Warbird Information Exchange

With all the interest in Cook's F2Gs I thought the
link below might be of interest.

Blue skies,
Owen

http://www.cookcleland.com/

Hi Owen--

Say now! Never saw that stuff before. Thanx for the vector. I've been besotted with the Cleland team's blue F2G ever since first catching sight of it sticking out from under a sheetiron roof at Walt Soplata's, 23 years ago...still remember Walt's satisfied grin, too, as I went bugeyed with delight! I absolutely must get me one of those tees...

Anybody want to get me to storyboard a movie about the '49 NAR?

Cheers

S.

Hi,

If you are looking for something to do this comming weekend, The Society of Air Racing Historians is having it's annual Symposium in Cleveland Ohio. For more information, go to www.airrace.com . Health permitting, Cook has been to the past several of our symposiums, along with Dick Becker and Ron Pucket. Bob Odegaard comes too when not tied up. Cook's nephew usually brings along an assortment of shirts and pictures to sell (he is the one running teh web site).

Here is a picture of one of my models that will also be there...



TTFN....Kenn

_________________
May all your bent wings be F2G Corsairs!

Hi Kenn--

That's cool: and what better subject for a C/L model than a pylon racer, eh! Re the Cleveland race symposium, I've only recently become aware of those; couldn't make it this year on such short notice but maybe some time in future. That whole epoch in aviation/motorsport fascinates me. (As you've likely noticed before, every time someone mentions aviation movies, I trot my idea of the '49 NAR flick back out; a dream project that will doubtless remain just that! Have also recently completed, except for a few minor touches, a 1:72 diorama of a slice of Walt Soplata's yard, including the F2G...which is really a modified Matchbox F4U-4, and thanks to Walt for putting that sheetmetal roof over her so I could hide the kit's highback fuselage!).

Cheers

S.

Steve,

A long time ago, I saw a movie produced by Sohio on the 1949 NAR. Unfortunately, I can't remember who had it. I contacted Sohio at the time, but as BP had just aquired it, there was no one left in their advertising/library area that even knew that we used to have air races in Cleveland, let alone that Sohio sponsored some of them!

My goal is to have models of all the racing Corsairs. I build them at lunch time to unwind at work. I even built jigs for my 1/24th size CL ones. They are all framed up with -4- completed.

My hope is for the remains of #94 to be dug-up at Hopkins. I really like her in the 1947 red & white colors.

Kenn

_________________
May all your bent wings be F2G Corsairs!

Hi Kenn--

A promo film on the '49 NAR? Wow, that would be a find...and it would be most interesting to see how they treated the subject of the Thompson race's tragic results that year.

My "dream project" would be of the Hollywood sort, but as little-changed as possible from actual characters and events. It would, of course, be necessary to "reincarnate" the Cochran/Odom Mustang and Cleland's race-winning #94 F2G...

...on that last topic, is there actually the possibility that the remains of #94 may be exhumed at Cleveland Hopkins at some point?

S.

I doubt that there is really a chance. But you never know *fingers crossed*

Actually reels of those still exist. They are in bad shape and
I would not want to try and run them in a projector. Someone
put them on VHS for Cook years ago. Again the quality is not
great. At the moment I have his copies and need to return
them. I thought SARA was selling copies.

Owen

Owen,

Unfortunately, the video tapes on the SARH Web site that we have for sale are only from our annual symposiums. F2G pilots Cleland, Becker, Pucket, Armstrong (F2G test pilot) and Odegaard have all given or have been part of some of the talks that we offer.

Historic Aviation offers copies of the 1947 and 1948 Kendall films (also several of the prewar races). They are pretty good quality. The Planes of Fame Museum also used to offer (maybe they still do) one of the prewar races IN COLOR!!!!!! It is excellant!


As a selfishly promo, The Society of Air Racing Historians annual symposium next year is attempting to bring together all the remaining pilots from the 1946-1949 races the first weekend in May 2006. You don't have to be a member to attend. We have quite a few planning to attend, including the Corsair Gang!


For more information,visit www.airrace.com

TTFN....Kenn

_________________
May all your bent wings be F2G Corsairs!

Just a quick comment from a person who has never seen an air race but is fasinated by the subject. I am amazed that Hollywood has not done an "Epic" either about air racing in the past or present day. They will make films about just about anything else, but never air racing. I would have thought the subject would be ideal subject. Also why is it not covered on T.V.?. Over hear in England they will devote hours and hours of airtime to Bowls, darts, snooker and eaven Sheep herding!!! ( I kid you not, it's called One man and his dog!!!) I saw Reno covered once, back in the seventies when the horse racing was rained off. Do the American channels show it?.

Rgds Cking

P.S.Sorry if I've hijacked the thread a bit!!

Hi Cking--

Y'know, I think you're right: though racers have featured in individual sequences in films (eg. The Aviator; The Rocketeer), I can't think of a single film that's actually been about air racing, and like you, I can't fathom why.

Of course this makes me wish all the harder that "my" epic about the '49 NAR could be brought to pass. (Notably Jimmy Leeward has recently announced plans to return his P-51 racer to its Cleveland/Steve Beville identity...meaning there's another "cast member" theoretically available soon).

Re the Kendall/Sohio promos about the postwar NAR, is there any chance of any of those being made available on DVD (or VHS)?

S.

Leeward is leaving the cut down canopy and SEVERLY clipped wings on the Galloping Ghost though, so it wouldn't be era correct. It will be raced in the Jeanie / LARS configuration painted up as the Galloping Ghost.

MX304--

Thanks for the clarification on N79111. I had wondered about that, given the extent of mods made to "Jeannie", coupled with the fact that Mr Leeward intends to race the Mustang again. Truth told it would be rather a pity to undo the mods that finally made this Mustang a champion. The "old" markings on the "new" airframe will, I think, be a very satisfying sight...and maybe we can use Mr Leeward's other, more stock-looking, Mustang as a stand-in for "GG" in the movie...

Cheers

S.

The severity of the wing clip will hurt them at Reno on the new course. They wanted to lengthen the wing out to a Streag / Dago Red length, but that would require building a new wing. The wing on it now is clipped down so far they cut a couple of feet off the main spar. The wing span is just over 25' Jimmy's son posted some info on another board, I'll pm him and see if he'll chime in over here.

I seem to remember E. D. Weiner's stepson mentioned that he had been involved in a project to make a feature film about air racing, but alas, it came to naught! If you see the movie Wings of Fire there is a cheesy plot, but it has two 51's and a F8F in some scenes. I think it is supposed to revolve around an air race but you don't see the actual event! I'm afraid that is as close as you would get!

T J