Images From "The Ride" and the 1979 California National Air Races

From left to right, Ted Curiel, John Putman, Unidentified and Waldo "Clay" Klabo, converse after the races at Mojave in June, 1979.

Ed Browing (2nd from right, lower right corner) and the Red Baron Air Racing Team.

Randy Scoville, Crew Chief of the RB-51 Red Baron.

John Putman, unidentified woman believed to be Karen Maloney and Steve Hinton Sr. at the California National Air Races, Mojave, June, 1979.

John Putman and Lloyd Hamilton, the latter pilot of the Hawker Sea Fury, Baby Gorilla, the very first Air Racing I ever saw.

John Putman, of Bakersfield, California, who flew for the Banducci Air Racing Team at Mojave, in June, 1979.

Douglas A-26 Invader, Race 4, The Mojave Kid, on the course during a heat race at the California National Air Races, June, 1979.

Miss America, Race 11, at the California National Air Races of 1976.

Steve Hinton Sr., pilot of the RB-51 Red Baron.

John Crocker, pilot of Race 6, "Sumthin' Else," (is Ms. "O"), named for his wife Olivia. Seen here in 1977 at the United States Air Racing Association (USARA) Spring Symposium.

Miss America's Race Record by June, 1979. The aircraft still races today with new owner, Brent Hisey, an Oklahoma City Neurosurgeon.

Lyle Shelton, owner/pilot of the Grumman F8F Bearcat racer, Rare Bear, and Manager of Air Race Management at the California National Air Races (CNAR). Seen here at USARA's headquarters in early 1977.

Charlie Beck, pilot of Miss America, Race 11, a North American P-51D Mustang, flying on behalf of Howie Keefe at the 1979 California National Air Races, Mojave.

Dan Martin applying a little Shinola for a Race Number ("7") on his NAA P-51D, Ridge Runner III.

The Red Baron Air Racing Team, June, 1979, at the California National Air Races in Mojave.

Air Racer Bob Love at the 1979 California National Air Races. Love was a Mig Ace flying North American F-86 Sabrejets during the Korean War. He raced P-51 Mustangs after the War.

Lockheed Martin Engineer Pete Law and Steve Hinton. Law was one of the designers of the RB-51 Red Baron while Hinton was its pilot from 1978 thru 1979.

John Crocker's highly modified, North American P-51D Mustang, "Sumthin' Else" (is Ms. "O"), Unlimited Class Race 6, during run-up on the ramp at Mojave, California, during the USARA Spring Symposium in April, 1977.

The plane to beat: Unlimted Class Race 5, the Red Baron Air Racing Team's RB-51 at the California National Air Races in Mojave, June, 1979, flown by Steve Hinton Sr.

John Putman taxis in at the California National Air Races, Mojave, June 1979, with "Wile E. Coyote" in the back. John would either race with Wile E. or The Road Runner in the backseat. When parked in the pits, Wile E. would be in the front seat and The Road Runner in the back.

John Parker's American Air Racing Special in primer and on the course at Mojave during an I.X.L. heat race. I.X.L. is now "International Formula One" or IF1.

John Crocker's beautiful Race 6, "Sumthin' Else (is Ms. "O"), Unlimited Class Race 6, a highly modified North American P-51D Mustang with a Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 motor.

John Putman, pilot of Unlimited Class Race 86, "Ciuchetton," taxiing into the Pits after a heat race at the California National Air Races, Mojave, California, June, 1979. This is the first time this photo has ever been published, online or in hard copy. This is the pilot who took the author for "The Ride," the story depicted below in Bearz' Other Blog. Daniels was working for United Press International (UPI) as a stringer during that time.

Air to Air with Race 49, "The Blue Max," over the racecourse straightaway at the California National Air Races, Mojave, California, June, 1979. The author was working for United Press International (UPI) at the time.

Ed Browning's RB-51 "Red Baron," Unlimited Class Race 5, as seen in an earlier version, June, 1976, at the California National Air Races, Mojave, California.

Jim Miller's exotic IF1 design, the JM-1 "Texas Gem," Race 73.

From the Goodyear Midget days of the late 1940s, "Shoestring," Race 16, in Circus Circus Hotel & Casino markings. Campaigned by Ray Cote. Aircraft now retired and on display at the San Diego Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park, California, just north of San Diego.

Paul White's crew on the I.X.L. Race 11, "Fang," an Owl OR-1.

Air to Air with Jerry McDonald and Scott Rayburn, in the North American SNJ-4 "Big Red," of the AT-6 Texan Class.

Douglas A-26 Invader Race 4, "The Mojave Kid," campaigned by Wally McDonnell, of California City, California, just north of Mojave.

John Muzala and Peter Henning in the cockpit of the North American P-51D Mustang racer, "The Flying Undertaker," the second of two P-51s operated by the Red Baron Air Racing Team. Henning was filming the Air Races for the ABC Wide World of Sports special about Steve Hinton, the RB-15 Red Baron, Air Racing and the Red Baron Team's assault on the speed record, which was set two months later on a 3km course at 499.083 mph.

Actor Cliff Robertson (Charley, 633 Squadron, The Devil's Brigade, Spiderman Trilogy) was on hand as he was narrating an ABC Wide World of Sports special about Hinton and the RB-51. Air Racer Gary Wilson, of IF1, is seen in the background.

Ed Browning's RB-51 Red Baron, Race 5, a hybrid North American P-51D Mustang featuring a Rolls Royce Griffon Mk. 57 motor. The aircraft flown by Steve Hinton Sr.

North American P-51D Mustang racer "Ciuchetton," Race 86, the aircraft in which the author rode.

SEE the story The Ride, Below...