I miss it, I miss working on it, I miss being the underfunded has been. I miss hearing it when it was running well. It's had more than one stretch of hibernation, I hope someone is taking care because that is the baddest mamma jamma that valley ever saw. Eventually it'll wake up and gather another group of smart, like minded individuals and perhaps it will once again run fast. Oso Raro, he claimed the valley. That bear had been built and tamed by a steely eyed pilot. I still think that Bearcat is faster than any Mustang, at least it was when I worked on it. I miss my friends most of all.
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Last edited by knot4u; 02-09-2020, 07:32 PM. -
Re: Will the Bearcat Return?
I hear you. I think they are doing some work that has needed to be done for decades. The original wing spar caps are apparently much like swiss cheese due to all the attachment holes they have in them. A new design has been made out of much stronger material. Its been installed on the -1 Bearcat that Ezell's rebuilt a few years ago. I can't say for sure, but I think RB is getting the new spar caps. My guess is that its not a small undertaking to do such a job. While they have all that apart, I think they are doing some other go-fast mods.
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Re: Will the Bearcat Return?
VooDoo is faster.Comment
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Re: Will the Bearcat Return?
Maybe so, but she burned down the mill doing it! Bear went that fast and KEPT that hot bullit for YEARS, at least until a certain pilot failed to follow a pre-flight brief....Originally posted by Bob View Post
IMHO, Rare Bear and her original owner/crew were one in a million and won't be repeated!Eddie's Airplane Patch-Birthplace of the "Sonic Boom".......and I'm reminded every friggin' day!Comment
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Re: Will the Bearcat Return?
I truely believe Unlimited Racing, as we knew it, is gone...the mantle has been passed to the Sport Class! Even those folks are running into the 'cubic-dollars' phenomenon!
Long Live Air Racing!Eddie's Airplane Patch-Birthplace of the "Sonic Boom".......and I'm reminded every friggin' day!Comment
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Re: Will the Bearcat Return?
Crew always important but there was something special about Lyle, same with Tiger... they brought something almost surreal behind the stick. Almost as though they wanted it so bad, they willed the airplanes to go faster! I just don't know if anyone will ever have that same drive as those two!Originally posted by SpinB View PostWayne Sagar
"Pusher of Electrons"Comment
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Re: Will the Bearcat Return?
To achieve the results that it had in its day would require returning to the trifecta that I do not believe will be attainable.
First you need an owner that wants to win.
Then you need an engine builder that is capable of working some incredible magic. The current crop of race merlins are just clones of Dwight Thorne Mouse Motors, there are no Dave Cornell engines left to clone and he was the only one who could truly race prep a 3350, I am sure there are those who will argue this point and all I have to say is show me one.
third and easiest part is finding a pilot willing to push the limits, And even though I said this is the easiest part that does not mean it is.
The Ghost crash was the beginning of the end of racing as we knew it. it made the owners face the harsh reality of liability and coupled with the massive amount of money required to field a competitive aircraft and the attrition of owners / Pilots who truly loved The sport means that it will never recover.
As I have stated before we should consider ourselves lucky to have been there “When men were men and s*** was real…..”Comment
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