"September Fury" is the World's Fastest Sea Fury!

Race 232 began life as a Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 (SN 41H609972); the fighter/bomber version of Hawker's famous design. After serving a normal military career, the fighter found its way to New Brunswick, Canada. After several owners, the aircraft was purchased from Brian Baird by the late Frank Sanders in 1969 and registered N232. Sanders trucked the airplane back to his Santa Ana hangar, restored it and entered it in the 1970 California 1000 air race in Mojave, California.

Frank Sanders raced the airplane again in the 1971 United States Cup Race where he finished second. He also raced in the next California 1000 in 1971, and finished first after 41 laps. The next race would be the 1975 California National Air Races, where he finished sixth.

Sold in 1978 to Dwight Simms, the aircraft was sold again to Robs Lamplough of London, England. He brought it back to America and raced it himself in 1988 at the Reno National Championship Air Races as race number 232.

The aircraft returned to England and was operated as a warbird until Mike Brown began looking for another Sea Fury. Having found "232" for sale, he wrote the check and bought her on Christmas Day, 1995. Once again, Sanders Aircraft would perform the restoration - but with a twist. N232J would become a racing aircraft... Work began in 1998 with people like Pete Law, Peter Gross, Bob Smith and Dick Webber on board. Law designed a boil-off cooling system for the oil cooler, a modification that cuts drag and allows more engine power to be delivered to the propeller.

Reno 2000 saw Mike Brown debut the racer with a sock canopy and no paint. He made a mark by being the first person to race a fuel-injected R-3350 aircraft at Reno, but disappointment was right around the corner. The engine, bought from another racing project, wasn't up to snuff. It failed in spectacular fashion coming down the start chute, forcing Mike Brown to make a deadstick landing.

The aircraft was progressively modified over the years. A new induction system was fabricated, but found not to be inefficient. The stock canopy gave way to a Peter Gross designed unit that cut drag. The racer was already a bit lighter with the deletion of military hardware and equipment. Everything firewall forward had to be custom designed and built for the R-3350-93 engine.

Mike Brown recruited crew chief Bill Kerchenfaut to the race team. His first order of business was to profile the wings, make some induction and exhaust changes, and add an RCAT Systems telemetry unit. During testing prior to Reno 2005, the performance numbers were really impressive! Unfortunately, the engine continued to experience cylinder problems which ultimately resulted in the aircraft not making the races.

Mike Brown and Race 232 "September Fury" took the Unlimited Class Gold Race Sunday afternoon at the 2006 National Championship Air Races at Reno, Nevada, with a winning speed of 481.619 mph.

Photo Gallery