After
the 1944 armistice the aircraft producers of the world had to scale down
production of combat aircraft rapidly as almost all production contracts were
cancelled. Besides the aircraft already in production there were also a lot of
advanced prototypes meant for the next generation of fighters and bombers. All
development projects were cancelled overnight. The
downscaling of all air forces flooded the market with second-hand warplanes,
some of them barely used, enabling people to buy an aircraft for next to
nothing. At the same time a lot of combat pilots lost their job and to find a
new source of income.
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Some of
these pilots started buying the surplus aircraft in 1945 and organizing air
races with them. This quickly became a very popular pastime drawing large
spectator crowds. In 1946 the first World Pilots Championship was held
consisting of 6 races which were held in different locations in the USA, Europe
and Asia. This first championship was won by US pilot John Warner flying a P-51D
Mustang. Very
quickly this World Pilots Championship became so popular that sponsors and
aircraft manufacturers became involved. Some of the wartime prototypes and
development projects were revived to compete in the races. I order to maintain a
level playing field the organizers decided to freeze the technology that could
be used in the races at the level of the 1st of January 1948.
The World Pilots
Championship was renamed to the Formula F48 and formal rules were set up. The
main rule was that aircraft had to be powered by one or more piston engine and
propeller driven. Ant design, materials and engines used should be as available
at the beginning of 1948.
Races were held
around a 10-mile closed circuit. Spectators were positions on the outside of the
circuit. Since 1955 a season consists of 12 races in 10 different countries. A
maximum of 15 aircraft were allowed in each race, a qualifying event before each
race deciding which aircraft could take part. In 1960 there were participants
from 15 countries flying aircraft from the USA, UK, Italy, Germany, France,
Japan and Sweden.
The Formula F48
races became very popular and major sponsors spent a lot of money to get their
name on the aircraft. Although the rules specified that the engines used were
the ones available before 1948, careful tuning managed to bring them to ever
increasing output levels.
Tom
Zuijdwegt
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