Before it was Rare Bear

[wingman]

Intermediate stages...

[BellCobraIV]

Intermediate stages...

The canopy is the same one in both pictures, however here are two pictures of WAY before it was Rare Bear. At this point unbeknown to us a wreck was in Valparaiso waiting for someone to love it. There were a LOT of cigars around then.

[Jan]

The canopy is the same one in both pictures, however here are two pictures of WAY before it was Rare Bear. At this point unbeknown to us a wreck was in Valparaiso waiting for someone to love it. There were a LOT of cigars around then.

Navy pilot with cigar. Boy in spiffy red shirt.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Navy pilot with cigar. Boy in spiffy red shirt.

Don'tcha wish photographs could record the subject's thoughts at the time of exposure...

Having the world by the ass has to feel pretty damn good!

[L.E.D.]

So I have a question.

Corky Meyer (I think) wrote about F8Fs having break away wing tips. The idea was that the wing could be lighter if it was made to break in a controllable way when certain G loads were reached.

My question is: is that breakaway point where the Bear got its wings clipped?

(P.S. Navy pilot with cigar. Boy in spiffy red shirt. Yellow Luscombe with windmill generator.)

[BellCobraIV]

So I have a question.

Corky Meyer (I think) wrote about F8Fs having break away wing tips. The idea was that the wing could be lighter if it was made to break in a controllable way when certain G loads were reached.

My question is: is that breakaway point where the Bear got its wings clipped?

(P.S. Navy pilot with cigar. Boy in spiffy red shirt. Yellow Luscombe with windmill generator.)

Yes, the wings got clipped at the production break. Note; there were three aileron hinges. You wanted to keep at least two of them.

Just for reference. Everyone is commenting on my"spiffy" red shirt but hey! look at how clean my white tennis shoes were. Couldn't do that with a round motor!

[wingman]

Great pictures, John. Did your Mom take them?

The shot of Lyle is fascinating. There's the "Naviness" of course, but there's also a presence. This is the guy who's about to ride the fire breathing dragon. What a decade he would have...

I fussed with it a bit -- is this OK?

[MRE]

John, did you guys ever have any issues with the fabric covered control surfaces. Would have been interesting if you guys had gotten a Mustang.

[BellCobraIV]

Here is a picture from Reno 64 That I think best shows where the "Navy Pilot" wanted to be heading....Fate was waiting for the chance.

[BellCobraIV]

John, did you guys ever have any issues with the fabric covered control surfaces. Would have been interesting if you guys had gotten a Mustang.

Mike,
I may be wrong, but I don't believe that N66111 ever went fast enough to damage the control surfaces....Even thogh if you look closely at pictures of the airplane the rudder was recovered at one point. So maybe?