Rotary Engined Air Racer

[tigercat200]

I seem to recall seeing an article in a magazine some years ago about a group that was building an unlimited air racer with multiple Mazda rotary engines for powerplants. Does anyone know anything about it and what became of the project?

[Race5]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

It never got off the ground. There was a rotary powered RV in the sport class last year.

[FlyKidChris]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

Here's a link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Design_DG-1

I'll look for a photo...

...well, here's a link to a drawing:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3044406

Ah, an article:

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1979/1979%20-%204624.html

You might find more if you search for "Garber DG-1."

Good luck.

[W J Pearce]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

Here.
http://airspot.ru/catalogue_image/fi...4551/dg1-i.jpg

And here is a better view of its innards.
http://www.rotaryeng.net/Dave-Garber-fuse.jpg

[supercub]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

Whatever happened to that one with the 2 V-8 turning counter rotating ......what looked like "cooling fan props"

[Sky Critter]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

Whatever happened to that one with the 2 V-8 turning counter rotating ......what looked like "cooling fan props"

As a "one off" design it doesn't qualify for the Sport class and being under 4500 lbs is too light for the Unlimited class. Class rules make it an orphan.

[Race5]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

As a "one off" design it doesn't qualify for the Sport class and being under 4500 lbs is too light for the Unlimited class. Class rules make it an orphan.

The "one off" rule no longer applies in sport class. That was eliminated when the super sports were dissolved back into the class. If it still applied, the GP-5 wouldn't be able to race.

[tigercat200]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

Thanks everybody. That's the one I was thinking about but I didn't realize it had been that long ago. The article sounds like it did fly a little bit though.

[C_roundy]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

Whatever happened to that one with the 2 V-8 turning counter rotating ......what looked like "cooling fan props"

As far as I know, nothing. Even tho' I've been looking fairly hard (for updates) the whole time. I do invite the man to speak for himself.

That said, Brian, I still can't believe we are actually gonna get to see eachother in a few days!!!

Yer hopeful neighbor,
Chuck

[Sky Critter]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

The "one off" rule no longer applies in sport class. That was eliminated when the super sports were dissolved back into the class. If it still applied, the GP-5 wouldn't be able to race.

Thanks Race5. I didn't know they changed the rules back and I had assumed that the GP-5 was a kit along the lines of the NXT (where only the minimum number of kits were built).

[Tosg]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

The Garber DG-1 did indeed make several short test flights in the mid 1980's with former IF-1 racer H.W. "Rocky" Jones (ex. Hughes A/C test pilot and Air Force combat pilot) at the controls. There were major cooling problems with the rear engine, along with stability teething issues that you would expect with a radical new design. The project was shelved, I do not know the current status.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Rotary Engined Air Racer

...There were major cooling problems with the rear engine, along with stability teething issues that you would expect with a radical new design.

Actually, I expected it with THIS design.

The moment I saw the drawing, I though " That's an awefully small tail for such an aircraft, especially with a prop on both ends and the nose so far out ahead of the wing. The photo looks like the vertical fins were enlarged on the real thing, but they still appear too small to me. No doubt stability would be compromised.