Understanding the Super Stangs

[Air Boss]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

Full Disclosure:

I'm the FNG here in so many ways. I know virtually nothing about aerodynamics, race motors (Mouse, rat, or otherwise), CG, etc. Moreover, my only frame of personal reference is from 2003 forward. Not exactly a wealth of historical data points.

That said, one can make a solid argument that the "Super 'Stangs" as most have defined below stand on the shoulders of many, many other race aircraft...and by definition, many, many other very smart, crafty, and forward-leaning folks.

I think Big Jim is spot on. If....IF....we are in the waning days of UNL "Super 'Stang" racing, there are really only three ships to consider.

What do they have in common and what separates them from each other? How much does the classificiation of "Super 'Stang" depend on who's pulling the levers? How much secret sauce was shared between them, and how much was kept locked away in a jar, in a safe, in a vault, under a volcano?

One of the better threads on AAFO in a while. Well done!

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

Well Brad, Owen,
If those three are all we are going to discuss then one giant coincidence just poked out it's little rodent head. All three of them started going fast thanks originally to Da'Doc. Dwight Thorn was building Mice for all of those airplanes at one point. Each one of those programs had a Chinese Blueprint at one point. What people did with those examples helped continue the successful Allison rod engines. Now you realize that you left Dixon Smith out of the conversation we were having. Kerch had his screwdriver out of his pocket on each one as well. L.D Hughes invented the really cool cowling on the Voodoo.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

Well Brad, Owen,
If those three are all we are going to discuss then one giant coincidence just poked out it's little rodent head. All three of them started going fast thanks originally to Da'Doc. Dwight Thorn was building Mice for all of those airplanes at one point. Each one of those programs had a Chinese Blueprint at one point. What people did with those examples helped continue the successful Allison rod engines. Now you realize that you left Dixon Smith out of the conversation we were having. Kerch had his screwdriver out of his pocket on each one as well. L.D Hughes invented the really cool cowling on the Voodoo.

It would just be like if we were talking about the Super Cat racers (of which--rightly--there are only two, and at that given that Lyle's at its best was 60 mph faster than Darryl's on it's best day) and we started including Escape II in the conversation. :-) I mean, technically, it WAS a modified Bearcat racer, but......

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

It would just be like if we were talking about the Super Cat racers (of which--rightly--there are only two, and at that given that Lyle's at its best was 60 mph faster than Darryl's on it's best day) and we started including Escape II in the conversation. :-) I mean, technically, it WAS a modified Bearcat racer, but......

Good point, however I still think having a Mustang reskinned with magnesium, removing the jet engine off the bottom and ate up all the holesaws in the San Fernando valley says something. He who's name shall not be spoken hi-jacked the development of that airplane. Skip commented to me on one occasion that he felt Stiletto was a 494 mph airframe. The original plan for exiting the coolant air was ducting the flaps and leaving the air alone on the top of the wings. A-L-A-N nixed that expense. Zeuschel hated that he had allowed A-L-A-N to have so much control of that project. Had "Z" been able to retain control of that project.....

[CJAM427]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

Don't know about the tail incidence, but no on the wing incidence. At least I didn't make or design any parts for it.

When did Strega receive the incidence mods?

[ZacYates]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

In my naivety I thought the three aircraft I mentioned were the "Super Stangs", hence my use of that term.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

In my naivety I thought the three aircraft I mentioned were the "Super Stangs", hence my use of that term.

I'm sure I wasn't the first to use that term, but back in 2005-2006 era I did a two-part story for Warbird Digest that was titled "Super Stangs". It was a synopsis of all of the modified Mustang racers up to that time. One of my better stories, IMHO.

[Lon Moer]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

from Bucky D....TURTLEDECK'D P-51 AIR RACERS

[ZacYates]

Re: Understanding the Super Stangs

from Bucky D....TURTLEDECK'D P-51 AIR RACERS

I think I'm about due for a re-read of that, thanks Lon!