Houston, We May Have a Problem

[T. Adams]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Whatever, it is a lame excuse in my book. This top secret stuff is really ridiculous.

[Victor Archer]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Whatever, it is a lame excuse in my book. This top secret stuff is really ridiculous.

Secret what? All they showed was a very scuffed crank journal nothing els. Probably showed more damage to pride and ego than anything.
I built my share of big block motors (no not Merlin's) and I know how I felt when something broke, It Sucks!

[T. Adams]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

I agree, what secret. Were talking about technology that is decades old people. Nobody is going to reinvent the wheel here. In todays world, even with a sport as obscure as this one (lack of mainstream media coverage), if someone has a problem, then it is going to be found out about.

[Phantom Samurai]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

So, I'll put it to all the Merlin "gurus" out there. Do you armchair engine builders really believe you understand exactly what is involved in building a Mouse Merlin? Well, I've got news for you... you don't.

Let me recreate a little scenario for all of you. Already a well-reknowned engine builder, you decide sometime back in the '60's that you have a rather ingenious solution to a well-known Achilles heel of the Roll-Royce Merlin as a race motor. You begin experimentation with your ideas sometime in the mid to late '70's, only to have one bug after another consistently rear it's ugly head time and time again. But you perservere, and finally after 20 years of blood, sweat, tears and a BOATLOAD of trial and error, it all seems to work. Your motors proceed to win 11 of the next 17 Unlimited Gold Championships, and life is good. Then you have a major problem with an engine of similar type, and someone decides to take a bunch of snapshots of the damage and post them on the internet. Bummer. Twenty years of your hard work, there, exposed for all the world to see. Do you folks really believe that there is not some truly trick and proprietary stuff in there? Do you really believe that it's all just "technology that is decades old"? Get serious.

I'll tell you up front that I'm not a motor guy, and really don't know squat from Shinola about all the inner workings of the Mouse Merlin. However, I have seen one build entirely from scratch, and would offer that the builders of these motors are far more craftsmen than they are mechanics. These engines are truly works of art, and given all that goes into each and every one, I can fully understand the Dago team's objection to the photos being published on the internet. Besides, it's just another galled-out main bearing, right?

TPS

[T. Adams]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

All a bunch of !@#!*!(), if you ask me. You can't tell squat from a little snapshot of a guy holding up crankshaft, or closeups of a main bearing gone bad. I remember seeing the detailed photos of Miss America's engine failure. Boy that really let the cat out of the bag didn't it. What a joke.

I compare this to Funny Car. For years John Force has been the man. Racers sit and scratch their heads and wonder how and the hell does this man win so damn much. And yet they can sit and watch the team from just a few feet away completely tear apart the motor run after run for all eyes to see. I'm not saying that someone be allowed into the shop with a micrometer and start taking measurements. Again you can't tell squat from the photos that were taken. This is just pointless, I'm done. I'll be in Reno to see what happens.

One last thing, it was not a bunch of snap shots. It was THREE pictures. Two close ups of the blackened journal, and one of someone in the shop holding it up in the air. A crackshaft is hardly proprietary!!

[Victor Archer]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

So, I'll put it to all the Merlin "gurus" out there. Do you armchair engine builders really believe you understand exactly what is involved in building a Mouse Merlin? Well, I've got news for you... you don't.
TPS

Chill Sam it was only the crank, they didn't show the trick stuff.

[Phantom Samurai]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

That's the whole point. YOU can't tell squat. But I defer to the expertise of the Merlin "gurus" on this board. Ignorance is bliss, I'm sure.

And by the way, nobody asked you.

TPS

[Scotty G]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Hi Guys,

I don't think it's a matter of anything secret at all. The people concerned with this matter simply don't want any photos on the internet right now. It's their stuff, their work, their problem, and they simply don't want it out at the moment.

We're living in an age where a photo can be taken and dissemenated around the world the very next minute. We're all adjusting to this. Those photos were posted with harmless intentions with an eye on sharing with you.

Simple as that. See you all at Reno.

[pitgirl]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Hey Wayne...
Hang in there! To be sure everyone is doing their best to make sure there is a race in the desert! Take care of yourself, our thoughts and prayers are with you! There is plenty of digital, as you can see, you won't miss a minute of it...do your best, the rest is in gods hands!
Laps of Love Pitgirl and friends

[Sparrow]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Well, as a friend of mine says, Let me say this about that---- There are a handful of us that know the particulars about the inner and external workings of the "mouse" motor. After 1200 or so man hours of building/rebuilding however you wish to describe it, the thing for whatever reason takes a dump. You have poured months of effort money and personal sacrifice into this thing, now you have to do it all over again in a very short period of time. Are you pissed-- Yes along with a caudry of every other emotion in the book that can be thought of. Is any of it secret? To the certain handful of us who really understand, not really. There is no bull**** or black magic in there, just an awful lot of hard work. Maybe instead of bellyaching about the fact that you can't view a bunch of tore up parts because it "isn't top secret," you should consider the big picture as a whole and just realise that one of our "babies" has had a problem and they just flat aren't in the mood right now to share it with the rest of the world. Yes, I AM quailified to say this as I too have been to this movie.

Sparrow

[Pylon1_Mark]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Well, knowing all the players in this major setback... all I can add that I would like to hope that everyone realizes at times like this, it would be of greater benifit to say a little prayer and give some moral support to a team that certainly has given a lot to us over the years.

Here's wishing Team Dago Red all the best in hopes of making the field in the manner that you guys & gals have done so many times in the past. If anyone can pull this off - I know you can. Good luck, God's speed, and as we all know - the only lap that really counts in the last lap, on the last race on Sunday. I got a good feeling Team Dago is gonna be right there in the thick of things.

All the best

[Leo]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Here, here, Mark.

Let's just hope to see em' run and run safe.

Leo

[speeddemon]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

Aw, what the hell, I'll lob my two cents worth into this argument too....

Since I work with a race team (not airplane), I can say that there is no way in hell I/we would want or let anyone see us with our pants down. Even in a racing community the size of air racing, where there ARE no real secrets, you STILL don't air your dirty laundry out for your competitors to see.

Air racing, just like most other forms of racing, involves a lot of head games. And head games work both ways. And you don't want your competitors to see just 'how bad' things are. I don't blame the Mystery Aire/Dago people one iota for their request.

I agree that the layman probably couldn't tell the difference at all of what they were seeing. But as has been pointed out by TPS and Sparrow, there are people out there who CAN....and it all goes back to the dirty laundry thing. So all the ramp rats, rail birds, and pit lizards who are screaming that it's all crap, and that this top secret stuff is nonsense...well...I hate to disagree with you, but I think you're wrong. And just because the Miss America team didn't mind showing their dirty laundry, doesn't necessarily mean the Shanholzer folks were happy with the decision (maybe they were...who knows).

I know that if it were me, though...I wouldn't want the pictures shown.

And TPS, just as an aside, talk with the Doctor about the Mouse motor ideas...and see if he doesn't mention Dave Seefeldt in his conversation. Dave was actually the FIRST guy to try to make the Allison rod concept work in a Merlin....for Bill Muncey's Atlas Van Lines back in 1980/81. They were pretty darn spectacular for the lap or so that they would stay together....even more spectacular when they'd 'blow'd-up'! It's just the Doctor finally found a way to keep them together a little longer than Dave did! :-)

[ecvsteve]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

I wouldn't doubt that someone compared that crank with another crank. Just in case there was something to be seen.
I am a Dago Fan and its hurt'n real bad hearing all this.
Doc, Kerch and Crew, Good luck and God speed to you.

[Race 29]

Re: Houston, We May Have a Problem

For those of you that are upset that a picture of a crankshaft was removed, I've uploaded a picture of a crankshaft from a Yamaha YSR 50 motorcycle. Since it has become such a big deal here, hopefully you'll be able to get your crankshaft jones with this picture. Enjoy!

Race 29