Warlock question

[wingman]

I should know the answer to this, but got a surprise when going through Birgitta's slides from Reno. Did Papa Goss taxi out for the Saturday Gold heat? I thought I remembered that Warlock was down for the count before then, but Birgitta has a couple of shots of it taxiing out with the fast planes on a roll that has the IF1 Bronze and Silver starts on it so has to be Saturday. I was on the pylons that day, so obviously don't know...

If so, Nick must have had a real shock when number 75 didn't take off with the pack!

Neal

[T. Adams]

Re: Warlock question

I think I remember he called a mayday on Friday before the start. He took off, but landed before the start of the race.

[Race5]

Re: Warlock question

I think I remember he called a mayday on Friday before the start. He took off, but landed before the start of the race.

That is correct, when he took off on Fri morning for the heat race, the aircraft wouldn't make enough power to catch the pace plane, much less race power. They thrashed on it all day Fri, and couldn't find anything. They flew after the races on Fri, and after that flight they found all the screens full of metal. The motor was off the airplane and headed back to Cali on Sat.

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Warlock question

Neal, "Warlock" actually did take off with the pole position for Saturdays heat race- after winning Thursday, but was a DNS for the race.

We didn't figure out it was terminal till after dark Saturday night, so we were out of options for this year.

We pulled the motor Sunday and Otis from Aero Engines took it back to LA to investigate. Was master rod bearing failure, wiped out the crank and blah blah......

Can't wait till next year! All the best, RG

[Race5]

Re: Warlock question

Neal, "Warlock" actually did take off with the pole position for Saturdays heat race- after winning Thursday, but was a DNS for the race.

We didn't figure out it was terminal till after dark Saturday night, so we were out of options for this year.

We pulled the motor Sunday and Otis from Aero Engines took it back to LA to investigate. Was master rod bearing failure, wiped out the crank and blah blah......

Can't wait till next year! All the best, RG

Oops, I was off by a day. I forgot you didn't fly a heat race on Fri.

[wingman]

Re: Warlock question

Thanks Randy -- I had pretty much figured out the sequence of events by now. When I think about it I can remember shouts of "Where's Al" at the start of the 2A, and then put it out of my mind as Nick roared by. You do miss a lot, out on the pylons.

Did Al have any warning at all before taxiing out for the race?

Did he actually call a Mayday, or did he just land?

Why was he wearing different helmet for the two races?

Here are a couple of quicky scans of Birgitta shots, after winning the 1A, and before the 2A...

Neal

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Warlock question

Hey Neal,

The noise cancelling went out in his blue helmet- so he had my white helmet on- very observant my friend!

He had no indication on run up or take off that the motor was going away.

When he pushed the power up to catch Steve Dilda in the pace plane, it would not take throttle. So, he said he had a "problem" no official mayday since it was running fine at low power, he just continued straight in and landed.

We tried to trouble shoot the problem all afternoon Friday, and even flew it Friday evening- but after that flight and a short run on the ramp, it was done. Had most every kind of metal you can think of in the screens/sump.

#75 is still up in Reno, we hope to get another engine together soon to go up and get it.

Was a GREAT week until Saturday!

Like Tiger says, "one day you're in the penthouse, next day your in the s--thouse"

We will be back to try again next year! All the best, RG

[wingman]

Re: Warlock question

Thanks again Randy

Here's a shot by Birgitta from, I think, early Saturday afternoon. Notice Al pacing to the right of the shot. I think his look says it all...

Looking forward to next year Randy !

Neal