Wayne what descriptions and picts!
Wayne: Was this a flying start event or LeMans starts? Your descriptions of conditions and driving them are unreal! You and the Butts Aerowing became as one that had trust in the other so you concentrated on driving against the conditions, secondary because of reliability was the hydro and engine. I still have 2 Butts Aerowings here. Your article had me go see them in their storage. Makes one shiver! :)
Elmer Grade talked about the crash back in 2001 with me.
Elmer spoke to me at length about that tragic event when I was there in 2001. That crash really crushed Elmer Grade and the racing teams racing efforts and spirit and dampened Alky boat racing in general he told me. To racers, things like that just are not supposed to happen but did. I admired Elmer's Yale hydros with the classic 4 leaf clover routed into the transom outside buttresses. It was one tragedy too many for some.
Wilfried Weiland's cat / blowover ?
Wayne, Didn't Wilfried take off out of pits for first practice, go to the far end of the lake, and blowover?:eek: I recalled his blowover at Dayton and thought this guy really likes to fly.:) Happened, or O.M.D.(old man disease):confused: thanks bill