John Sandberg's P-63 King Cobra
11-11-2010, 01:39 PM
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John Sandberg's P-63 King Cobra
Hi all,
I would like to pay tribute to John Sandberg's P-63 King Cobra 'Tipsy Miss', which raced in Reno in the 1970's. I was wondering if anyone had any detailed photos of the logos used on the plane.
History:
The cobra was another complete re-build. She was ready to go in the summer of 1969. She was a shiny all metal aircraft. Her engine, an Allison, was produced from the newly founded company "Metma Aircraft's Inc", later to be known as JRS Enterprises. The test flight was scheduled for Friday Morning, two months prior to the Reno Air Races. Jack taxied his beautiful aircraft over to Maxwell's the night before to fuel her. That night they were using 32L & 32R at Crystal, MN. Dad couldn't wait for Friday morning. He called the tower for a straight out departure. He powered his machinery up and started on roll out with his flaps one notch down. He lifted off. He went to move his flaps into an up position only going too far. The emergency gear switch was directly above the flap switch. His gears fell down and he was going in. He managed to land between two apartment complexes on the north side of the airport, shearing off his wings as he took out the telephone poles. The engine came forward pushing into his back. He walked away with only a few minor scratches, but his dream to race that year was gone. Most of the damage done to the aircraft was by the wrecker that came to pick the aircraft up that night. Over the next two years it was a major rebuild of the aircraft. The cobra with a bright orange/red paint scheme finally made it to Reno in 1971. Over a seven year period it was reported that over 33 engines were built for this aircraft.
The P-63 King Cobra was named into her third season of racing "Tipsy Miss" from the alcohol fuel that they were testing. It was too hard to control the aircraft. In 1977 Jack sold the aircraft.
Tipsy Miss, John Sandberg's clipped-wingtip Bell P-63 Kingcobra unlimited racer, was identified as "Race 28," and painted in bright orange, white and black race numbers with a chrome spinner. Later sold to a European pilot, this Bell P-63 Kingcobra was destroyed in an accident in 1990.
I would like to pay tribute to John Sandberg's P-63 King Cobra 'Tipsy Miss', which raced in Reno in the 1970's. I was wondering if anyone had any detailed photos of the logos used on the plane.
History:
The cobra was another complete re-build. She was ready to go in the summer of 1969. She was a shiny all metal aircraft. Her engine, an Allison, was produced from the newly founded company "Metma Aircraft's Inc", later to be known as JRS Enterprises. The test flight was scheduled for Friday Morning, two months prior to the Reno Air Races. Jack taxied his beautiful aircraft over to Maxwell's the night before to fuel her. That night they were using 32L & 32R at Crystal, MN. Dad couldn't wait for Friday morning. He called the tower for a straight out departure. He powered his machinery up and started on roll out with his flaps one notch down. He lifted off. He went to move his flaps into an up position only going too far. The emergency gear switch was directly above the flap switch. His gears fell down and he was going in. He managed to land between two apartment complexes on the north side of the airport, shearing off his wings as he took out the telephone poles. The engine came forward pushing into his back. He walked away with only a few minor scratches, but his dream to race that year was gone. Most of the damage done to the aircraft was by the wrecker that came to pick the aircraft up that night. Over the next two years it was a major rebuild of the aircraft. The cobra with a bright orange/red paint scheme finally made it to Reno in 1971. Over a seven year period it was reported that over 33 engines were built for this aircraft.
The P-63 King Cobra was named into her third season of racing "Tipsy Miss" from the alcohol fuel that they were testing. It was too hard to control the aircraft. In 1977 Jack sold the aircraft.
Tipsy Miss, John Sandberg's clipped-wingtip Bell P-63 Kingcobra unlimited racer, was identified as "Race 28," and painted in bright orange, white and black race numbers with a chrome spinner. Later sold to a European pilot, this Bell P-63 Kingcobra was destroyed in an accident in 1990.
