New Yak Unlimited Racer?

[dec]

In the latest Warbird Digest there's an advertisement on page 54 From Legarra Enterprises in Redding, CA. In the ad there is a sentence that says, "Currently, the shop is building an unlimited YAK racer featuring full G-series configured Allison engine." Does anyone know anything about this? I wonder if this is something fairly new or if this is a project that's been going on for a very long time? This would be exciting if there is anything to it! A Google search shows that this company has been in business for 21 years and has two employees. Sounds like this could be a very long term project??

[RAD2LTR]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

I don't know anything about the plane in question, but I have been wondering why an inline Yak hasn't been built as a racer? The V12 that came with them was almost the same displacement as a Griffon, and about 300 lbs lighter, but way down on power to one. Sure, 300 lbs is a fair amount of weight that would need to be offset, but its a lot lighter than an R3350. I'd think it would be cleaner than the 3350 in terms of frontal drag as well. Heck running a hot Merlin would be a step up with more hp and less weight. Czech Mate is proof that a Yak can go fast. Assuming you can find a way to minimize the cooling drag, I'd guess it might be a pretty quick package.

Will

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

In the latest Warbird Digest there's an advertisement on page 54 From Legarra Enterprises in Redding, CA. In the ad there is a sentence that says, "Currently, the shop is building an unlimited YAK racer featuring full G-series configured Allison engine." Does anyone know anything about this? I wonder if this is something fairly new or if this is a project that's been going on for a very long time? This would be exciting if there is anything to it! A Google search shows that this company has been in business for 21 years and has two employees. Sounds like this could be a very long term project??

Very long term.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

Now that I think about it, a local machine shop had a set of Allison cylinder heads that were supposedly for an unlimited Yak. They wanted him to race prep them. I wonder if this is the plane he was building the heads for? He wasn't forthcoming on details.

Will

[Plane Nuts]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

I was also at that local machine shop and spotted an Allison head. I pressed him for details, at first he was tight lipped, but over time he gave me the details. He was doing R&D on an Unlimited Allison Air Racer. The Allison has a stronger lower end than a Merlin with a lower parts count, but the cylinder heads are poor. He adapted his flow bench to the Allison head, did extensive port and flow bench work, spark plug relocation, collaborated with a cam grinder. Blower mods were in the works. Most of the R&D was done, all that was lacking was money. No funding was secured, so that was the end. He told me the guy's name but I don't remember. This was about 2 years ago.

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

Was it Whiteside?

[Plane Nuts]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

No it wasn't Whiteside. I don't remember the name because I had never heard of him. He said the guy lived in his hangar. It is probably Mike Legarra per the Warbird Digest ad.

[Race70]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

I live about a mile from Mark's hangar, and I can say that it will be a long time until that Yak flys.

[Plane Nuts]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

I live about a mile from Mark's hangar, and I can say that it will be a long time until that Yak flys.

Probably due to lack of funding. That is why it died at the machine shop.

[Race70]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

Probably due to lack of funding. That is why it died at the machine shop.

I wouldn't say the project is dead. They still work on it Mon-fri 10-2.

[Plane Nuts]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

Probably due to lack of funding. That is why it died at the machine shop.

Let me rephrase that. Due to lack of funding the machinist could not continue to develop a race ready engine package which is what he was requested to do. The deadline for Reno came and went twice with no funding, that is when he had to bow out. It was not a money maker for the machinist, it was a cool project to take on which he has the skill and knowledge to do.

[Race70]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

Let me rephrase that. Due to lack of funding the machinist could not continue to develop a race ready engine package which is what he was requested to do. The deadline for Reno came and went twice with no funding, that is when he had to bow out. It was not a money maker for the machinist, it was a cool project to take on which he has the skill and knowledge to do.

I checked on the Yak 11 the othe day. It's looking pretty good! Still a long way from being done, but it's looking more like an airplane everytime I see it. They still work on it almost everyday.

[GRNDP51]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

I checked on the Yak 11 the othe day. It's looking pretty good! Still a long way from being done, but it's looking more like an airplane everytime I see it. They still work on it almost everyday.

So this yak isn't the Allison race yak?? Is this one going to be a racer?

[Race70]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

So this yak isn't the Allison race yak?? Is this one going to be a racer?

It is a Yak-11 being converted to an Allison. The plan is for it to be an all out unlimited racer. Think Czech Mate with a V-12.

[GRNDP51]

Re: New Yak Unlimited Racer?

It is a Yak-11 being converted to an Allison. The plan is for it to be an all out unlimited racer. Think Czech Mate with a V-12.

That makes a lot more sense to me now. WOW!!!! Any chance you can snag some pics next time you're around?