Reno Air Races, I've seen it twice, third time was going to be on 9/11 weekend in 2001, but it was cancelled... FAK mr bin laden for that!
Its like a FOUR to FIVE DAY airshow... neato!
A lot of it is a regular 'airshow,' with normal flyby's etc, but the races part is far and beyond because the throttles are wide open. There is money involved for the winners.
Track has a couple of rings: pylons mark the course, like a white telephone pole with like a large cylinder on it, different colors for the different track rings. The slower planes categories race along the inner tracks, the faster plane categories take the outer tracks. The whole field is like in a 'bowl' surrounded by desert. I think its pit planes, then mini-jet planes like the 'silver bullet' coors plane, and ww2 fighter planes class.
WW2 FIGHTERS RACE:
1) The whole bunch of them fly in at about 3,000 feet(?) all in a tight group formation...
2) Next, all dive in for the first corner (the first pylon)... zoom!
3) Then, they do about three laps or so, passing the grandstands each time, closer areas are like 200-300 yards from the fans area, if that, NEATO.
The saying goes "Fly low, fly fast, turn left"...
4) Finally, the last lap, passing the grandstands, they pull up and climb out at about a 45degree angle climb...
Also, the first days are all the contestants, the last day is between the winners of the earlier races...
NEAR CRASH:
One race I saw... ww2 fighters class:
It had the usual bunch: p51's, typhoons, a modern reproduced yak, an f8f bearcat(after ww2 technically), and also, rare, a mostly stock f4f wildcat.
The f4f wildcat, got lapped, one of the p51's almost hit the f4f while passing him at a corner pylon, I don't think the wildcat saw him but probably mutual, , wheeew!
Some of the crowd was like wheeew!
The f4f was an early warbird, and this one seemed stock... it shouldn't have even been in the race with late war souped up machines.
MONEY!!!:
The field had like three parts when I went there. EXPENSIVE, these are guesses... been awhile, PROBABLY TWICE IN TODAYS MONEY!
This said, if you buy all the days, in advance, it gets cheaper.
About 15years ago, just showing up for one day...
1) about $50 for basic admission - you can go to the food area and almost see the runway etc...
2) another $50 for bleachers, like at a ball game, have to pay the extra amount to go sit up there.
3) another $50 for the 'pit pass' area... to go walk around and get close up views of the parked planes. ALSO the trinkets and shops for stuff are here also.
There was a store selling CD's of 109(e?) sounds I think. Others with plastic models, all the stuff.
These days, probably a minimum of $300 for one day with full access, PRICEY!
OH, and you already know that even 1 SODA CAN will probably COST FIVE DOLLARS, a beer probably TEN DOLLARS!
Oh, and I tried to bring a FOLD-UP CHAIR, they don't let you use it! WTF WTF WTF!!! <--- I might have my airshows confused but I think it was RENO that said NO PERSONAL CHAIRS!
THE 'PIT PASS' for PARKED PLANES:
Most of them do get a turn to fly around some during the show, but there are SOME THAT DONT FLY.
Its presumed that they did fly in before the show, parked, and then fly out after the show, but not during...
I would recommend reserving an extra day, just incase there is one that you want to see LIKE A 109!!!
One of the times... there was a parked 109 that did not fly for the show, it was parked only.
It was a mix and match pieced together 109, it had an 'after war' spain built engine, I think, so it had the supersize storch gull looking nose!
I think it had a desert paint job, with the tiger, tiger paw, and black face on it lol.
It was neat to size it up though in real life, toe to toe with it - seemed a lot smaller than the p51, typhoon, etc.
I wasn't able to stay to see it when it flew out! :/
WHAT TO WEAR:
Bring your favorite plane shirt, and or buy some there. One of the few places you wont get in trouble for wearing a LUFTWAFFE plane shirt lol.
Was $20 to buy shirts, probably $40 these days:
One said "Fly it like you stole it!" <-- might be a good state of mind for in game!
Another with a Heads Up Display showing like you're coming in upside down crooked to the runway - "Bad Attitude!" it said.
For your girlfiend "Remove before flight" shirt... sort of like a those red ribbons that are put on parts of the planes.
Sooo... why I stopped going? Its 99% allied stuff, meaning no Luftwaffe stuff at all. My luck of seeing the 109 that I saw means that I was at Reno's best year!
Tillamook Air Museum in Oregon had a 109 but I think its gone now. Also the me-108 tandem seat (side by side) pre-war two seater, but I think its gone also.
Their site says a 190 coming soon.
I recommend going to the Reno Air Races at least one time, every year in early September, FAST!
Microsoft Flightsim has it in there stock I think, can fly, don't even have to go to flightsim.com to dl extra scenery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv3vy62XFKs
