Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

That three bladed prop that used to be on the Bearcat is the only one ever built. There are no spares.

I was under the impression there were two made. Still, since Rod Lewis owned both planes at the time, it would have been interesting to see what SF could have done with it.

If there was only one, why is it hangin in the back of Sanders shop?

Will

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I'm still curious why none of the Sea Fury guys tried running a 3 blade like Bears. I'f I'm not mistaken, there is one hanging in Sanders shop on the back wall. Yes it was a handful on a Bearcat, but a Sea Fury is a whole lot more airframe to absorb the harmonics ect. I can only wonder how fast September Fury would have been with it. (It would have looked awesome as well.)

Will

Will,
Quite simply there never was a "3 Blades R Us" store. The design wasn't a resurrected World War 2 development program. It wasn't an experimental NACA program. The 3 blade propeller was designed in the minds of Carl Friend and Dave Cornell. Dave left the team the day after the surplus P-3
Orion blades were purchased for the project. We still had the research notes for the project and Carl Friend's input.

The 3 blade propeller modifications were proprietary, we took the modifications to the propeller shop. California Propeller Service did not come out and say, "Hey, we have this really great idea and are you interested?" No in fact when we approached them to build a propeller consisting of modified P3 blades with modified cuffs to clear the cowling based on using a 3 blade Constellation hub with specially created spacers so the blades would fit the hub Cal Prop thought about it quite deeply.

Finally Barry agreed to build and maintain the 3 blade for a fee with a planned ongoing inspection program. Part of the agreement required every one of my Lyle's closest living relatives to sign a release of liability in case of failure. They didn't want to be in the 3 Blade racing propeller business, plus it wasn't theirs to offer copies of. It was ours exclusively we assumed the risk, we got the rewards. Lyle never complained of the handling when he raced the plane. Point of fact as the crew we didn't have any inkling until John Penney brought the situation up. Lyle just used it because it went faster for the same power.

Bill Prewitt made the spinner backing plate out of billet aluminum and the carbon fiber spinner was made in-house by one of the fabricators of the B-2 Spirit prototype team. (We didn't know that then because nobody knew what a B-2 was) both the spinner and backing plate were designed to match the 4 blade diameter because the cowl opening and the afterbody were considered by now to be optimum.

Keep in mind to keep from cooking ignition coils and other items under the cowl a blower setup was devised for forcing air through the cowling after a run once the engine was shut off on the ground.

So in short the Sea Fury guys weren't ever offered one.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I was under the impression there were two made. Still, since Rod Lewis owned both planes at the time, it would have been interesting to see what SF could have done with it.

If there was only one, why is it hangin in the back of Sanders shop?

Will

knot4u, worked at the propeller shop, was an Integral part of the Rare Bear Team he knows of what he speaks. There was only one ever made, I can't tell you anything more than that.

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I was under the impression there were two made. Still, since Rod Lewis owned both planes at the time, it would have been interesting to see what SF could have done with it.

If there was only one, why is it hangin in the back of Sanders shop?

Will

Can you post a picture of the prop in the Sanders hangar? If it's there it would be odd, but it has to be somewhere because it's not on the airplane anymore. Didn't the Sanders somehow get involved in the Cornell/Jackson American Spirit project at some point? I know Dave was planning on using a C-130A Aeroproducts prop, it would have three blades and be about the same size, maybe that's what's hanging on the wall. The Bearcat three blade is instantly recognizable to anyone who spent any time around it. A picture would really help. If someone did want to use it I'm not sure who you'd take it to for inspection/overhaul. If Keith Hironaka is still around getting him involved would be wise, he's disassembled/reassembled it more times than anyone else. I don't recall ever having an issue with that prop or the governors, but I overhauled and tested the governors so I'm probably biased.

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I was under the impression there were two made. Still, since Rod Lewis owned both planes at the time, it would have been interesting to see what SF could have done with it.

If there was only one, why is it hangin in the back of Sanders shop?

Will

Can you post a picture of the prop in the Sanders hangar? If it's there it would be odd, but it has to be somewhere because it's not on the airplane anymore. Didn't the Sanders somehow get involved in the Cornell/Jackson American Spirit project at some point? I know Dave was planning on using a C-130A Aeroproducts prop, it would have three blades and be about the same size, maybe that's what's hanging on the wall. The Bearcat three blade is instantly recognizable to anyone who spent any time around it. A picture would really help.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Can you post a picture of the prop in the Sanders hangar? If it's there it would be odd, but it has to be somewhere because it's not on the airplane anymore. Didn't the Sanders somehow get involved in the Cornell/Jackson American Spirit project at some point? I know Dave was planning on using a C-130A Aeroproducts prop, it would have three blades and be about the same size, maybe that's what's hanging on the wall. The Bearcat three blade is instantly recognizable to anyone who spent any time around it. A picture would really help.

I've been looking for the video with it in the background. I think it was done about 2018, possibly when September Fury was taken there. It was a pan across the hanger, and there was a big polished and white 3 blade with a wide cord and rounded tips, hanging on the wall. I ran this past a couple other people who vaguely remember the video as well. I think it might have been on the old Sanders website, but its not on the new one. I remember thinking "What the hell is that doing there?"

I guess there is a possibility that the video was actually at Ezell's and there was someone's Sea Fury in the pic making me think of Sanders . (Apparently a more likely scenario.) Still, I remember thinking "why is that there" It doesn't belong "There" wherever there was. (Leading me to think it wasn't at Ezell's because that would make sense).

Will

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I've been looking for the video with it in the background. I think it was done about 2018, possibly when September Fury was taken there. It was a pan across the hanger, and there was a big polished and white 3 blade with a wide cord and rounded tips, hanging on the wall. I ran this past a couple other people who vaguely remember the video as well. I think it might have been on the old Sanders website, but its not on the new one. I remember thinking "What the hell is that doing there?"

I guess there is a possibility that the video was actually at Ezell's and there was someone's Sea Fury in the pic making me think of Sanders . (Apparently a more likely scenario.) Still, I remember thinking "why is that there" It doesn't belong "There" wherever there was. (Leading me to think it wasn't at Ezell's because that would make sense).

Will

The only place I can think of it being is Rod Lewis's hangar, that's the only thing that makes any sense.

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I've been looking for the video with it in the background. I think it was done about 2018, possibly when September Fury was taken there. It was a pan across the hanger, and there was a big polished and white 3 blade with a wide cord and rounded tips, hanging on the wall. I ran this past a couple other people who vaguely remember the video as well. I think it might have been on the old Sanders website, but its not on the new one. I remember thinking "What the hell is that doing there?"

I guess there is a possibility that the video was actually at Ezell's and there was someone's Sea Fury in the pic making me think of Sanders . (Apparently a more likely scenario.) Still, I remember thinking "why is that there" It doesn't belong "There" wherever there was. (Leading me to think it wasn't at Ezell's because that would make sense).

Will

Could it have been at Aviation Classics hangar? The Bearcat and 232 were stored there for a while.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Could it have been at Aviation Classics hangar? The Bearcat and 232 were stored there for a while.

Nope, again, that would have made sense. It was somewhere that it really didn't belong, hence the reason I remember it.

Will

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Nope, again, that would have made sense. It was somewhere that it really didn't belong, hence the reason I remember it.

Will

It's a mystery, we all know it exists and we all know it's the only one. We don't know where it is. It will surface eventually.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

It's a mystery, we all know it exists and we all know it's the only one. We don't know where it is. It will surface eventually.

I'm pretty sure its now at Ezell's. The pic I remember seeing was not. I just don't know where that somewhere else was. I wish I could find the video again, but its not that big of a deal.

Will

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I'm pretty sure its now at Ezell's. The pic I remember seeing was not. I just don't know where that somewhere else was. I wish I could find the video again, but its not that big of a deal.

Will

I disagree about that particular propeller being "not that big of a deal".

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I disagree about that particular propeller being "not that big of a deal".

And tomorrow I will share how big of a deal, recent questions have me in long put away boxes looking for information.

[wingman]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I don't think Will was referring to "this prop" as much as to the mystery of the prop in the video he remembered.

Neal

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I don't think Will was referring to "this prop" as much as to the mystery of the prop in the video he remembered.

Neal

I agree. But for anyone interested in Unlimited air racer history it's a pretty important piece. In my humble, unsolicited and valueless opinion it should be preserved and at least follow the airplane wherever it ends up.