history question

[Leo]

the original

One true wardog, probably several imitators!

We met in Sac. last year. Missed you at Reno this year!

[wardog]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You refer to my mentor I just fly the plane on occassion and help out at airshows. We missed flying RNO this year. Although the plane wasn't there, the people were!

[Leo]

Ahhhh

Ahhhhhh So! Any connection don't ya know. Tell your mentor "hi", don't know if he'd remember me.
Hope you guys can get the problems worked out and get the plane there next year.
It just aint the same.
Happy contrails!
(god thats corny and bad)

Leo

[LowellV12]

Shockwave

I know of these references to the Shockwave project. There are probably more. Does anyone have others?

Air Classics October 1983 page 81
Sport Pilot Fall 94 pages 9-10
Sport Pilot Summer 95 pages 20-22
Pacific Flyer November 96 page A14

Lowell

[GWB]

what amazes me is that, as dominant as that cat was back then, the field has really pushed the lap speeds up! I wonder how it would fare mixing it up with todays unlimiteds.....

[Leo]

passed by

The question applies to a lot of the historic winners. Would The RB still be able to compete? The Super Corsairs (post war)? It seems to me that whenever a racer dominates for a couple of years or more the others catch up with the technology and change the playing field. That's what makes this all so fascinating for me.
The Conquests, RB-51's, Jeannie's etc. that have been out of the game for so long would be behind the curve unless a lot of updating was done.
A good example of being bypassed is Dreadnaught. A beautiful racer that in her first years was unbeatable. Partly in answer to her record, the speeds increased past her abilities. What has made her the "best" racer in recent years has been dependibility. She can't win against a running Dago, Strega or Bear, but she consistantly finishes in the money.
Just my .02

Leo

[AAFO_WSagar]

Leo,

Your post brings up an interesting thought.

If the technology continues to improve, where is the limit?

In auto racing, technology increased to the point that performance had to be limited (at least in some of the types) so that the safety of the drivers and crowds could be better insured.

Y'all know where I'm goin' again I guess.... "restrictor plate" racing.

The more I think about this "bit" of racing history, which it has become in auto racing, the more I begin to think that it is a valid and perhaps, necessary thing for our end of motorsport.

Maybe not limit boost or engine performance but *something* that brings speeds into a realistic realm and puts more stragedy and longevity into it..

This point could become especially important if there are to be more racing venues at some point in the future. If the teams are to be expected to make even two races in one year, something would have to be done or the top guys are not going to be able to make it.

Most teams are currently structured in a way that would make it very hard to push an engine to the limits, tear down and rebulid twice in one year.

Another what if..

How could it be done, limit the "push" involved and still make it something that both the pilots and the fans would bristle to be a part of?

Longer races?

I've now seen what I guess I could say were "many" demonstration races between the several at Oshkosh and now Vegas and the close "racing" that goes on there is absolutely thrilling, even though it is not truly racing.

And in most cases, the airplanes are all fit to fly home after the event..

I've posted my less than complete ramblings on this in other messages and probably should not take this thread this far off topic with this one but this does spark the idea again. If racing is to grow into more venues, *something* has to happen to allow the racers to not only make it in large enough numbers to make it a show, but to make it so they can actually profit from their competition.. Saving the engine, saving the pilots, saving money... tightening up the competition.... can it be all bad?

Oh my... I feel a poll coming on

Wayne Sagar

[Leo]

And the thread grows...

I think they have more or less hit the wall now. The speeds have not reall increased a dramatic amount recently. My feeling is the limit of these airframes has been reached, you can only push it thru the air so fast before the cost in power to overcome the drag is not practical. The problem being solved now is to get that power safely and with a measure of dependability. Again I feel that the limit of these engines is also being reached, and unlike auto racing, a new powerplant adressing the problems is not practical.
Kind of makes the limiting strategies ala IROC a mute point as once they have all reached the maximum horsepower and cleanest airframe the only thing left is pilot skill and crew ability.
The future in unlimited racing will have to be in new technology racers that get away from the warbirds. Of course the checkbooks have to be fatter and the money is'nt in the sport now. Then maybe we could have a "classic" class or some such thing for those of us that have to hear that sound.

I could be completely head in hole on this tho. Who would have thought when Jeannie did 446 that this would eventually be a SILVER winning speed?

Leo

[Race#21]

In auto racing one must deal in a two dimensional world surrounded by cement and cyclone fence. Rubber and track surface tend to rule. The beauty of airracing is that the sky is the limit and creativity is the horse not the CART, USAC, NASCAR, F1, or the IRL.

[Unregistered]

Why not go with the system used in some drag racing, go too quick and you're disqualified...OUCH!!!

[GWB]

Just goes to show that progress has been made in the speed department in the past twenty years or so......

Trying to get parity among dis-similar racers is going to be an ongoing battle, and would end up with a Nascar sized rule book. Look at the arguments when one car make gets a sixteenth inch more spoiler on the back than another......who is going to mediate all this, and who is going to pay for the process to support it?

[Scotty G]

Re: Shockwave

Originally posted by LowellV12
I know of these references to the Shockwave project. There are probably more. Does anyone have others?

Air Classics October 1983 page 81
Sport Pilot Fall 94 pages 9-10
Sport Pilot Summer 95 pages 20-22
Pacific Flyer November 96 page A14

Lowell

I had an article on the aircraft with a few photos published in Air Classics back around 93 or so. I'd have to find it to tell you exactly.

Scotty G

[Lowell]

Shockwave references

Scotty,
I will look forward to hearing back from you with about the Shockwave article in Air Classics. My October "1983" reference is wrong by the way. It was 1993, and in this case was a single color photo with caption by M. O'Leary.

Since posting the four sources above, I have found a couple of others that didn't have any photos of the project:

Speed, Props & Pylons Air Racing News August 1992, Issue 4 page 5.
National Air-Racing Group Professional Air Racing March 1995 page 3.

[Scotty G]

Shockwave

Lowell,

I think mine was two pages and two photos... Neat racer; hopefully it will be finished one day.

Scotty G