Rare Bear Landing

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Maybe it's just me, but BONDO seems like a very poor, brittle and un-yielding material for use on something as flexible as aluminum panels, especially on an aircraft that is going to be experiencing high stresses and vibrations.

Is it common to use it on metal racing planes or even general aviation aircraft? I don't even trust that crap on my car.

[bcd1495]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

We were in the bear cave when they uncowled the engine.
besides a lot of stuff being burnt away,
they pulled an exhaust stack out that had burnt off after about the third lap ,very, very lucky

[MMPerk]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

A note on the bondo...as it came off, it hit the wing and some even went into the intake. I have a photo, but must get the ok to show it.

Lonnie

Just watched a video of the landing...it was spot on!!

Way to go John!!! And thank you for everything!!!

[Jeff E]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

MRussel..
Thanks you so much for sharing those pics.. You have captured the emotion of the moments well. I am sorry I had to miss it there..

Cheers,

Jeff E

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

UNNOFICIAL!!

Rare Bear may have had a stuck throttle after the race...landed ok deadstick Rwy 32 ok.

Great piloting job Congrats Bear!

We air race journalists are a totally unbiased group.. *ahem* (BULL$HIT FLAG THROWN!) but on the bus coming in, as we were hearing the radio chatter about the stuck throttle, as John glided in for a perfect deadstick.. I said.. 'That's what happens when you stick your fist through the firewall!'

Had the bus in stitches.. EVERYONE on the bus seemed very happy at the win by Bear....

Lonnie, I dont think the bondo thing is a secret.. nuff of it was getting chipped off afterward to hand out to the crowd!

Besides.. I don't think the Bear has much to worry about for a while..

With their future plans.. (THAT, we can't talk about) the new "Bear Era" of air racing may well be here!

Can anyone beat them now that resources and talent have met at junction of the flux of the capacity to produce extreme results?

Don't mind my spelling..

My brothers and sisters, folks I've watched CLOSELY for several years, moved into a new era tonight and I'm celebrating!

GO BEAR!



PS.. Lonnie.. good to meet you again!!

[MMPerk]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Great to meet you again as well Wayne.

Here's the photos of the wing and the intake. On the inside of the intake you can see the purple and white from the impacts of the bondo strikes.

And I must say what a class act Mr. John Penney is

Lonnie

[SpinB]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Lonnie and Matt...I thank you, heartily, for your awesome photographic coverage!!! You guys really ROCK!
Owe ya' both a barley-pop! (or other adult beverage.....)

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

some great photos, and also i take my hat off to John Penny for the amazing job of getting the bear down. As has been said on this thread, the bear with those real short wings must glide like a brick, just shows what talented pilot these guys are, Mike Brown included, id say that 232 would have brick like gliding qualites, My congratulations to the Rare Bear eam for the win, and its only 364 days until Reno 2008

[Red]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

yeah but it is not common to have rust under the bondo........

[51fixer]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Maybe it's just me, but BONDO seems like a very poor, brittle and un-yielding material for use on something as flexible as aluminum panels, especially on an aircraft that is going to be experiencing high stresses and vibrations.

Is it common to use it on metal racing planes or even general aviation aircraft? I don't even trust that crap on my car.

I have spent way too much of my life putting that stuff on and sanding it off.
I think the proper term is "aerodynamic filler". NAA started putting putty on wings on the P-51s at the factory.
Many WWII a/c flying today have some filler and certainly the racers do.
Rich

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Wow, that is a lot of Bondo.

[Bigger Al]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

yeah but it is not common to have rust under the bondo........

It is if you're flying a plane made out of steel.
Sorry, just being nitpicky............

[mayday51]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

yeah but it is not common to have rust under the bondo........

Where do see "rust"???

[Grumpy]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Thanks to Rod Lewis, The hard working Rare Bear crew, and especially J. Penney for doing what you do so well! Finally a reason for this old fan to smile. So glad Sunday was a safe one for all. Earl C.

[tjyak50]

Re: Rare Bear Landing

Awesome race.

Throttle:
I have to imagine that 2 square feet of bondo going through the carb and blower might be involved in the stuck throttle. I thought at one point I saw a black burp from the Bear and then a slight pull up, prior to continuing with the race. Anyone else?

Bear fire:
Did anyone catch any pictures of that huge (prolonged) intake fire earlier in the day? Kept cranking as the fire started to spit black smoke and finally the engine caught.

Sept. Fury just never sounded that fast this Gold race, wonder if something was amiss all along.