Voodoo
| 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 is the 2013 and 2014 Unlimited-class champion of the Reno Air Races.
On Sunday, September 14, 2014, Steven Hinton, Jr. (a.k.a. "Stevo") of Chino, California, flew the P-51D Mustang (N-551VC) "Voodoo" in the Unlimited Gold Race at Reno Nevada to win its sixth Nation Championship in the 2014 Reno Air Races. This was his second win in Voodoo.[1][2] Hinton, 27, logged a top speed of over 492 mph in the final race.[3]
History
First built in 1944 as a P-51D-25-NA by North American at Inglewood, California, for the United States Army. The aircraft was then transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Mustang IV with s/n 9289 February 1951.
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. Summarized NTSB 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]
1980 to 1994 the Aircraft was sold to and restored by William A. Speer, of La Mesa, California. A restoration was performed at Chino, California, using a former AURI airframe or components from that airframe. Components of the original airframe were used in the static restoration.
1988 it made its first restored flight. It first raced as #45, then using the name Pegasus, Raced as #55. The plane was sold at auction, December 1994.
From 1995 to 1998,Bob Button, Button Transportation Inc., Wellington, Nevada, acquired and raced the plane renamed "Voodoo Chile", #55. 1995 Pilot & Motocross Racer Bob Hannah raced it as #55 "Voodoo Chile".[5]
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.[6]
2013 Voodoo, still owned by Bob Button, was raced by the young Steven Hinton, Jr.., breaking the 500 mph barrier and taking home the unlimited gold trophy.[7]
In 2014 Steven Hinton, Jr. once again won the unlimited trophy in the Gold race to retain his national championship.[8]
Previous identities
- 1951: February 8, BOC, RCAF 9289
- 1959: August 14, SOC, RCAF 9289
- 1958: N6526D, import, James Defuria / Intercontinental Airways, Canastota, New York
- 1960: N6526D, sold to R. Ferrer, Patchoque, New York
- 1962: N6526D, crashed, Virginia
- 1966: N6526D, sold to Frank Guzman, Massapequa, Pennsylvania
- 1968: N6526D, sold to Don Bateman, Las Vegas, Nevada
- 1969: N6526D, sold to Mike Coutches, Hayward, California; black w/ gold stripe
- 1974: N6526D, sold to H. Matteri, State Line, Nevada
- 1975: N6526D, sold to William Veatch, Olympia, Washington
- 1977: N6526D, March 19, crashed, Olympia, Washington; major damage
- 1980: N6526D, sold to Bill Speer, La Mesa, California; restored as Pegasus; modified for racing
- 1996: N6526D, sold to Delbert Williams, Voodoo Chile
- 1997: N551VC, sold to Bob Button, Dixon, California
- 1997: raced by Tiger Destefani; bare metal, #55 raced as Voodoo Chile
- 2006: raced each year at Reno; Bob Button assumes piloting in 2005
- 2008: Will Whiteside became the race pilot for Team Voodoo
- 2009: Turtle deck and race canopy reinstalled
- 2010: Team Voodoo had a strong week; Sunday's race was cancelled due to high winds
- 2011: Strong performance before race cancellation. Will Whiteside, pilot.
- 2011: offered for sale in November; not sold
- 2013: Steven Hinton, Jr. and Voodoo win Unlimited Gold Champion at Reno, Nevada
- 2014: Steven Hinton, Jr. and Voodoo win Unlimited Gold Champion at Reno, Nevada.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ "2014 Aircraft Report". Reports.airrace.org. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- ↑ "Hinton makes Reno magic in 'Voodoo'". Aopa.com. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- ↑ Guy Clifton, RGJ (14 September 2014). "Hinton captures Reno Air Races gold". Rgj.com. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- ↑ http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=56791&key=0
- ↑ http://www.pylon1.org/articles/publish/printer_86.shtml
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yarNbC_ppts
- ↑ http://www.airspacemag.com/panoramas/p-51-mustang-voodoo-180947954/
- ↑ http://reports.airrace.org/2014/2014.Winners.Report.html
- ↑ "P-51 Mustang Survivors - MustangsMustangs.com". Mustangsmustangs.com. Retrieved 16 November 2014.