The pound racer

[MerlinV12]

The race plane that never won
The pound racer

[bergschrund]

Re: The pound racer

The race plane that never won
The pound racer

As from the sarcastic banner at Stead...."The Pond is a pooch"

[51fixer]

Re: The pound racer

The race plane that never won
The pound racer

What reno racers have never won?
There are more than those who have won. Why do you feel this is the significant point to raise with the Pond Racer?
The Pond Racer deserves more accalades then it ever had a chance to recieve. It certainly deserves a better thread title than this.
Today the whole Sport class share much in common with it as far as innovation, construction methods and the like.
Rich

[gp70442]

Re: The pound racer

The Pond generated a tremedous amount of interest when it came out. A 400 mph qualifying run was pretty impressive also. Just a shame it didn't live long enough to realize its full potential. Way ahead of its time I guess.

Don't get me wrong, I love the warbirds but the Pond was a glimpse of what may be the future. Technology is a wonderful thing.

My .02
GP

[Race 29]

Re: The pound racer

I agree. I was really pulling for it's success. Ultimatly, we lost the Pond as well as Rick Brickert. A great guy and pilot. Let's not forget him.

Race 29

[Randy Haskin]

Re: The pound racer

Sign seen tied to Pardue's Sea Fury:

"Round Engined Monster Sucks Pond Dry"

[wyhdah]

Re: The pound racer

If it wasn't for the weight rule, that I believe the Pond help bring along, and politics a composite plane would already be smoking the annual favorites. Maybe with a round engine but probably not. Anyone disagree?

[laminar]

Re: The pound racer

The Pond Racer deserves more accalades then it ever had a chance to recieve. It certainly deserves a better thread title than this.

Well Spoken...

[AirDOGGe]

Re: The pound racer

If it wasn't for the weight rule, that I believe the Pond help bring along, and politics a composite plane would already be smoking the annual favorites. Maybe with a round engine but probably not. Anyone disagree?

The weight rule has nothing to do with composite airframes. Just build bigger!

But would a "plastic" Mustang truly be superior in a race to a well polished and cleaned-up metal one? I dunno...It should be a little lighter at least if built correctly, but still within race weight limits.


I don't think the lack of composites in unlimiteds has anything to do with the loss of Rick and the Pond Racer. I think it's because it's still a fairly new technology and still has plenty of unknowns, especially when you scale up the airframe and it's workloads.

After all, it's only now that the big manufacturers are evolving the technology of all-composite airframes themselves (Boeing 787). How much of what they've learned to build one properly has trickled down to the home builder?

Aluminum aircraft have been developed for most of a century, so the knowledge of using that material for high-load airframes is more widespread.


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[t-dub]

Re: The pound racer

Well Spoken...

AGREED!!! Visionaries like Mr. Pond are the ones who make advancements to, innovate, and evolutionize not only air racing, but ALL forms of motorsports! The sad thing about this thread is that a great pilot, person, and FRIEND, lost his life in the "POND RACER" trying to realize a dream, and is deeply missed!!! (Pretty bad taste in trying to make a joke out of it all if you ask me.........)

[David E. Wells]

Re: The pound racer

I think it was Robbie Grove that put together some composite cowling pieces, wing root filets etc. for Voodoo and others that considerably enhanced Mustang aero. Wouldn't an ALL composite "SPORT", Merlin powered P-51 have an advantage over the All-Metal "WAR" example? The Pond Racer was just the precurser to what something like "Relentless" may evolve into. DID YA SEE Mr.Archers photos of that thing? COOOL.
We don't want to admit it to ourselves, but WW2 is over and for all it Brought to US nostalgics those things will someday be only found in the Smithsonian...D.

[wyhdah]

Re: The pound racer

I agree David, and the rules for weight were put into place to keep from making those WWII planes obsolete. Why build a composite racer if not to be lighter and faster. And I would also venture to say that the big companies don't make composite airplanes because of retooling and training cost not development. Most fighters have had some composite stressed items for several years.

It's going to take someone like Pond or the advancement of the sport class to continue with this sport.

I love all the planes and the racers and enjoy every September but I will tell you when I was young I read an article about the Pond Racer and it was the first unlimited I had or have seen that wasn't built before I was born.

[David E. Wells]

Re: The pound racer

I watched the Turkish GP yesterday, one thing that was VERY Interesting was a bit about the "Life" of composite F1 monocoques. It seems that they get "Soft" with Stress, lasting only about 5 years. Where does that put the 787?...D.

[wyhdah]

Re: The pound racer

David you have to remember those cars get replaced almost yearly. They never intend for them to last so I'm sure durability comes second to weight.

They only run like 13 races a year so how long should they last?

[t-dub]

Re: The pound racer

Hey Wyhdah, Don't forget about TSUNAMI! Unless you are under 21, it was around after you were born, and was mostly scratch-built..........