Will Dago Rise Again?

[toldjaso]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

The parts of the airframe are just fine. They have been stored indoors, clean and dry for several years now. But understand, when the airframe was taken apart to be 'scanned', all of the profiling filler was taken off as well. If you tried to do it THIS year, the airplane could be put back together, but it would be a 1982 version of what an air racer should look like. The wings would not be filled and profiled with bondo, they wouldn't be smooth, and the fuselage would be just as rough. Could you put an airworthy airframe together that would be able to run? Yes. But you wouldn't have a 500 mph racer. And unless the engine builder who was responsible for the 2008 race motor has been spending the last couple months rebuilding it and getting it ready, you're not going to have a Merlin that is going to power you either.


If you spent the next 15 months putting it back together and profiling it and getting it back into trim...yes, it could theoretically be on the ramp in 2016.

If I am not mistaken, the engine is just one of those go-fast goodies that is missing from the current parts inventory of bones and fossils of Dago Red? And wasn't it one built by "The Doctor"?

[Big_Jim]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

If I am not mistaken, the engine is just one of those go-fast goodies that is missing from the current parts inventory of bones and fossils of Dago Red? And wasn't it one built by "The Doctor"?

No, it was a Mike Barrow motor.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

Question, if a plane's aluminum surface (wing and fuselage) are all covered with bondo, wouldn't it all have to be removed periodically for inspections and such?

[fastpace]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

LOL!! Taylor and his wrecking crew left it all on the floor when he decided to profile the plane that ran fast to start with. After the people that knew what they were doing finished it. He undid it all.











Don

[Big_Jim]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

LOL!! Taylor and his wrecking crew left it all on the floor when he decided to profile the plane that ran fast to start with. After the people that knew what they were doing finished it. He undid it all.











Don

Wrecking crew, eh? Hmmmmmm.

You really don't get it, do you. It was modifications that were done 15 years prior 'by hand', that he was using a laser scanning program to do by computer. Do you know how many times Voodoo's wing has been profiled, stripped, and reprofiled again?

If the bank hadn't repossessed the thing from Frank and his merry men for the Costo's non-payment, and Dago had been finished and back in the air, you wouldn't have even known the difference.

But the whole project got caught on the john with their pants down and all people like you seem to do is keep pointing fingers and saying 'hey look...your pants are down'.

[Race4gold]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

Wrecking crew, eh? Hmmmmmm.

You really don't get it, do you. It was modifications that were done 15 years prior 'by hand', that he was using a laser scanning program to do by computer. Do you know how many times Voodoo's wing has been profiled, stripped, and reprofiled again?

If the bank hadn't repossessed the thing from Frank and his merry men for the Costo's non-payment, and Dago had been finished and back in the air, you wouldn't have even known the difference.

But the whole project got caught on the john with their pants down and all people like you seem to do is keep pointing fingers and saying 'hey look...your pants are down'.

Very well put......

[fastpace]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

I guess "knowing the difference" is the key word now does that mean there would be no difference or it would be better as stated her either Bruce or skip did some mods to make it what it was and it was at the top of it's game, so you are right I do not know how many times Voodoo has been done. But why do we fix some thing that is not broke.

[Mark K]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

As Brad said, all the profiling mods were done years ago... and I'm sure they used the best technology available at that time. Also (as Brad said again) they were going to re-profile the wing using the best technology available TODAY... which is leap years ahead of what it was 20, 15, or even 10 years ago. It would have taken Dago to the next level, and only due to an unfortunate set of circumstances was it left in pieces.

Was it fast before, hell yes it was!!! Could it go faster? Hell yes, with more refined aerodynamics it's bound to. Look at what the sport class is doing with 1/4 the engine displacement (going over 400mph).

I agree that it's sad to see her in pieces, but the whole point of unlimited class air racing is to go faster then the competition. Dago was already there yes, but as mentioned before.... it wasn't just about closed course racing. If Dago were to go for the 3km record the people involved would want to have a better then average chance to pull it off.

Considering the cost associated with a 3km attempt (something Terry Bland already did, made the speed, but due to a timing error didn't get the record even though they had data to prove it) - you would want to get every advantage you could get and all the cards stacked in your favor. You can't do that stuff on the cheap, and you DON'T want someone to be able to come back a few years later and knock you off the top.

You gotta look at the bigger picture Don... it's not an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" deal.

[fastpace]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

Thanks Mark I stand corrected












Don......

[JayReno]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

As Brad said, all the profiling mods were done years ago... and I'm sure they used the best technology available at that time. Also (as Brad said again) they were going to re-profile the wing using the best technology available TODAY... which is leap years ahead of what it was 20, 15, or even 10 years ago. It would have taken Dago to the next level, and only due to an unfortunate set of circumstances was it left in pieces.

Was it fast before, hell yes it was!!! Could it go faster? Hell yes, with more refined aerodynamics it's bound to. Look at what the sport class is doing with 1/4 the engine displacement (going over 400mph).

I agree that it's sad to see her in pieces, but the whole point of unlimited class air racing is to go faster then the competition. Dago was already there yes, but as mentioned before.... it wasn't just about closed course racing. If Dago were to go for the 3km record the people involved would want to have a better then average chance to pull it off.

Considering the cost associated with a 3km attempt (something Terry Bland already did, made the speed, but due to a timing error didn't get the record even though they had data to prove it) - you would want to get every advantage you could get and all the cards stacked in your favor. You can't do that stuff on the cheap, and you DON'T want someone to be able to come back a few years later and knock you off the top.

You gotta look at the bigger picture Don... it's not an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" deal.

I am curious, what was Dago's un-official speed for 3 km?

[Race4gold]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

I am curious, what was Dago's un-official speed for 3 km?

Mark - you were close but just a little off. Terry was working on the Purchase of Dago in 1996, but the MOF had invested alot of time and Money to attempt the 15 Km. so he left it in there hands to finish what they started. The unofficial time that was thought to be etched in Stone was 536 +. We even had it Painted on the side of the Transport believing it would count. But FIA rules prevailed despite Satelite Tracking from the Boy's at Edwards AFB whom Bruce had helping out as a backup.

Dan

[Fence Sence]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

I love reading what the smart people have to say.

So, in this dream world theory, we've got good bones, a good crew and lots of money. What needs to happen to put Dago back out front. What are the good parts? What are the not so great parts? As mentioned, it sounds as if the dog house might have some interesting stuff going on. Dago always looked very stable rounding the sticks. The numbers were certainly good. The pilots weren't too shabby. Same for the motor. Sometimes. What made it so good? What would take it to that next level? Obviously we'll likely never see the old course again. Even with Dago back in fighting form, will we ever see 500 again? That last part is just me dreaming and really has nothing to do with this particular discussion. Should probably just stick to Dago itself.

[Mark K]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

Mark - you were close but just a little off.

Thanks Danny - getting old sucks LOL. We keep trying though

[Race4gold]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

Thanks Danny - getting old sucks LOL. We keep trying though

I know what you mean. You may be thinking of when Terry was considering an attempt at the 3 and the 15, but the cost was way off the charts without Sponsors. Winning Reno was always 1st. priority and besides, all a record will give you is a few more numbers to paint on the side of the Plane.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Will Dago Rise Again?

Thanks Danny - getting old sucks LOL. We keep trying though

Geez you's guys are making me feel old! Can you believe how many years ago that was????

Sometimes, seems like yesterday, most of the time, seems like a different life in a place far far away!