Aircraft

[Texas Lawdog]

It had been a xouple of years since they had a crash at Reno. The course is small and the planes fly too fast. It's a air race that has held for many years and there is a great fan following. The pilot did a great job to steer the plane out of harm's way as much as possible.

[Texas Lawdog]

We've got a WW2 reunion over at Addison this weekend. They are honoring a B-29 outfit. "FIFI" will be there for tours today and tomorrow. They will be giving rides to the veterans tomorrow. It is neat to see these guys get in the plane for the first time since the War was over.

[Arcey]

FYI for the 'cross-trained'

Jack Roush remembers close friend killed in Reno air race crash

The pilot killed in Friday's crash at a Reno air race was a close friend of NASCAR car owner Jack Roush and had helped Roush through his two plane crashes.

Roush said he met Jimmy Leeward in the mid-1980s. Roush said Leeward was racing in one division of IMSA and Roush in another. As Roush worked on his car, Leeward came over and introduced himself. Roush knew of him and heard that Leeward had a P-51 airplane.

"I'll have one of those one day,'' Roush told Leeward.

When Roush bought his P-51 Mustang in 1994 and began flying it, Leeward joined him at Daytona and they flew together.

Their relationship grew.

Roush was severely injured in a plane crash in 2002 after hitting a wire and crashing into a Troy, Ala., lake where he was pulled out of the wreckage and water by a retired Marine trained in underwater search and rescues. Roush was flown to a Birmingham hospital.  "(Leeward) was the first person outside my immediate family that I saw,'' Roush said.

After Roush's plane crash last year in Wisconsin that cost him the vision in one eye, it was Leeward who supported his friend.  "I've got a trainer, a World War II aerial trainer that has two sets of controls and Jimmy was the first one to climb into the backseat of my P6 when I got back in the air,'' Roush said. "We've always been that close. We've been very, very close.''

Roush said he had talked to Leeward multiple times this week as Leeward competed in the events in Reno. Roush said he last talked to Leeward a day before the fatal crash that also killed at least four spectators.

"I'm doing all right,'' Roush said of how he was handling the tragedy. " I'm doing all right. I'm very sad.''

Credit: http://hamptonroads.com/2011/09/jack-roush-remembers-close-friend-killed-reno-air-race-crash

[Texas Lawdog]

I didn't know the pilot was that old, the news is saying that he may have blacked out. I am a big aviation fan, but the idea of watching planes flying 500 mph overhead really scares me. I'll watch them on TV, but not in person.

[mestiza letty]

Thanks Arcey for your link to Jimmy's story....'tis true of his character from what I've heard from here in Reno. True gentleman and willing to help anyone, and personable to his fans. Jimmy Leeward was in "perfect health" for flyin' yesterday..... He was 74yrs old. NTSB is all over this backround investigation as reported immediately from the scene, there were 3 reps from NTSB on site. He'd been a contestant of the Reno Air Races since '75 and loved the competition. He'd planned his strategy from early week and made his adjustments. He has a Facebook page and encouraged his fans to see he was up on technology.
The crash scene was horrific as the box seats lining the tarmac from the "east" side were mostly affected. We believe Jimmy was headed "straight for the bleachers" and pulled up to compensate. "The Ghost" didn't respond and took the fateful nosedive.
There are pics that the tail was coming apart at the seams which could have been the cause. We may never know....Officalis here believe it was mechanical and so does his family.
'Tis true Reno has the most challenging race course because of the speed...500MPH for Unlimilited classes we do have the mountain ranges to also consider, and yes they are tight. I watched the races from my sisters' front porch last year as they made their heats. I live on the "other side" of the mountain now and miss alot of the action.
I am 15mi away from the airport with Peavine mountain seperating my sis and I.
We grew up in a drag boat racing family...dad only racing 155mph but in a 18' flatbottom boat...V-drive and a 496 Chev and dry stacks and dual carbs. We were "child hired" pit crew...lol
I have witnessed many a horrific crash....blown fuel being the most unpredictable without "capsules" sometimes landing on the beach and sometimes coming part over water. Hitting the water at 200mph+ you hit the cement...it isn't forgiving.
NASCAR can have the same trials... some tracks are better than others as you know... I'm an ignoramous and freely admit it.

[Texas Lawdog]

At the AirSho, when it was still held at Harlingen, I witnessed an Air Chase in person.  The CAF's plane, an A-10 Havoc(only one in existence) crashed with a full load of fuel. It ws simulating a bomb run. The pilot, who was in his 80's had a heart attack and crashed the plane. The plane burned. The pilot was doing what he loved. No spectators were injured. We have lost 2 other aircraft with crew members lost. A PBY Catalina in Matagorda Bay and the only B-26 near Midland.

[Major E A Sterner]

Here's an interesting airshow,It was recorded sometime in 1945, it shows both American and German aircraft being flown. See how many you can identify...

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Wow!  Thanks for posting!

I'm just guessing, but the airfield DOES remind me of Wright Patterson A.B. near Dayton, Ohio.  And if that's true, some of those planes are STILL there in the US Air Force Museum!  (Of course, in 1945 it was still an Army Air Forces base - and no red stripe on the star 'n bar insignia.)

I also noticed that no-one had the cojones to tell the 4-Star (I can't remember his name) that there was ... and still is ... a No Smoking on the Flight Line rule!

And no, I wouldn't have told him, either!





Great airshow!  I'd like to have been there!

[Four-Eyed Buck]

SHB, Did you notice the B-32 in some of the shots? Today, NONE of them exsist

Could that 4-star have been Hap Arnold?.................Buck

[Major E A Sterner]

Good Eye Buck, that's him

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I wasn't sure about Gen. Arnold.  That fellow didn't look like him to me, but it could be.  It would make sense.  But I still am not sure.

B-32 Dragon?   Yep, I saw it.

I also saw the Italian Macchi MC.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt).  It was one I referred to as still there at Wright Pat.  It's hanging from the ceiling in front of a great, nearly full-size painting of a bomber formation.  It's an awesome sight!!

VERY interesting bit of history!!

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Freeman was a foreign evaluation field. There were a lot of low production Axis aircraft there.  There's a companion site for the Freeman Field Recovery team. They're looking for burial sites in the field area in hopes of finding parts of some of these aircraft that were destroyed after eval...............Buck

[Steel Horse Bailey]

4 eyed Buck - where was that Freeman Field?  I asked Mr. Goofle for help but the best "Freeman" info I got back was for Drug Addiction Recovery!


I doubt that's it ...

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Not sure myself. Most of it is farmland now. I'll try to dig a little deeper

[Four-Eyed Buck]

SHB, It's in your area, Seymour, IND.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

In that case I'd guess it's a mall or something useful like that now.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Doesn't seem like it, SHB. One entry in their site said they had to wait for a farmer to havest his corn. So I'm guessing it's still a rural area. I'll try to get the URL for their FaceBook site up for you.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Here you go.....................www.facebook.com/pages/Freeman-Field-Recovery-Team/100776559984890

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thnx - Do I have to sign in to F/B to see the piece?

[Steel Horse Bailey]

OK - I signed in and "page not found"

I'l try by accessing the site directly.  Thanks for the link, 4EB.