Steven Hinton, the exceptional pilot who has won the Unlimited Class in the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, multiple times, added his name to the record books this weekend as he broke the speed record for an internal combustion engine-powered airplane, Class C-1e, on a 3 km closed course. Hinton was flying a highly-modified P-51 Mustang named Voodoo, the airplane he has raced in Reno for the past few years.
P-51 Voodoo Becomes Fastest Piston in the World
Key Takeaways:
- Steven Hinton set a new preliminary speed record for an internal combustion engine-powered airplane (Class C-1e) on a 3 km closed course.
- Flying his modified P-51 Mustang "Voodoo," Hinton achieved an average speed of 531 mph, significantly surpassing the previous record of 318 mph.
- The success was bittersweet as, despite a faster speed, it did not officially beat Lyle Shelton's retired 1989 record due to rule changes that would have required a 1% increase over the original mark.
- Hinton's achievement continues a family legacy of aviation speed records, as his father, Steve Hinton Sr., also held a similar record previously.
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