They are back for 2015. Please note – as soon as I get the 2015 APBA V&H Event Calendar from the APBA VH folks, I will add the dates to these monthly calendars.
Andiamo
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
The start of a new year signals that all the old vintage hydroplanes and owners, like a very fine wine, are just getting better with age. (Hmm….that sounds good, so I’ll go with that).
Every year new year also brings forth a few more vintage hydroplanes that will be reincarnated back to it’s former glory.
The latest project seen at John Jenkins shop is a blunt nose Jones 145 ci hydroplane vintage (1970?).
The boat is the former TOR-GRE for which is was built for & campaigned by the Barker Family out of western New York state.
The hydro then moved on and became the ANDIAMO campaigned by Tony Lamontia in the 1980s (dictionary tells me this boat name is Italian for – “Let’s Go; Hurry Up“) .
From there, it moved on and was campaigned by Jeff Corrigan as WONDERFUL SENSATION and was last raced up into the early 90s when mandatory cell rules were implemented.
The Lamontia Bros. have acquired this hydroplane and commissioned John Jenkins to restore her as campaigned by their father — ANDIAMO.
Thanks to Phil Kunz for the story and photos!
Mom’s Worry A-55
Mom’s Worry A-55 has 24 photos posted to their webpage. This is the boat built by “Pops” Weber for his son Ray in 1962. They raced the boat for 5 years then sold it. It was located by Ray’s son, Mark in 2007 and restored by Scott Liddycoat.
Berlin VI
Berlin VI was constructed and built by Kurt Gersch of Wiesbaden, Germany.
The boat won every race in its class in 1956 including the 1956 World Championship in Cannes.
Rolf Gersch found his father’s old boat (that his father originally built) and restored her back to life.
Click here to read more of the story on this beautiful boat.
Notre Dame
Detroit’s Packard Plant cranked out 70,000 engines during wartime
PT boats! Kittyhawks! Hurricanes with 40mm guns to rip open Nazi tanks! Mosquito bombers! And, of course, the mighty P-51 Mustang! What do all these marvelous manifestations of the Allies’ mechanized might have in common?
Why, they’re all powered by might V12 motors assembled by America’s Master Motor Builder: Packard. The film reel is all about the automaker’s contributions outside the world of luxury automobiles, including motors for flying boats, tanks, zeppelins, speedboats and more. –
– Go to Autoweek to read an article and watch a terrific movie