232

[Plane Nuts]

Re: 232

Sad to see another racer go, along with the low speed nose case on 232.

[Reever]

Re: 232

Nothing is confirmed yet.

[CubersWrist]

Re: 232

There are plenty of stock warbirds around, I will surely take the slightly higher chance of 232 being hurt at Reno than being flown as a stocker... BORING.
Really sucks, may as well place in Unlimited Gold than continuously failing to place top 3,4,5,or 6 in T-6, sorry Eric it's a fact...

This is my point. You are assuming that by racing there will be a safe outcome. And because you assume there is a safe outcome racing at Reno is simply asking “do I have an airplane and do I have the dollars to pay for it?”

But there is more to it than that. Would you rather Eric race MM before he was ready, and lose the airplane maybe his life? Of course not!
And of course what you or I want, doesn't really matter(and that's a good thing). The unique thing about Reno (and the small purse) is everyone is there because they want to be. So, Eric clearly wants to be there. He wants to fix Furias and has stated he will fly MM when he decides he is ready (also it’s not like he flies it during the year and is skipping Reno). That is something that is admirable. We should be thanking him for his support of the races and encouraging him rather than making snide remarks about “failing” in another class.

[cragdweller]

Re: 232

232 is one of the top five super-unlimited with some engine development. I will be gutted if someone buys it to return it to stock. That plane is badass! I was there on the hillside the year Hoot was flying it. His early runs were astounding. 232 was hauling ass!

[toldjaso]

Re: 232

232 is one of the top five super-unlimited with some engine development. I will be gutted if someone buys it to return it to stock. That plane is badass! I was there on the hillside the year Hoot was flying it. His early runs were astounding. 232 was hauling ass!

Fastest Sea Fury ever, I do believe.
Good thing Hoot can land dead-stick from the middle of the Pacific (space shuttle), he needed those skills each time one of those R-3350's sneezed and blew $500,000 out the pipes and down the side of the plane. All that metal circulating through that slow turning nose case is not the best for it, either.

[cragdweller]

Re: 232

There was a rumor that a piece of the induction cowl broke off and was ingested by the supercharger, resulting in the engine failure. Was that ever confirmed?

[krts]

Re: 232

100% agree Russ. This is exactly what I was feeling last night when I read the news. It really makes me think the unlimited division dies a slow death each time someone buys a racer and never races them again (Riff Raff, Ridge Runner III, Furias, Bad Attitude, Steadfast, and now perhaps 232, just to name a few).

People,people,people.Here we go again.Like Steve Jr.said in his presentation at EAA speakers series,it takes $15g's a lap to run a "super"unlimited at Reno for a week.Sit down and figure out your p&l and you are taking it in the shorts.232 is worth a lot more stock than as a "super" racer.People,you are not paying the bills.You don't have your accountants and lawyers on your ass when all the bills start showing up in October.

A owner is not there for you,he is there to have fun(it sure isn't the prize money),so when the accountant does the p&l for air race week,the owner starts scratching his head and finally get smart and figures out the plane is worth more stock and it is time to sell and make some money, and put that money into a sport tha'ts also fun but less costly or move to a class in air racing that is fun and you MIGHT put some change in your pocket.

[SpinB]

Re: 232

Rare Bear will look great as a stocker in shiny Navy blue, stars and bars, and a stock R-2800 back on the nose, eh?

.....you forgot the T, as in TF8F-2! (jus' like Stilletto)

[marada mx3]

Re: 232

Rare Bear will look great as a stocker in shiny Navy blue, stars and bars, and a stock R-2800 back on the nose, eh?

Wow, you went there. I've never been worried about the Bear being turned into a stocker. Especially since she wasn't a stocker to begin with. I hope the day never comes and I hope no one has even had the thought of turning Rare Bear stock. If she never flies again, I'd rather see it in a museum.

[marada mx3]

Re: 232

There was a rumor that a piece of the induction cowl broke off and was ingested by the supercharger, resulting in the engine failure. Was that ever confirmed?

Yes, part of the induction trunk was ingested. Don't remember what the damage was though. I would be surprised to hear it junked the entire engine. At the time, it seemed like it was just a hiccup or cough of the engine, but there was obviously more than meets the eye.
This was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back with Rod and 232, yes? Seems Rod just lost interest with 232 after this incident.

[GRNDP51]

Re: 232

Yes, part of the induction trunk was ingested. Don't remember what the damage was though. I would be surprised to hear it junked the entire engine. At the time, it seemed like it was just a hiccup or cough of the engine, but there was obviously more than meets the eye.
This was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back with Rod and 232, yes? Seems Rod just lost interest with 232 after this incident.

That was 2013, in 2014 Rod gave it one last try and it broke during qualifying (making metal?), then Rod hung it up. The damage from 2013 got fixed, now the engine is just junked.

If you scroll down here a little bit there are very good summaries of '13 and '14 if any of you haven't watched them before (or want a refresher)

http://www.lewisairlegends.com/videos/

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: 232

Is 232 still in the hanger @ Stead? I could see the "Bear" but not 232 thru the limited view door window on Sat.

[Leo]

Re: 232

From what I have seen the engine is junk, basically broken in half internally.
Not sure how carefully she was put away several years ago but I imagine there would be a LOT of work involved in getting all the various systems resurrected, plus the engine. The result would be a racer that would be hard pressed to be a gold winner against Strega, or a healthy Bear. I know she was the "fastest Sea Fury" and I was a huge fan, but having the money and choosing between 232 and Bear to put my dollars into, it's a no-brainer based on history.
Someone with deep pockets would have to want to go racing very badly to put that money up and for whatever reason (and they are his personal ones so we are not to judge) that is not Rod Lewis at this time.

[toldjaso]

Re: 232

From what I have seen the engine is junk, basically broken in half internally.
Not sure how carefully she was put away several years ago but I imagine there would be a LOT of work involved in getting all the various systems resurrected, plus the engine. The result would be a racer that would be hard pressed to be a gold winner against Strega, or a healthy Bear. I know she was the "fastest Sea Fury" and I was a huge fan, but having the money and choosing between 232 and Bear to put my dollars into, it's a no-brainer based on history.
Someone with deep pockets would have to want to go racing very badly to put that money up and for whatever reason (and they are his personal ones so we are not to judge) that is not Rod Lewis at this time.

Besides the blowed-up engine, I believe the oil cooler was starting to leak oil into the boil-off system, which causes the oil temp to be too high.
The induction finally gave it up after years of back-firing on start-up.
These coolers are about $30,000 or so to repair, and that was in 2010 dollars. Maybe more now.

This is definitely a rich man's sport, and it is easy for the funding to dry up for other "hobbies" when you constantly break and don't win anything with your expensive machine.

[Ken Adkins]

Re: 232

People,people,people.Here we go again.Like Steve Jr.said in his presentation at EAA speakers series,it takes $15g's a lap to run a "super"unlimited at Reno for a week.Sit down and figure out your p&l and you are taking it in the shorts.232 is worth a lot more stock than as a "super" racer.People,you are not paying the bills.You don't have your accountants and lawyers on your ass when all the bills start showing up in October.

A owner is not there for you,he is there to have fun(it sure isn't the prize money),so when the accountant does the p&l for air race week,the owner starts scratching his head and finally get smart and figures out the plane is worth more stock and it is time to sell and make some money, and put that money into a sport tha'ts also fun but less costly or move to a class in air racing that is fun and you MIGHT put some change in your pocket.

Yes, you are correct, "here we go again". Not debating your point that it's crazy for an owner to keep pouring money into a super unlimited racer when it makes more sense financially to sell to someone who wants to return the plane to stock. The point I was making is that each time this does happens it's a blow to the long-term future of the unlimited class.