Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

[MRE]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Notice that this was the time of the modified wing intakes. A mod that didn't work ?

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Notice that this was the time of the modified wing intakes. A mod that didn't work ?

Boil-off was always a Dave deal, and on paper it makes sense. I liked Dave, I worked with Dave away from air racing, I went to Dave and Bonnies house a few times and met the ridgebacks. Dave was very smart and wanted to change the world quickly. Greg Shaw was very smart and wanted to change the world one piece at a time. You can't change three things at the same time and assume any improvement you got was because of one of the three. One thing at a time and measure the improvement. I miss Dave and I miss Greg, I learned a lot from both.

[RichH]

Second large 3-blade prop

Regarding a huge 3-blade prop that may or may not have been at the Sander's hangar, but was actually pictured at Ezell's. I know it has been discussed that "there was only one", but there *was* another 3-blade prop, at least in development... though it used square-tipped blades from a Lockheed L-188 instead of P-3 Orion blades. And indeed... at one point, it could be found at or around the Sander's facility. This was the prop that was planned to be used on "American Spirit", which was acquired by Mike Brown along with the first engine ultimately used on September Fury.

I have seen photos of this prop while it was at the Sander's shop. It's likely they had some idea to use it on the Sea Fury, though it was never implemented. Here it is attached to American Spirit:

[knot4u]

Re: Second large 3-blade prop

Regarding a huge 3-blade prop that may or may not have been at the Sander's hangar, but was actually pictured at Ezell's. I know it has been discussed that "there was only one", but there *was* another 3-blade prop, at least in development... though it used square-tipped blades from a Lockheed L-188 instead of P-3 Orion blades. And indeed... at one point, it could be found at or around the Sander's facility. This was the prop that was planned to be used on "American Spirit", which was acquired by Mike Brown along with the first engine ultimately used on September Fury.

I have seen photos of this prop while it was at the Sander's shop. It's likely they had some idea to use it on the Sea Fury, though it was never implemented. Here it is attached to American Spirit:

That's an early P-3 Aeroproducts propeller in Daves back yard barn in the San Fernando Valley, I've been there and I've laid hands on that airplane. When the early C-130's and P-3's were introduced they had three blade props and controls from Aeroproducts. It didn't work well, the props and controls were great, getting four of them working together caused a harmonic resonance that fatigued the wing spars and started causing accidents when the wing spar would fail. So Hamilton Standard came in and developed a four blade prop with a synchrophaser and it seemed to work pretty good because there's still plenty flying all over the world. The blades on the Bearcat three blade were Hamilton Standard P-3, the hub is a Hamilton Standard Constellation deal. The prop in that picture is an Aeroproducts and there's nothing wrong with it, the only reason those props were not used was because you couldn't use them safely in a group of four, a single engine airplane wouldn't suffer those issues and would take advantage of all of the engineering that eventually got them built to power the C-130 and P-3. I've always wondered if Dave chose that prop to snub his nose at the Bearcat with the Hamilton Standard three blade he helped engineer. Oddly enough most of my conversations with Dave were in the "test bench room" at Cal-Prop who would still use him as a contractor to build some test benches or adapters.

[knot4u]

Re: Second large 3-blade prop

Just for kicks you might want to know the governor for the bearcat three blade was just a bit smaller and a lot heavier than a football. The regulator for the Aeroproducts prop was more of a two handed or two person sort of thing. The original Bearcat regulator was like Chicago pizza, it was kind of heavy but you could pick it up with one hand.

[wingman]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

So how about a bit of three blade porn?

Photo by Birgitta

[CJAM427]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

So how about a bit of three blade porn?

Photo by Birgitta

That is beautiful!

[ZacYates]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

So how about a bit of three blade porn?

Photo by Birgitta

Always happy for some three blade action! Great shot Birgitta!

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Since we are on a Rare Bear theme, I'll reach back into the archives for this one from 2015. Nope, no 3 blade, but it was the last time the Bear raced.



Will

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

What the heck, how about another.



Will

[CJAM427]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

So how about a bit of three blade porn?

Photo by Birgitta

Couldn't resist taking a pass at this in Photoshop, hope that's okay Neal.

[ZacYates]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I love the brute force look of the three-blader, but I also love the look 2013-onward colour scheme in all its variations. Thank you Will for those pics!

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

I love the brute force look of the three-blader, but I also love the look 2013-onward colour scheme in all its variations. Thank you Will for those pics!

With all due respect I disagree. I liked the intakes in the wing roots and the cowl symmetry all the way around, I also think the white with gold stripes and purple accents suited the airplane perfectly. It didn't need to be flashy and that understated simple paint was IMHO "perfect". The whole package was very sleek and about as "un-brutish" as you could make that airplane look at that time. I also think the intake on the top of the cowl is ugly, but I also don't recall ever signing a check for anything Bearcat related.
Edit: If you are able to find an older picture when the stripes started on the cowl to match the stripes on the fuselage when the airplane was at high power and you looked closely you might notice those stripes were not aligned by a fairly large margin. That's why the cowl was mounted to the engine and had a slip ring seal around the firewall, and why some might appreciate my preference for the wing root setup.

[knot4u]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Has BCIV abadoned us once again? He said he was taking time to ensure he got his recollections verified before he added more content but he's been very quiet, maybe I'll call him.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Random Shot Of The Day - Part 2

Has BCIV abadoned us once again? He said he was taking time to ensure he got his recollections verified before he added more content but he's been very quiet, maybe I'll call him.

I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, yes I have seen that before.

I've been reading the comments but don't want to add not thought out answers. Neal's picture in the other thread especially on the oil cooler outlets added quite a bit of thoughts.

Your comments on the cowling misalignment are thought provoking as well.