Mr. Awesome: The Unmatched Legend of a Yak-11 Transformed

Air racing has always been about pushing the limits of speed, ingenuity, and sheer daring — a realm where history, engineering, and piloting skill converge into a blur of propeller and paintwork over sunbaked pylons. Yet rarely does a plane capture the imagination of enthusiasts quite like Mr. Awesome, a machine whose name is as audacious as its construction. Born as a humble Soviet Yak-11, this warbird was transformed by Matt Jackson into a one-of-a-kind, fire-breathing masterpiece, powered not by its original engine, but by a gargantuan 3,700 horsepower Wright R-3350 radial. The result: a racer with no equal, both in spectacle and singularity.

From Soviet Trainer to Air Racing Icon

The Yakovlev Yak-11’s story begins in the late 1940s, designed by the legendary Alexander Yakovlev as an advanced trainer for the Soviet Air Force. Light, reliable, and sturdy, the Yak-11 schooled generations of Soviet pilots — but it was never meant to set speed records or shatter expectations. With modest performance and a Shvetsov ASh-21 engine producing about 700 hp, it was a far cry from the thunderous racers found in the unlimited class at Reno.

Enter Matt Jackson, pilot and aircraft builder extraordinaire, whose vision would upend all precedent. Where others saw a well-built trainer, Jackson saw the blank canvas for something audacious, a fusion of vintage style and unrelenting power that could tear through the skies and turn heads in the pits.

Building Mr. Awesome: The Ultimate Transformation

To create the plane that would become Mr. Awesome meant starting with almost nothing except a Yak-11’s general shape. The original airframe was painstakingly altered and lightened; fuselage, wings, and control surfaces were modified for structural strength and aerodynamic efficiency. Gone was the original, modest engine — in its place, Jackson installed a Wright R-3350: the same massive, 18-cylinder radial that powered the mighty B-29 Superfortress and, in hot-rodded form, many of the world’s fastest racing aircraft.

The Wright R-3350 was a beast by any standard. At its racing peak, tuned and tweaked for maximum force, it could deliver a staggering 3,700 horsepower, more than five times what the Yak-11 was ever meant to tolerate. This transformation was not for the faint of heart; reinforcing the engine mounts, revising the cowling, and adapting the oil and cooling systems were just the beginning. Control surfaces were beefed up to handle the stresses of pylon racing at over 400 mph. New landing gear, custom propellers, and specialized avionics followed.

Almost nothing was left untouched: Jackson and his team transformed the Soviet docility of the Yak-11 into a machine that demanded respect from pilots and competitors alike.

The Legend Takes Flight

When Mr. Awesome debuted at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, it was an instant sensation. The plane’s exaggerated nose housed the muscular R-3350, giving it a menacing, purposeful look that set it apart from the sleek Mustangs, Bearcats, and Sea Furies lined up on the ramp.

But it wasn’t just looks — powered by nearly 4,000 hp and weighing far less than a WWII bomber, Mr. Awesome rocketed skyward with a growl that seemed to vibrate the desert floor. As Jackson sliced through the pylons, spectators marveled at the surreal sight: a reimagined Soviet warbird dueling with the best American and British racers at speeds the original Yakovlev designers could scarcely have imagined.

A Singular Machine with a Fitting Name

The Yak-11’s elegant lines, when paired with the raw-power muscle of the Wright radial, proved Mr. Awesome lived up to its name. It wasn’t just fast — it was a spectacle, a jaw-dropping example of what creativity, mechanical prowess, and a touch of bravado could achieve in front of an audience hungry for noise and speed.

No other Yak-11, before or since, has been so radically transformed. Most warbirds in air racing are carefully restored or mildly modified; here was a plane that redefined the limits of possibility. Every system was unique, every flight a balancing act between high-octane performance and mechanical reliability. Jackson and his crew became masters of both, innovating solutions for problems no one had ever encountered before.

The Heart of the Beast: The Wright R-3350

Perhaps the most compelling chapter in the Mr. Awesome story is the colossal engine at its core. The Wright R-3350 was one of the most powerful piston engines ever built, brimming with racing potential when stripped of its military constraints and pushed to its technological limits.

Racing variants of the R-3350 routinely put out between 3,000 and 3,700 horsepower — numbers that induced awe, fear, and respect in equal measure. Keeping it cool, fed, and in one piece for a full-race heat demanded a team of expert mechanics and engineers. Modified superchargers, customized ductwork, and special-blend fuels became critical lifelines. The sound of that engine—in full song at Reno, echoing across the valley—became as much a part of Mr. Awesome‘s reputation as its looks or its records.

A Farewell to a Flying Legend

As with all great racing machines, Mr. Awesome was ephemeral—a creation for the moment, burning bright but never meant to last forever. Air racing leaves little room for compromise, and the realities of engine maintenance, airframe fatigue, and ever-advancing technology conspire to send even the most formidable champions into retirement. Still, the legend endures.

Mr. Awesome wasn’t just the fastest Yak-11 or the most powerful Soviet racer ever built; it was the realization of a vision, the kind of bold mechanical artistry only found at places like Reno. For pilots, fans, and dreamers, it remains proof that the sky’s the limit with enough courage, creativity, and horsepower under the cowl.

The day Matt Jackson and his Frankenstein Yak first hit the start line, a once-humble trainer became immortal—and “awesome” was no longer just a name. It was a fact, roaring around the pylons in a cloud of propwash, smoke, and awe.