Voodoo (aircraft)

Voodoo
Pilot Steven Hinton, Jr. takes Voodoo to win the 2014 Gold Championship
Type North American P-51D-25-NA Mustang
Serial RCAF 9289




Voodoo is a highly modified North American P-51 Mustang that was the 2013, 2014 and 2016[1] Unlimited-class champion of the Reno Air Races. The pilot for these wins was Steven Hinton, Jr. of Chino, California.[2][3]

History

The P-51D-25-NA was built in 1944 by North American Aviation at Inglewood, California, for the United States Army. The aircraft was then transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Mustang IV with serial number 9289 in February 1951.[4]

In February 1951, it went down at Richmond, Virginia, and was badly damaged. Again, in February 1962, the aircraft crashed. In March 1977, the aircraft suffered yet another crash. According to the summarized National Transportation Safety Board narrative from report number SEA77FYE12:

There were 2 fatalities. Incident occurred at 13:46 hours. The airframe was destroyed. Incident occurred at Olympia Municipal Airport, Olympia, Washington. The aircraft Ground looped or water swerved during the takeoff run. Stalled or mushed during the initial climb. The factors included; unapproved modification. FAA examiner remarks include: Partially completed dual control modification.[4]

In 1980, the aircraft was sold to William A. Speer, of La Mesa, California, who restored it. In 1988, it made its first restored flight. It first raced as #45, then as #55 using the name Pegasus. The plane was sold at auction in December 1994.[4]

Bob Button of Button Transportation Inc., Wellington, Nevada, owned the plane from From 1995 to 1998. He renamed it Voodoo Chile, and raced it as #55.[4] In 1998, the highly modified P-51 raced at the National Championship Air Races in Reno. In 2007, Bob Button retired from air racing after a malfunction.[5] In 2013, Voodoo, still owned by Bob Button, was raced at Reno by Steven Hinton, Jr., who won the unlimited gold trophy and the national championship while reaching speeds of over 500 miles per hour (800 km/h).[6] Hinton won again in 2014.[6][7]

Timeline

"Voodoo" at the Reno Air Races, September 14, 2014
Pilot Steven Hinton, Jr with Voodoo at the 2014 Reno Air Races

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2016 Unlimited Gold Results". Reno Air Racing Association. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "2014 Aircraft Report". Reports.airrace.org. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Hinton makes Reno magic in 'Voodoo'". Aopa.com. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "North American Mustang IV, s/n 9289 RCAF, c/n 122-39874, c/r N551VC". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yarNbC_ppts
  6. 1 2 Jansma, Lyle. "Inside the Cockpit: P-51 Mustang "Voodoo"". Air & Space/Smithsonian. National Air and Space Museum.
  7. ↑ "National Championship Air Races: 2014 Race Winners".
  8. ↑ "P-51 Mustang Survivors - MustangsMustangs.com". Mustangsmustangs.com. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Reno Unlimited Gold Race 2015 with Voodoo mayday landing.". Voodoo1650. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  10. ↑ "2016 Unlimited Gold Results". Reno Air Racing Association. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.