I decided to throw up this old video (filmed using my old equipment) just because I always thought The huge 3 blade prop on the Bear sounded so wicked at speed.
How can this possibly be 20 years ago already?!!? And now here we are in 2023, and this Air Race season will be the last ever. Such great memories made over the decades!!
I'll always remember the sound of Rare Bear at speed approaching the last turn when he was up high testing and all you could hear at first was a sucking sound like a jet engine then right before passing the engine sound took over with the low pitched roar and after passing by the sound changed once again to what sounded like the engine almost effortless deep buzz but cruising about 450mph. I really miss those "glory years" when the highly modified "BIG BOYS" duked it out, sadly I think those days have come to an end.
Rare Bear, Dago Red, Dreadnought, Furias, Czech Mate, Critical Mass...I can remember the planes from a 17 year old heat race, but not where I left my drink 2 minutes ago, so they must have left an impression. I remember the Dwelles campaigning Critical Mass for years and they never quite broke into the top 3.
If I remember right, Critical Mass did make it past Dreadnought at least once… which means they were right on the brink. That last step is tough, though. Seeing Furias huffing like a locomotive reminds me of the pit poster where they’d drawn it with a big smokestack on top. :)
My uncle, Mike Looney, was a mechanic that helped build the Rare Bear and crewed with them for years. Absolutely the wickedest classic prop plane ever.
I hadn't seen this before. Nice work Jason. Man that was some race. Dego was just screaming when she went by us out on the Fenceline. The three bladed prop was great on Rare Bear, but I think it made it very hard to control. Other pilots said you could feel it coming before you could see it. I sat in the reserves stands one afternoon while they were up on a test hop and there weren't many people in the stands. The stands picked up the vibration so much I thought they would start moving across the ramp.
One hell of an aircraft, a complete animal but with good manners as it hasn't eaten anyone yet. A beast. I got to meet Lyle S. in the 80's when he owned it, great days for Reno/Stead. Great days. Nothing sounded like Rare Bear coming down the stretch under full power. I was there when that plane broke 500 mph.
You made my heart pound with joy! Thank You! Captain Michael J. Larkin TWA (Ret.) "But their names will be immortal, and their fame will never die: Modern Knights in Shining Armor, Riding stallians in the sky." From "Reno Races" by Michael J. Larkin
Some are, but many come from military backgrounds. There are ex astronauts, fighter pilots, military and civilian test pilots, etc. The current pilot of September Fury, Robert "Hoot" Gibson commanded 7 space shuttle missions and is a very good pilot on the race course.
№77, "Rare Bear". Finally, I saw the same plane from the Guinness Book of Records for 1993 (Russian edition). He set a speed record for this class of aircraft: 850 km/h.
I Can't THANK You Enough - Watching ALL That Tired Iron Brought A Tear To My Left Eye..! I'm 60 Years Old AND - I Can ONLY Put It ONE WAY... This Clip WAS FUCKING Sick..! LOL
The fastest piston engine vehicle, ever. Wow. The fastest prop driven aircraft ever is also a Bear, but that's a Tu-95 Bear. It has 4 turboprop engines making nearly 13,000 hp each, contra-rotating props nearly 20 ft across, and at full pace the outer foot or so of those props is supersonic. At full speed the anti-submarine microphones on the sea floor can track it, the noise is unbelievable. But that's basically a jet. The fastest piston engine in the world is this one. And it does look and sound gorgeous. Petrol-head porn.
+Kneedragon1962 Yeah but think about this: these are highly and I mean HIGHLY modified WW2 era designs with bolt on modern modifications. You could design a purpose built turboprop racer that would shatter the records established by these planes. Also, like many turboprops, these planes will derive some thrust from the exhaust. One problem I can foresee though is the use of a contra-prop/dual rotor turboprop with 8 scimitar blades per rotor being used in a tractor arrangement, as it could impair the pilots vision. Something like the Pond Racer with counter-rotating single rotors could solve that, but at the cost of having two engines, a more substantial design and the risks of single engine flight. On that note, there is a video of a Relentless NXT being ground engine tested with a 1000 HP Garret Turbine from 4 years ago, but there are no videos of it being flown. It's a design already capable of 400+ MPH with a 350 HP Lycoming. Now imagine it with the turboprop or even with a slim, reliable, and more powerful Wankel Rotary.
Blitzvogel Mobius ... well, Pond Racer did rather graphically show why some of the old aviation prejudices exist. Aviation likes big low-stress engines turning at prop speed. On paper, there are a hundred different reasons a car size engine turning (say) 8,ooo rpm and a 4:1 reduction is a better bet. But lots of people have tried it and gotten bit. Now I don't see that extending to other things, I don't really want a 2 litre V twin motorbike, I like Jap sports 4s a wee bit too much - but for flying, the principle does seem to hold. Up there, there really is no replacement for displacement.
I think Dago Red and Strega could've beaten it too, but I guess those guys didn't want to spend the money it takes to make a record setting attempt...Dago is still the fastest ever around the Reno course...
I remember the last name,as I have tried to follow the history of all civilian-owned Bearcat's after seeing Fornof perform. I will have to check-out my hard-cover-book---Gentlemen You Have A Race,and see what race-number his Bearcat was.
My favorite aircraft was always the P-51 Mustang,until I was in the Naval Air Training Command at NAAS Meridian,Miss. in the early 60's and a guy named Bill Fornof flying an F8F-2P Bearcat came to perform at our Air-Show each year. The Aerobatic-Show he did,was something I will never forget. On take-off,he would stay close to the deck and then after travelling for close to a mile,he would pull straight-up to almost 10,000-feet and then start his Routine. He was killed in his Bearcat in the early 70's due to over-stress on the F8F's wings over the years I believe.
Yes sir, you're talking about J.W. “Bill” Fornof who with his son Corky flew as a two ship Bearcat display team. I would've loved to been around to see them fly together, but Bill was killed two days before I was born.
+Voodoo1650 -4501trainman here. When I saw Bill Fornof perform at NAAS Meridian in 1963 and 1964 for the Navy Relief Fund, he came there from his home field in Houma,Louisiana with his F8F,and a 2-seat P-51 Mustang flown by another guy around Bills age and a Black Ground-Crew-Member in the Mustang's rear-seat. This other pilot said that Bill bought the P-51 from Cavalier Aviation in Sarasota Florida for around $16,000. Bills son Corky was not flying with him yet. Since I have lived in Florida from 1956 to present,I remember it was said in the Newspaper here that Cavalier Aviation at the Sarasota Airport was rebuilding former Canadian Military P-51's for 2-seat-civilian-use. What I read later was,Fornof had a Cadillac Dealership and painted all of his Planes a Cadillac-Bronze or Cadillac Copper color. I thought his fellow pilot at the time,said that Bill had about $30,000 invested in his F8F-2.
rat bastard- I am not talking about these Aircraft fighting in a war. I am talking about the F8F-2, I saw perform stunts at an Airshow at the Naval Air-Station where I served . Bill Fornof would start at the end of the runway(we had 3-runways that fanned out)roll 200-feet,pull up the gear,hug the deck,and then pull straight-up,climbing vertical to 10,000-feet just to start his Aerobatic routine. We on our jet trainer ground crew tow-tractors,would go to back of our line,on Friday to watch him practice. After hugging the deck for about 8,000-feet,he would pull straight-up right above our heads. I guess after about 10-years of doing this,one of the wings came off. I never saw any P-51 come close to the climb the F8F-2 Bearcat has. They were built to chase-down Japanese Kamikaze Aircraft,but to late for WW-2.
rat bastard-I still like the P-51. I just wish I could find a You Tube Video of Bill Fornof's whole F8F Aerobatic routine. The nearest I can find is a ''silent-film,''Mustang(Hoover)F8F Bearcat(Fornof) Vintage Aerobatic Film''.
I was at the Quonset Point Air Show when Bill augured in. He lost a wing during a high speed maneuver. Corky circled the crash sight until he was forced to land because of a low fuel state.
Not exactly. It was a worn our fiber washer locknut, which is not supposed to be reused. In the photo, there was almost no fiber left. The nut backed off loose, the servo (trim tab) started to flutter, it broke off. Bad maintenance- pure and simple.
They build the parts and chop these aircraft for this event specifically. I live two miles from the airport, and I've been to the race every year since 1995.
I’ve often thought about that as well, and not just on the Bear. It would probably be a very good propeller, with very good results as long as they would be able to hold up to all the stress from engine vibrations etc. the C-130’s have smooth running turbines, and they probably don’t have to deal with all those stresses. Plus I think it would look cool as hell too.
I counted 21blades before it fired, the C-118 2800's were just 9 blades. That HUGE spinner has to create a overheat concern I bet. As far as the ace goes...... WOW!!!!!!!
I was at the Calif 1000 at brown field in 71, it was an ok race but then i saw something that wasnt good, Mike Garen in a G-58 type bearcat turned around in the middle of the course,and went toward the end of the field with smoke coming from the side of the cowling. he went down in the field belly up with smoke coming from the plane, an oil line broke and smoke got into the cockpit and englfed him.and he couldnt get out. it was reallly sad. It put a damper on the whole race.
Can anyone tell me exactly how the engines on the Reno Racers have been modified compared to the original WW2 engines? I know that they've put special fuel in them and they suspend the normal operating limitations - but what other modifications have they made, exactly? Many thanks.
Actually that's just a optical illusion, the Bear had the pole and held the lead through the first lap, Dago just went wide down the valley of speed and it looked as if there was a pass.
Well a few years ago they tore it apart for a rebuild and then in the middle of that they had money issues and the banks took it over and it's been kind of a mess from there on out. It's supposedly been bought by a former crew member but nothing has really surfaced lately from that deal either, there's rummer that it may go back to stock.
the howl on the shut down?, is that from one of the jugs seizing up. Isnt that one of the years Rare Bare had some bandaids to take care of? Just love the shit man. We were all worried that year for L. Sheltons groupe!
They have to pay for insurance among other things. Insurance prices tend to go up when a Mustang crashes into the crowd at over 300 mph, and I believe the price is well worth it.
right! i liked this version much more than the actual one! colours, cowling without upper air intake, 3 blade prop... stylish! now, it looks like kids painted it... :-(
When "RARE BEAR" and it's pilot are working at peak efficiency, the pilot is totally focused on flying an elliptical coarse losing less speed around the pylons to get the most out of it without breaking anything. Except the prop creating "That Wicked Sound!! rrrRRR!!R!!OWW!!!
Thanks for letting me know, that's a massive shame, it would be cool to one day see Dago compete against Strega, Voodoo, Rare Bear, Precious Metal and September Fury amongst others.
The big three blade prop worked very well but was very tough to fly behind, the torque that it produced was huge and the plane was very hard to control at race power, John Penney said that the plane constantly wanted to swap ends on the course during the race. It was also beating the air frame up, John Penney often said the he could feel it in the rudder peddles when at power, the big prop was slamming the fuselage with air and beating up the tail. It sure was cool looking and sounding though, you literally felt it in your chest when the plane went by, the video definitely doesn't do it justice!!
Reed Koch 41 It was definitely very fast with that prop setup but it was very hard on the airframe. The torque was huge and it was very hard to control the plane at power on the course. Per pilot John Penney, he said that he could feel the pulses on the rudder from the air off the prop beating up the tail.
The three blades on the prop are from a C-130. I flew with Rare Bear in our MiG-15 from Van Nuys Airport to the Point Mugu Airshow. That thing was a sight to see mid-air
noo tot reallly, Jimmy Leeward was doing things to that 51 of his and not telling anyone that he did it.. the thing was totallly instable, and dangerous to fly. plus when he went ovrt the stands and above the pits, he inverted and then passed out from the stress, it was totally strupid to even let him fly let alone be in the race. he was getting too old,and takiing too many chance's,
Reno is at ground level, but WW2 fighters like the Bearcat were designed to fly their fastest at about 30,000 feet, for dogfighting and to escort bombers. So what top speed would Rare Bear be able to reach at 30,000 feet, a/ if no adjustments were made to its current engine and b/ if it were adjusted to give its best at 30,000 feet?
noo, they are modified WW2 aircraft,with more powerful engines or canopie's. and , Or cut down wing's, or changed rudder's. I was at the 06 race and i was watching it, and all the time,It made no sense to me running them like this, I was at the calif 1000 in 71 too at brown field.in san diego.It looked ok there but Reno make's no sense to me.
yes thats it exactly, I would of been on top of thing's more closely. If he wasnt up to par phisically then dont fly the heat. Rare Bear is a 100 Percent concentration airplane to fly. It takes a pilot like John Penney to handle it. and even he is worn out when he bring;s it in after a heat. It's twice the effort to fly it as a stock bearcat.. I still dont know what happened to Howard Pardue after his accident month's ago? Reallly sad.
a stupid scam like the silly tickets to a K state wildcats game. blind people that have no consequence and the event people just ripping them off. Im an airplane nut from wayyy back,but Ill never go to reno again unless I have a camper or know people that I can share the cost with. shoot man,,, what a waste of an event.
Rear Bear was very fast, but Skip and Dago Red made it appear as if the Bear was looking for a parking lot. In one lap Skip took 200 m and then just raced away....., and he wasn't using full power. Certainly the mutilated Bearcat already a brick as stock plane, is a more than a handful to fly and certainly much harder than the superior P-51 design. No radial will ever beat a serious inline Ha !
crotchrocket00 Wrong ! From Wikipedia: Reno Air Races 2003 - Thompson Trophy, Fastest Lap (512.164 mph), Fastest Race (507.105 mph) Dago Red also holds the World Record with 517 mph, HaHaHa nice try ! And all this with a 30 l Merlin, they didn't even really try as Skip told, put a Griffon in it and a good Pilot and she goes to > 530 !Bearcat, pathetic, if it looks ugly, it flies ugly...
+Steve Weiner Ok, give you that. BUT, it's only over a 5 km circuit, while Dago Red did it over 15 km. Certainly impressive but still in actual racing it usually fails. In 2009 they even installed an evaporation cooling system (forOil i suppose, or are the Cylinder sprinkled with water,HaHa ?), while Dago runs with a near standard cooling system, as does Voodoo. The Bearcat is a kind of copy of the Me209 which also looked queer, but both are certainly a hands full to fly properly, especially on landing the Bear must be like a brick...( I remember the Bear earned the respect of the French Navy pilots which used them in early Nam something like come in a little to slow and it falls like a stone out of the sky...don't ever power stall it unless you like to die).
TPath3 Yeah the P-51's pretty much dominate the unlimited class at the reno air races. Dago red a P-51 holds the all time lap speed record 517 and change.
+TPath3 The real advantage that Rare Bear and the other radials (pretty much now all Sea Furies) have over the Mustangs is twofold. Their radial engines can take a lot more abuse than the Merlins and Griffons before undergoing a rebuild, and they tend to generally be more reliable. The Bear has seldom retired in it's long and stories history at Reno, and it's always running toward the top. The problem becomes maxing out the motor in such a way that you can run with the Stregas, Voodoos, and other front runners while simultaneously keeping the plane as light as possible, which makes setting up a radial plane like a Bearcat a lot different than setting up a Mustang to race.
Ive been to Reno In 06. i was watching it, and It didnt make any sense to me chasing each other around the pilon's. ive been an airplane nut for yr's. but stressing an airplane out just to get a trophy or winnings makes no sense to me. either a corsair or hellcat or model C mustang. flying it like normal is sooo nice but doing this at Reno is heresy.
Rare bear sounds like Care-Bear.... should have named it the Rare-Cat! Dropped the ball on that one! Is the owner gay and overweight? Then it makes sense haha
After watching this I couldn't remember how fast this race was, here it is.... Fastest Lap (512.164 mph) WOW! Fastest Race (507.105 mph) Dago Red That's the FASTEST LAP and RACE EVER and probably never be beaten Great
