ON THE COVER:
DAviation artist Steve Cox created this painting especially for the November issue of Air Classics. Joe DeBona has the gear coming up as he climbs Thunderbird away from Rosamond Dry Lake well ahead of the two Paul Mantz P-51Ds and the de Havilland Mosquito to go on an set a new Bendix Trophy record.

FEATURES:

RETURN OF RACE 64
Vicky Benzing has taken delivery of her P-51D Mustang from Fighter Rebuilders. Race 64 is one of the most historic original Mustangs still flying and Vicky will be displaying the aircraft across the country / by Michael O’Leary

MYSTERY OF THE EVERGLADES PRIVATEER
Surplus ex-military aircraft found all sorts of unusual uses. However, one of the strangest is the tale of a Consolidated Privateer that found a new life in a Florida swamp / by Nicholas A. Veronico

THUNDERBIRD!
Through extensive research, we clear up the history of the surplus North American F-6C Mustang best known as Thunderbird. From a desolate parking space in the Arizona desert, to an all-out assault on the 1949 Bendix, to Jackie Cochran’s records, to racing Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation film, to an incredible 1954 transcontinental flight at over 560-mph, to a blazing crater in a Nebraska farm field, this is, for the first time, the story of a great aircraft / by Tim Weinschenker

THE RENO GOLD UNLIMITEDS
In another air racing first, we present the Unlimited
Gold winners from the 59-year-history of the Reno
National Air Races / by Jim Larsen

COLORS OF WAR
The return of our popular feature of rare WWII color
aircraft photographs from the files of Challenge
Publications / by Michael O’Leary

PERFORMANCE FOR THE FUTURE
A visit to engine builder Vintage V-12s /
by Michael O’Leary

DEPARTMENTS:

MESSAGE FROM PUBLISHER

WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT
Latest vintage and veteran aircraft news /
by Doug Fisher

SHORT FINAL
Reflecting on the first and last Reno Unlimited air races / by Clay Lacy

DOWN MEMORY’S RUNWAY
More aircraft from aviation’s glorious past / by Norm Taylor

AIRLINES
News and views from the readers of Air Classics