RARE BEAR MUST READ

[Cloudchaser427]

I wanted to post a tribute to acknowledge and honor one of Rare Bears and air racings longest and most dedicated fan and crew members "Mel Gregoire". He was employed by Aircraft Cylinder for most of his life and (now finally retired) was one of the instrumental people in the development and health of Rare Bears prior engine program for most of that airplanes racing existence. Mel and those like him are what made air racing what it is today and keep it alive. If you've had the pleasure of knowing and talking with Mel you already know what an amazing prince of a man he is.
Mel has "BEAR BLOOD" in his veins and God Bless at almost 92 years old is sporting a "NEW TATTOO" that you just gotta love. You go Mel, and we'll be planning your big 100 when it gets here.

Stay healthy buddy, Love ya "Solo"

[BellCobraIV]

Re: REAR BEAR MUST READ

I wanted to post a tribute to acknowledge and honor one of Rare Bears and air racings longest and most dedicated fan and crew members "Mel Gregoire". He was employed by Aircraft Cylinder for most of his life and (now finally retired) was one of the instrumental people in the development and health of Rare Bears prior engine program for most of that airplanes racing existence. Mel and those like him are what made air racing what it is today and keep it alive. If you've had the pleasure of knowing and talking with Mel you already know what an amazing prince of a man he is.
Mel has "BEAR BLOOD" in his veins and God Bless at almost 92 years old is sporting a "NEW TATTOO" that you just gotta love. You go Mel, and we'll be planning your big 100 when it gets here.

Stay healthy buddy, Love ya "Solo"

Solo,
Great pictures and you are right a hell of a guy, I've known Melvin for many years and still remember at thirteen when my dad said, "you want to learn engine or airframe? then he took me over and that is how I spent my summers learning R-3350s with Melvin. I wish things would slow down here at work so I could sit and visit with him again, or even have lunch with you.
John

[John H]

Re: REAR BEAR MUST READ

Mel is great! I really wanted to say hi to him last weekend but when I had my chance he got off his golf cart and was busy working in the bear cave. His scene in the Skyfire video Hard Road to Hamilton (about the 88 Hamilton field air race) is a favorite.

John

[Cloudchaser427]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Oops, sorry about the spelling in the title, not sure how to edit or change it.

Solo

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Oops, sorry about the spelling in the title, not sure how to edit or change it.

Solo

LOL.. magic!

Don't feel bad... someone almost did that with business cards for top Rare Bear folks!

(thanks to FedEx Kinkos for catching it!!)

[tomy2gunn]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Mel thanks for sharing all you're knowledge .....You look great

Thanks Tom

[MRussell]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Awesome guy. I want that tattoo.

[3dWrightBrother]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Noticed Mel in the Bear Cave each time I stopped to check on the Bear and finally got up enough nerve to ask him who he was. He told me and I enjoyed a short conversation with him. A very intelligent man and another one of the many highlights of my first trip to the air races in several years !

[Cloudchaser427]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

LOL.. magic!

Don't feel bad... someone almost did that with business cards for top Rare Bear folks!

(thanks to FedEx Kinkos for catching it!!)

Thanks for the fix Wayne ~ Hate to appear more retarded than I really am (ha ha)

Solo

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Thanks for the fix Wayne ~ Hate to appear more retarded than I really am (ha ha)

Solo

LOL... again, don't feel bad... that kind of typo is pretty common with folks who touchtype.. fingers getting ahead of each other.. teh is another really common "typing too fast" typo...

Do it all the time!

W.

[Skyracer]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

LOL... again, don't feel bad... that kind of typo is pretty common with folks who touchtype.. fingers getting ahead of each other.. teh is another really common "typing too fast" typo...

Do it all the time!

W.

I've gotten to where I just let "teh" go, easier tahn fixing it...LOL

[Hans Oberev]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

love the history of the men behind the scene. speaking of typos, spelled Mike Barrow with an s and was corrected. spelled Dwight Thorn with no e, was corrected then got corrected again by Dwight Thorn himself that there is in fact no e in his last name. I once spelled Rare Bear, Rear Bare!!!

So anyone know why Rare Bear's engine let go?? Dan Martin thought they were going to use nitrous oxide but some young guy hanging out in front of the Bear Cave on race day said no they weren't.

[Sailing South]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Here's a little story for ya.
After a hot lap during the air races in 2004 we pulled the oil screen like normal. This time we found a few little peaces of metal in there. Not knowing exactly what it was we sent an oil sample to the local oil sample analysis company along with some of the metal chips. They said it was part of a piston. We pulled all the plugs and boroscoped the cylinders, no damage. We then pulled 4 jugs, 2 on the front row and 2 on the back row. We boroscoped every cylinder on the back side of the pistons, no damage there either. We called Mel for advice. He said e-mail me some pictures of what we found in the screen. After 1 look he called back and said one of our super charger gear bearings was going south and advised us to pull the back plate of the super charger and check it. Sure enough it was one gear of 4 getting ready to let loose. We worked all night (again) and replaced the big rear plate along with all the gears in the back of the super charger.

We won that year and all thanks to Mel.

MEL, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!

Seeyaontheramp
Scott

[John]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

Here's a little story for ya.
After a hot lap during the air races in 2004 we pulled the oil screen like normal. This time we found a few little peaces of metal in there. Not knowing exactly what it was we sent an oil sample to the local oil sample analysis company along with some of the metal chips. They said it was part of a piston. We pulled all the plugs and boroscoped the cylinders, no damage. We then pulled 4 jugs, 2 on the front row and 2 on the back row. We boroscoped every cylinder on the back side of the pistons, no damage there either. We called Mel for advice. He said e-mail me some pictures of what we found in the screen. After 1 look he called back and said one of our super charger gear bearings was going south and advised us to pull the back plate of the super charger and check it. Sure enough it was one gear of 4 getting ready to let loose. We worked all night (again) and replaced the big rear plate along with all the gears in the back of the super charger.

We won that year and all thanks to Mel.

MEL, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!

Seeyaontheramp
Scott

Great little story. I guess there is no substitute for experience!

[jetwaste]

Re: RARE BEAR MUST READ

I talked to Mel after the gear problem and he told me this. I have spent a hell of a lot of time on her and the night before the gear problem I thought to myself what is she going give the crew next and damn if it wasn't the gear.