Here is one of my favourite planes: "Rare Bear". It is not only the fastest piston-engined airplane on this planet but also the best sounding one.

Rare Bear is based on the Grumman F8F Bearcat, the final American piston-engine fighter plane, designed to outfly the best of the Japanese land- and carrier based airplanes. However, it was built too late to see action in WWII.

The first “Bearcat” to become famous was Darryl Greenamyer's “Conquest I”, which took away the by then exactly 30 years old world speed record from Germany's Me 209 in April 1969. This plane also had a successful racing career.

The next Bearcat was then "Phoenix I”, which -after a couple of more names and modifications eventually became "Rare Bear" in 1980. “Armed" with the mighty Wright R-3350 Lyle Shelton - owner and pilot- became the first pilot to exceed 500 mph in a piston-engined airplane near the ground. Since August 1989 he is holder of the world record at 529 mph or 850,263 km/h.

"Rare Bear" won the Unlimited class at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada no less than 6 times ('73, '75, '88, '89, '90, '91) before I had the chance to watch and hear (!) it live. That was in September 1992, still the only time that I was able to attend the Reno air races.

The first picture above shows “Rare Bear” taxiing out, the second one just before Lyle starts the engine.

On the third one Rare Bear’s engine turns slowly while “Strega” - a highly modified P-51 with Bill “Tiger” Destefani at the controls - passes in front.

“Strega” was about to win the Sunday Gold Race breaking “Rare Bear’s” series of wins. “Rare Bear” developed engine trouble in the middle of the race and Lyle managed to land it on the emergency runway.

Reno-Stead has three runways arranged like a triangle, so one is always more or less pointing in the right direction.

The pictures below are from Oshkosh 1994. At that time “Rare Bear” was back in white-gold finish and piloted by John Penney. Lyle was also at the show and he was so nice to sign a book for me with these words: “Climb high and fly fast!”.

If you would like to hear something nice, then click on "Rare Bear's" engine.....