John Parker, championship-winning pilot and builder of Reno Air Race contenders Blue Thunder and Blue Thunder II, will try to set a world record at the Golden West Fly-In in Marysville, California, June 11-13.
Parkers’s race-built Thunder Mustang (Blue Thunder II looks like a ¾ scale P-51 Mustang) will be shooting for the world 100-kilometer speed record in class C1c, currently 339.51 mph. Blue Thunder set shorter-distance records (for 3km and 15km) several years ago, and still holds them, at speeds over 370 mph, according to Parker. “The 100km record, in a new machine, looks achievable,” said Parker, who averaged over 350mph in Blue Thunder II at the Reno Air Races last September. “We’ve done a lot of development since then and we now believe that ‘Blue II’ is even faster than the original.” (Parker’s original Thunder Mustang was destroyed by fire in 2007.)
Parker, who is seeking new sponsors, is also planning “fan” opportunities, like being able to sign one’s name on the airplane itself. For donations starting at $50, fans at Golden West, Oshkosh, and Reno will be able to put their autographs on Blue Thunder II.
For more information: BlueThunderAirRacing.com or 775-677-4860
