Not too much information for this year, but the team was finally able to finally get the "race" engine built. After the last two seasons of setbacks and the DQ from last year.......this year she will be strong. Time to stretch her legs, and see what she was meant to do!!!!

Here they...Continue Reading

Thom's sense of humor because we told him he should put "ME" on the plane. Yes, we are currently looking for a stuffed cougar ( the animal kind) to put on the wing. After the test flights over the last few days and the grin on Thom's face. Could tell us one of two things.....the plane is now REALLY fast, or his chute straps were too tight. He is playing this one close to the chest, and the time will tell during qualifying.

Well, it is getting down the the wire and the races are only a few weeks away. I have not blogged for awhile because I am sure you all would like to read about polishing the plane...over and over again.

Over the past week the props are balanced and were mounted to the shaft over the past few days. The "manual" for this procedure was photo copy pages from an Avro Shackleton manual from 1948. I now know why there are not too many modified Mustang running Griffon engines. . With the changes..all the numbers point to her winding up in the Gold race, with Strega, September Fury, and Rear Bear. Also the elevator trim tab hinges will be machined out of titanium, and the new linkages for them are already in place Hopefully the seven hour flight from Kissimmee to Reno goes with out a hitch. The one good thing is that the Griffon is a very reliable engine and with the new fuel pumps and how she has been maintained, she should do well.

All my life I have loved aviation. My earliest memories was being on my father's shoulders and him walking down a row of P-51 Mustangs, my parent told me I was not even a year old. I remember watching the Reno Air Races when ABC broadcasted it for the first time on the "Wide World of Sports". That was the year that Red Baron was lost , but thank God that Steve Hinton survived that wreck. I first started going to the Races in 2004, and I have been there almost every year since then. I was not there last year, but then again who really would want to remember the tragedy of what happened that Friday afternoon.

And then there is this year........

- She was born for a war that she do not lose
- Her heart (the engine) was once also the heart of one of the most famous Unlimited Hydroplane team (Miss Budweiser)
- She was reborn in 1988

Her name is Precious Metal

The only remaining Griffon powered Mustang left in the world.....and I am proud to be "turning a wrench" on her. (or even polishing her up too)

She is owned and flown by pilot/mechanic Thom Richard, over the past year
he has improved on some of the modification that was made in her in years past before he picked her up in the Spring/Summer of 2010. He is a really "hands on" kind of guy and he doesn't mind teaching new tips and tricks.
He is also a co-owner of Warbird Adventures out of the Kissimmee Airport. So if you are ever looking for a little T-6 time, or you can stop by the museum and see the aircraft on display..including Precious Metal.

www.warbirdadventures.com

Hopefully since I am not a Facebook friendly kind of guy, I hope the keep this blog going as Precious Metal gets ready for Reno 2012 and also update a little during race week.