It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

[Peashooter]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

Do an FAA database web search for
Lewis Aeronautical.
Will give you details on his other a/c.

TJ

So many toys, so little time! And now TWO Bearcats!

And here's a fun Bearcat read...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GrummanF8F/message/186

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

So many toys, so little time! And now TWO Bearcats!

Correction:

ONE Bearcat
ONE Rare Bear

[Lowell]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

No, it really looks like TWO Bearcats.

Lewis Aeronautical has a P-51D, and FG-1D Corsair, and a F8F-1 (ex-David Price #204) Bearcat, N58204, BuAer# 95255. Rare Bear is a -2 Bear BuAer 122629.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

Is he a Racer? Race fan?
Does he want to retire or race her?

I'm curious to see how this is going to play out.

Someone didn't read the ARTICLE

[King]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

Okay.... cool... he owns a lot of stuff.

But what do we KNOW about HIM?

Anyone know him?
Know what he has in mind for The Bear?
Is he a Racer? Race fan?
Does he want to retire or race her?

I'm curious to see how this is going to play out.

He is a man that wants the best..............he will ensure that the Bear is ready for the Gold and the win.

Why would he purchase the Bear if he did not want to race her!

[Victor Archer]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

Someone didn't read the ARTICLE

I did, I did... But I knew about it in September anyway

[BellCobraIV]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

Is he a Racer? Race fan?
Does he want to retire or race her?

He is a racer, race fan, and impressed me very much, that he has a full understanding of what it is going to take to make the Bear a reliable winner again. Stay tuned, I have been involved in air racing for 41 of my 47 years, I can tell you the level of competition is on the rise. The future of where this effort, the Mike Brown effort, and the Strega efforts are headed will be nothing but fantastic for the fans. Unlike for many years where I commented on specific plans that were underfoot and envisioned for the Rare Bear, I no longer am in a position to do that, I used to speak for the team and my dad on occasion, but have been very careful not to speak for the other teams that I have been involved with over the years as I believe that is the job of the ower or his representatives. So when involved with these teams I have kept myself out of the light and more in the background as far as comments are concerned. I will still feel free to discuss the past history of the Rare Bear, but from now on all I can about the future is ......We'll all know more about Reno 2007, on October 1, 2007. Until then, get in, sit down, hold on, and watch out.

I'd like to thank all the fans who supported my dad for the many years when he raced not just the Rare Bear, but the Sea Furies and the Mustang N66111, My dad always understood what the perception of the fans meant to him. I remember in 1971 when I was twelve I wanted so badly to watch one of the races from the wing of the Bearcat, Lyle took me aside and told me that while I might think it unfair that I couldn't sit and watch the race from the wing. Lyle thought it would be more unfair to the other kids walking by that didn't have a good view. Because their dad didn't have a Bearcat there for them to sit on. During the Cape May air race Lyle and Clay Lacy drove out to visit a boy that due to a nervous disorder could not walk, but loved airplanes, they spent a long time out there visiting.

I'd also like to publicly say Thanks Dad, it has been a great ride through all the battles together and through the disagreements it has been a blast. I am very happy to see the airplane go to someone who I feel "gets it".

[Air Race Addict]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

Dork.

Thank you Now I feel better, HAH!

[Victor Archer]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

How about some more alien porn.....

[SpinB]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

I hope Lyle gives him the real book on 'Care and Feeding of RareBears'!
I'd like to she her at the top of her game again!! I still remember Tiger and Lyle on the back-side at speed, Lyle's a plane-length behind....and he presses the 'Magic Button'! He blew by Tiger like you read about! I thought I was seeing things!!!! Can't wait to see what Mr. Lewis has in store! Come on September.......
3-blade...3-blade...3-blade...squeez...3-blade...3-blade..baby's-butt smooth....

[gp70442]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

I remember that the 3 blade caused control problems in the turns near those record speeds. Gyroscopic effects?? I thought this was WHY they went back to the 4 blade. If that's the case, it makes no sense to go back to the 3 blade for Reno. 3 km, maybe.

GP

[440_Magnum]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

OK, back to speculation.

So with this October 1, 2007 date I guess we're looking at the Bear standing down for a while for a major rebuild, eh?

Another quote for those of extreme dorkitude:

"What? What's going to happen?"

"Something wonderful..."

Will I dream?

Signed,

Dork, Mark 1 mod 0

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

I did, I did... But I knew about it in September anyway

*sigh*

Apparently, a lot of folks knew it... I caught a fair amount of flak trying to keep the lid on this thing... because.... the former owner and the prospective new (at the time) owner wanted it that way.

This electronic media thing is a two edged sword at times. On the one hand, you can learn, just about anything, almost real time....

On the *other* hand... sometimes the stuff you learn should NOT be made public knowledge WORLD WIDE!

Somewhere between 2 and 5 thousand folks visit this site on a given day. If someone has something going on and they don't exactly want the entire world to know about it, it's sort of the responsiblity of those of us who happen to have good ears, to keep our traps shut.

That said, I sort of wind up being the bad guy in the good guy-bad guy thing in that... I keep my trap shut whenever I know it's a good thing to do.

I'd like to use this particular situation as a platform to ask all of you.. when you get a really neat news tidbit.

First, check your sources.. then check deeper. Is your tidbit something that might blow a deal if published?

A lot of "stuff" goes on behind closed doors.

Lots of you are going to get whiffs of this "stuff" from time to time.

PLEASE resist the temptation of "breaking the story" here when/if you get these tidbits..

PLEASE exercise restraint.. think about those involved with whatever "stuff" you have the scoop on and bide your time.

Believe me.. this is a TOUGH assignment!!!!!!

BUT!

The reward is a trust that is built between you and whomever let you in on whatever information you gleaned..

In the end, we all get the pleasure of knowing what's going on in a FAR advanced way than, say... pre-1997 when we had to hit the ramp at Reno to know who's doing what!

But...

The old saying...

"discretion is the best part of valor" rings true here!

Maybe a PM might shed light on what should be "broken" and what should be sat on...

This message was NOT intended to bash at anyone.. It was, intended as, perhaps, an explanation of my somewhat "heavy handed" tactics on this board at times!

Thanks for listening..

Wayne

[BuckyD]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

GREAT NEWS! My first Reno was 1975 & Lyle & RB won the Gold. Hard to believe this golden Unlimited champion is still active as a competitor today. BIG thanks & kudos to Lyle Shelton and all the crew members who kept the tradition & excitement alive through thick & thin. Good luck to the new owner & crew too! ("Pssst - Hope Skipper gets the ride!") BuckyD

[BellCobraIV]

Re: It's Official Rare Bear Has New Home

*sigh*

That said, I sort of wind up being the bad guy in the good guy-bad guy thing in that... I keep my trap shut whenever I know it's a good thing to do.

I'd like to use this particular situation as a platform to ask all of you.. when you get a really neat news tidbit.

First, check your sources.. then check deeper. Is your tidbit something that might blow a deal if published?

Wayne

Wayne,

I edited your quote, so for that I hope you don't mind I think the message remained the same. I would like to just echo what Wayne has said. For personal reasons some of the dealing that goes on behind the scenes can be driven by emotions, desires, and other issues that are not always the "business" of the fans. Deals that can be made or broken based on a percived confidence, that maybe was overheard on the ramp at Reno can be affected. The perception becomes a matter of faith/trust between the parties. In my opinion this is the best deal that could of happened for the future history of the Unlimited class and also for the Rare Bear. The future success hinged on many items and I can tell you with certainty that one of them was the ability to maintain a confidence between the parties. For the future If you guys hear a really good one. check with the sources and if they tell you there is no story, go with that before the story is ruined.

For my part I'd like to thank Wayne for all his help. I'd be remiss at this point if I did not thank Scott Germain for his part in keeping the lid on this deal. Scott kept the lid on this deal even though he knew Wayne was getting the story. Scott knew this would be better for air racing leaving it alone to just happen. See y'all October 1st.
John Slack