Still experimenting...

[dineega]

Re: Still experimenting...

For my grand prize I'd like to see more photos - please and thank you!
Rachel

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Still experimenting...

Neal, if i am excluded how about 86 looks like the Year scoot Sherman had 84 ? no prise for me Shawn

1986

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Still experimenting...

i goofe

[wingman]

Re: Still experimenting...

Well Rachel, since you ask so very nicely (not to mention winning the quiz!) you get your prize!

Of course it comes as another quiz!

Why does this airplane have "LEAD-FREE!" painted on its wingtip?

Where was this photo taken and what was special about the occasion?

And why was Dwight pi##ed off?

As usual, Shawn is excluded, as he knows too many of the answers...

Neal

[dineega]

Re: Still experimenting...

Looks like I'm not the only one having trouble with this one......

[t-dub]

Re: Still experimenting...

This particular Tsunami paint job is from 1989. Lead free I have no idea. Perhaps no leading on the bodywork? Dwight was Pi$$ed off?

[wingman]

Re: Still experimenting...

Yes, I'm a bit surprised...

I thought it would be relatively easy, actually -- at least the "lead-Free" part and from that would follow the place and time.

We have at least one person who comes around who knows a lot about the history of the airplane -- I thought Michael might chime in...

A hint -- this was the last time the first race pilot of the airplane raced it...

Which was NOT the pilot in this shot!

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Still experimenting...

Well Rachel, since you ask so very nicely (not to mention winning the quiz!) you get your prize!

Of course it comes as another quiz!

Why does this airplane have "LEAD-FREE!" painted on its wingtip?

Where was this photo taken and what was special about the occasion?

And why was Dwight pi##ed off?

As usual, Shawn is excluded, as he knows too many of the answers...

Neal

is that Shermsn Texas ? sorry Neal

[wingman]

Re: Still experimenting...

Shawn -- I thought you were excluded for now?!?

Why would you say Sherman, Texas?

[Mluvara]

Re: Still experimenting...

Yes, I'm a bit surprised...

I thought it would be relatively easy, actually -- at least the "lead-Free" part and from that would follow the place and time.

We have at least one person who comes around who knows a lot about the history of the airplane -- I thought Michael might chime in...

A hint -- this was the last time the first race pilot of the airplane raced it...

I would guess it is the Texas race with Hinton in it. However, I'm not sure I know what the meaning of lead free is on the wingtip... I would garner it is politically based at the air racing group for one reason or another.

Michael

[wingman]

Re: Still experimenting...

So even Michael doesn't know the whole answer.

It was indeed Jay Cullum's Texas Air Race in the summer of 1990. A special day in Tsunami history because it was the only Gold Race Tsunami ever won!

Steve messed up his back (again!) later that summer in a Chino accident and Skip took over that fall.

Tiger was actually leading the race but in a rare mistake lost due to badly cutting a pylon. Dwight was not pleased -- "That's a Hell of a Blank Blank way to lose an Air Race !!!" (You will have to fill in the blanks, I'm afraid)...

My understanding is that Tsunami had been quite nose heavy from the beginning, for several reasons. The original plan had apparently been to use a single stage Merlin,which would have been lighter than the motor which finally was used. The engine builder did not give the designer a final firewall forward weight to work with til the design had already been finalised, etc etc. The airplane ended up with a significant amount of ballast in the tail, which as usual was a chunk of LEAD! This was one reason for the endless redesign and changing of the tail during the life of the airplane, but the balance situation was apparently never fully solved.

The airplane also never flew especially well at normal speeds (as opposed to race course speeds where it was apparently just fine). The owner, who was also the bill-payer, wanted the airplane to fly better. So the crew went to great lengths to actually move the wing forward several inches, which among other things allowed them to remove the lead from the tail...

Lead-Free!

I've always thought it was a terrible shame how this one ended up. It was a great Racer...

Neal

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Still experimenting...

Here's a different sort of experiment. I finally broke down and bought a flatbed scanner and this is my first scan. I haven't completely figured out how the whole business works, but it's a start I guess. This is a Tri-X shot, done almost exactly 30 years ago...

Hey Wingman, that would have to be either homestead or Miami... as the baron doesn't have the michelob sponsorship was added... and is that the original precious metal?

[Leo]

Re: Still experimenting...

Cool Neal!
I never knew that the single stage was never used. I do remember it being tested in Tipsy Too.

[eeyore]

Re: Still experimenting...

I thought Tsunami was tail heavy. The airframe mods included building a lighter tail and moving the wing back 9 inches. Those changes would have made a nose heavy situation worse

[Mluvara]

Re: Still experimenting...

So even Michael doesn't know the whole answer.

It was indeed Jay Cullum's Texas Air Race in the summer of 1990. A special day in Tsunami history because it was the only Gold Race Tsunami ever won!

Steve messed up his back (again!) later that summer in a Chino accident and Skip took over that fall.

Tiger was actually leading the race but in a rare mistake lost due to badly cutting a pylon. Dwight was not pleased -- "That's a Hell of a Blank Blank way to lose an Air Race !!!" (You will have to fill in the blanks, I'm afraid)...

My understanding is that Tsunami had been quite nose heavy from the beginning, for several reasons. The original plan had apparently been to use a single stage Merlin,which would have been lighter than the motor which finally was used. The engine builder did not give the designer a final firewall forward weight to work with til the design had already been finalised, etc etc. The airplane ended up with a significant amount of ballast in the tail, which as usual was a chunk of LEAD! This was one reason for the endless redesign and changing of the tail during the life of the airplane, but the balance situation was apparently never fully solved.

The airplane also never flew especially well at normal speeds (as opposed to race course speeds where it was apparently just fine). The owner, who was also the bill-payer, wanted the airplane to fly better. So the crew went to great lengths to actually move the wing forward several inches, which among other things allowed them to remove the lead from the tail...

Lead-Free!

I've always thought it was a terrible shame how this one ended up. It was a great Racer...

Neal

Ok, DOH! should have clicked. However, the CG was the other way. They moved the wing aft some 9 inches since the aircraft was tail-heavy.

On another note - most racers that are setup to fly "right" and fast on the course, don't fly well at lower speeds.

Michael