Tag Archives: P-51 Mustang

Fun Stuff, When they were new

I’m a gear head and propeller head

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The biggest roar of engines you will ever hear!

eaa airventure 2016, eaa, oshkosh wi, airplanes, jets, And one of the few places you will hear them is where I was this week, AirVenture 2016 in Oshkosh, WI. I’m sure I’m not alone where I say that I get excited hearing a car like a new Corvette jump on the throttle as it comes out of a turn. Well take that feeling and multiply it by, let’s say 10! And if you think a Hellcat Charger at 700 hp is a lot, multiply that by about four and you have the horsepower of many of the engines in the warbirds up here, even more for the jets. In case you’re not familiar with the event it is the largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts in the world, held every year in Oshkosh, and hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The event, which began on July 24th and runs through July 31st, spans the entire spectrum of aviation. It attracts 10,000 airplanes and more than 500,000 aviation enthusiasts from all over the world. If you haven’t I would highly encourage you to come to this event just once. It is a hoot. Continue reading I’m a gear head and propeller head →

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Fun Stuff

My other passion

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Eaa, oshkosh, whitman field, airventure 15How can that be? You’re a car guy.

Well I’m also a huge airplane guy. I just spent five days in Oshkosh, WI at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) as a volunteer helping kids discover radio control aviation. My daughter also volunteered with me this year. My passion for planes began when I was young. I wanted to be a pilot for Pan Am. Boy am I dating myself. But it wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I did something, getting my private ticket. The Pan Am dream fell by the wayside, mostly because they went out of business, and two, I was happy flying Cessna 152’s and 172’s.

I love speed!

And if you think about it, cars are fast and airplanes are even faster. That means I like the jets but I also like the WWII era fighters and bombers. Many of them can move at a decent clip. In Oshkosh you see it all. AirVenture, which ended this past Sunday brings aviation enthusiasts from all over the world, more than 500,000. Of course there are cars there, Ford is a huge sponsor and had their new GT-40 on display. Outside there were some vintage Mustangs (the car), and right next to them are Roush Mustangs. Jack Roush is a pilot. Last year he crashed his corporate jet on final at EAA but everybody was OK. This year he created an Apollo themed Mustang for an auction to raise funds for EAA’s youth programs. Continue reading My other passion →

Diecast cars

Die-cast: Automodello Mustang I

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Automodello cranks out a rare Mustang I in 1:24th

OK, I get it, not all you plastic modelers are diecast nuts like me. But how about a resin Mustang I Concept car, and in 1:24 scale no less.Mustang1

That’s what the folks over at Automodello have cranked out for you, and only a limited number will be made – 499 to be exact. There’s also a limited run 1:43 model too. But let’s get to the history and the model here.

The History:

Sports and sporty cars had been the rage throughout the 1950s among the racing set. Chevrolet had responded with its Corvette and Ford went a bit more luxury touring oriented with its Thunderbird.

Next up was Chevrolet’s lower cost sports coupe, the Corvair, with its rear-mounted engine. Ford needed an answer.

So in 1962 Ford tried something different, an open 2-seater that was quick and light and independently sprung at all four wheels. Ford’s new baby was the Mustang I, a concept that noted Formula 1 racer Dan Gurney showed off during an F1 race weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) in October of 1962, setting times that were nearly competitive with the open-wheeled racers running in that weekend’s F1 race.

The white hand-hammered aluminum bodied concept car was petite, with a 90-inch wheelbase, an 89-horse V4 and tipping the scales at just 1,148 lbs. and with a top speed of 100 mph. Folks at the Watkins Glen race weekend were eager to get their hands on the car. But in its concept design, the Mustang was not to be. However, two years later the iconic Mustang sports coupe would debut, also in New York, this time at the World’s Fair.

The historic Mustang I Concept got the ball rolling and lent its name to what would become Ford’s iconic pony car. Now Automodello out of Buffalo Grove, Ill., releases a sharp 1:24 re-creation, along with a 1:43 scale model, both in finely detailed resin. The company says just 499 will be made in the larger scale, while 150 Tribute Editions are planned. Those will all be signed by Gurney, its first on-track driver, and cost $150 more. We reviewed the standard 1:24 version. Continue reading Die-cast: Automodello Mustang I →