judge, for three years, one of ten judges picked to
examine annual alternate energy expo submissions from Amercian
colleges and universities, related to alternate energy

Member of Society of Automotive Engineers



Patents & Inventions

Variable Ratio Power Steering

Hot Vapor Engine

Silent Tire

Smoketron Engine Testing Device

Movable Race Track Crash Barrier

Oil filling through oil filter

Extended Tip Spark Plug

Power brakes from residual power steering pressure

Water bypass system for “V” engines

Reverse cooling system

Centrifuge Type Oil Refinery (Ecuador)



Awards

Two Time NASCAR Mechanic of the Year

Mechanical Achievements Awards – Indianapolis Motor Speedway &
Ontario Motor Speedway

Engineering Award – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Inventor of the Year – 1983

Presents the Annual Smokey Yunick Lifetime Achievement Award
at Charlotte Motor Speedway



Hall of Fame Inductions

National Racing Hall of Fame

International MotorSports Hall of Fame

Legends of Auto Racing Hall of Fame

Stock Car Racing, Daytona Hall of Fame

Darlington Motor Speedway Hall of Fame

Legends of Performance – Chevrolet Hall of Fame

TRW Mechanic Hall of Fame

Living Legends of Auto Racing – 1997

Stock Car Racing Magazine Hall of Fame

Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame

Voted #7 on list of Top 10 athletes of the Century
by Winston Salem Journal, Oct. 1999

University of Central Florida, President’s Medallion Society

Rotary Club of Oceanside – Daytona Beach



Race Record


1951-1954 – 39 Grand National Wins after 1954

won Raleigh - August 20, 1955

won Darlington - 1955

won Palm Beach - December 11, 1955

won Wilson, N.C. - March 18, 1956

won Langhorne - September 23, 1956

won Greensboro - April 28, 1957

won Lancaster S.C. - June 1, 1957

won Raleigh - July 4, 1957

won Daytona Beach - February, 1958

won Atlanta - July 4, 1959

won Daytona Beach - February 12, 1960

won Atlanta - July 31, 1960

won Daytona Beach - February 24, 1961

won Daytona Beach - February 26, 1961

won Daytona Beach - February 10, 1962

won Daytona Beach - February 16, 1962

won Daytona Beach - February 18, 1962

won Daytona Beach - February 22, 1963

39 + 18 = 57 Stock Car/Grand National races
one Indy race win - 1960

Hey Dave , he sure was a hero of mine & I was privileged to be able to meet him in 2000 here in the UK.
52 combat missions &
"He was perhaps the most creative racing mechanic of the 20th century, who not only thought outside of the box, but way up in the ionosphere. To say he was a genius is not enough. His unique exploits in both Indy and NASCAR are legendary."

P.S. which copy have you got $95 or $25 ?, only the $25 version had pics left out of it.

_________________
Martin
Wide open & turning left.

Hey Martin,
Wish I'd gotten to meet him. He's a hero of mine as well.
I've got the $25 version of the book. Couldn't quite swing the $95; still may one of these days.

Cheers,
Dave