Air & Space Smithsonian – September 2019

for three of the top five qualifiers in last year’s

Unlimited field at Reno, the field that almost exclu-

sively features modified World War II fighters.

In the race, Dennis flew a fourth Sea Fury, owned

by a Sanders customer.

In many respects, time seems to have stood still

at the Sanders shop. Ruth still comes into the office

three days a week. Dennis still climbs in and out

of cockpits. Warbirds are still being refurbished

to award-winning standards. (Active projects

include a Sea Fury, a Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, a

Grumman Goose seaplane, and a Grumman F7F

Tigercat.) Smoke generators are still being built

and shipped all over the world.

But there’s new blood at Sanders Aeronautics

and Sanders Smoke Technologies. Ruth’s role as

business manager is being assumed by her grand-

daughter, Shannon, Dennis’ daughter, who earned

anMBAtwoyearsago.AndShannon’shusband,

JoelSwager,is beinggroomedtosucceedDennis.

Andthefourthgenerationisalreadyinline.

WhentheSwagerscometoworkeachmorning,

theyarrivewiththeirson,Owen,a toddlerwho

gothisfirstairplaneridewhenhewasfourweeks

old.AsDennissays,“Forthelastsixyears,when-

eversomething’scomeup,I’vetoldJoel,‘Well,it’s

goingtobeyourproblemsomeday.’Andhe’sthink-

ing,hopefully,‘It’sgoingtobeOwen’sproblem

someday.’” Dennis’laughterreverberatesthrough

a spotlesshangarhousingsomeoftheSanders

family’spersonalstash.BesidesDreadnought, there’s

anotherdual-controlSeaFuryknownsimplyas 924 ,

a fabric-coveredN3Nbiplane,a TBMAvenger,a

Three pilots of what

Reno fans call “big

iron”: (from left)

Dennis Sanders,

Matt Jackson, and

Stewart Dawson

have competed

against one another

at close to 500 mph

in Unlimited races.

September 2019 AIR&SPACE 27

OPPOSITE: RICHARD VANDERMEULEN; TOP: ANTHONY TAYLOR