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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Pitts Special
    Latest Model:S-1 Special
    Construction Number:7777
    Last Civil Registration:N767JW
    Compressed ID:Pitts S-1 cn 7777 cr N767JW
    Latest Owner or Location:Van Nuys Acro, Moorpark, CA

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    Dates

    Event

    1971

    Constructed as a S-1.

    To unknown owner with c/r N767JW.

    8 June 1979

    Certificate of airworthiness for N767JW (SPECIAL S-1, 7777) issued.

    From 9 September 2002 to 15 September 2002

    Raced as #17, named Devil In Da Skies.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Jeff Watkins from Cool, CA. Qualified in 10th place with an average speed of 179.482 mph. Raced in Heat 1B. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 177.958 mph. Raced in Heat 2C. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 177.463 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 179.574 mph.

    Circa 2003


    Photographer: Ken Videan
    Notes: At Reno.

    From 8 September 2003 to 14 September 2003

    Raced as #17, named Devil In Da Skies.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Jeff Watkins from Cool, CA. Qualified in 11th place with an average speed of 181.636 mph. Raced in Heat 1B. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 177.850 mph. Raced in Heat 2C. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 181.422 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 183.134 mph.

    From 15 September 2004 to 19 September 2004

    Raced as #17, named Devil In Da Skies.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Jeff Watkins from Oceanside, CA. Qualified in 7th place with an average speed of 191.095 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 179.328 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 176.441 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 175.533 mph.

    From 12 September 2005 to 18 September 2005

    Raced as #17, named Devil In Da Skies.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was James Watkins from Cool, CA. Qualified in 7th place with an average speed of 190.407 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 186.372 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 8th place with an average speed of 168.398 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 6th place with an average speed of 188.374 mph.

    From 11 September 2006 to 17 September 2006

    Raced as #17, named Devil In Da Skies.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Jeff Watkins from Cool, CA. Qualified in 8th place with an average speed of 189.933 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 177.197 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 173.764 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 173.755 mph.

    From 10 September 2007 to 16 September 2007

    Raced as #17, named Devil In Da Skies.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Jeff Watkins from Cool, CA. Qualified in 10th place with an average speed of 194.372 mph. Raced in Heat 1B. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 185.142 mph. Raced in Heat 2C. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 187.135 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 186.855 mph.

    11 September 2007


    Photographer: David Lednicer
    Notes: The Biplane Class racer Devil in Da Skies being towed out for an early morning practice session at the Reno Air Races

    20 October 2010

    To Van Nuys Acro, Moorpark, CA keeping c/r N767JW.

    From 12 September 2011 to 16 September 2011

    Raced as #17, named Sunny Side Up.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Northridge, CA. Qualified in 12th place with an average speed of 179.929 mph. Raced in Heat 1B. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 179.098 mph. Raced in Heat 2C. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 181.497 mph.

    From 10 September 2012 to 16 September 2012

    Raced as #17, named Sunny Side Up.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Northridge, CA. Qualified in 5th place with an average speed of 192.660 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 179.479 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 176.299 mph. Raced in Heat 3C. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 181.458 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 187.033 mph.

    From 9 September 2013 to 15 September 2013

    Raced as #17, named Sunny Side Up.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Northridge, CA. Qualified in 5th place with an average speed of 195.546 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 183.959 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 188.373 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 189.886 mph.

    13 September 2013


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    From 12 September 2016 to 18 September 2016

    Raced as #17, named Sunny Side Up.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Northridge, CA. Qualified in 3rd place with an average speed of 206.480 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 201.653 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 204.205 mph. Raced in Heat 3C. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 199.921 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 204.959 mph.

    From 11 September 2017 to 17 September 2017

    Raced as #17, named YELLOW FEVER.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Northridge, CA. Qualified in 4th place with an average speed of 194.875 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 194.465 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 194.491 mph. Raced in Heat 3C. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 196.427 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 195.427 mph.

    9 September 2018


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    From 10 September 2018 to 16 September 2018

    Raced as #17, named YELLOW FEVER.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Los Angeles, CA. Qualified in 5th place with an average speed of 193.595 mph. Raced in Heat B. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 188.267 mph. Raced in Heat 2. Finished in 6th place with an average speed of 183.286 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 188.267 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 193.595 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 193.595 mph.

    14 September 2018


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    From 9 September 2019 to 15 September 2019

    Raced as #17, named YELLOW FEVER.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Northridge, CA. Qualified in 5th place with an average speed of 198.271 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 6th place with an average speed of 191.054 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 189.123 mph. Raced in Heat 3C. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 194.441 mph. Raced in the Championship race. The race was canceled.

    9 September 2019


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    9 September 2019


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    9 September 2019


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    11 September 2021


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    14 September 2021


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    From 15 September 2021 to 19 September 2021

    Raced as #17, named YELLOW FEVER.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Los Angeles, CA. Qualified in 6th place with an average speed of 185.550 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 186.701 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 188.996 mph. Raced in Heat 3C. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 190.716 mph. Raced in the Championship race. The race was canceled and 5th place was assigned based on previous heat results.

    16 September 2021


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    10 September 2022


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Nation Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV.

    From 14 September 2022 to 18 September 2022

    Raced as #17, named YELLOW FEVER.
    Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Biplane class. The primary pilot was Eric Zine from Los Angeles, CA. Qualified in 5th place with an average speed of 192.108 mph. Raced in Heat 1A. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 183.703 mph. Raced in Heat 2B. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 187.652 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 190.754 mph.

    17 September 2022


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Nation Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV.

    18 September 2022


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Nation Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV.

    31 July 2024

    To unknown owner with c/r N767JW.
    Sale reported to a new owner in Erwinna, PA.


    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Internet Sources
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    Reno Air Racing Association (National Championship Air Races)

    Individual Contributors
    Mike Henniger

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