Hughes Racer.....

[wardog]

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 258Y Make/Model: EXP Description: HUGHES 1 B EXP
Date: 01/28/2003 Time: 2225

Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
City: COTTAGE GROVE State: OR Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT GEAR FAILED ON LANDING ROLLOUT, STRUCK PROPELLOR AND DRAGGED WINGTIP,
OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, COTTAGE GROVE, OR

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: METAR KEUG 282206Z 36004KT 10SM OVC012 08/06 A3022

OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: General Aviation

Departed: UNK Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: UNK Flt Plan: UNK Wx Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: UNK
Last Clearance: UNK

FAA FSDO: PORTLAND, OR (NM09) Entry date: 01/29/2003

[wolfee]

man that sucks. first the ME262, and now the Hughes racer. good to hear no one was hurt. Hopfully they can get it fixed up and flying again soon. she is a bute to see. it would be a shame to come this far and not be able to continue.

Good luck

[AAFO_WSagar]

I'd like to give Jim a call but I think I'll let this sad setback digest for a day or two before I do.

Jim and the group who built this airplane are some of the best folks I've ever met, they had just had a new prop made for the airplane and were in the process of testing, as far as I know from our last conversation.

I doubt this will stop them but certainly, it's a setback for them..

Wayne Sagar

[AAFO_WSagar]

**UPDATE**

I broke down and did make a call to Jim Wright...

He is very upbeat, the damage is NOT bad at all. They figure about a month and a half setback.

The new prop had been installed and they had about 7 or 8 flights with it.. "it really scoots" is what Jim said of the new prop.

Jim said he had green lights showing and they are unsure of what hapened in the gear collapse.

The prop barely struck the pavement with minor damage, an engine checkout will take place. Wing tip damage looked very bad on first glance but cutting into the wing showed very little internal damage.

So a setback but far from a stoppage of this amazing project..

Jim did mention that "Howard had one, now we did" the orginal airplane was landed gear up in a field at about 5 hrs on the tach..

This seems to be following history in a somewhat eery fashion!

So, all is well in Cottage grove and the Hughes Racer will fly again!!!!!!!!

Wayne Sagar

[AAFO_WSagar]

Couldn't resist...

Here's a view from last August over Cottage Grove..

[wolfee]

Thanks for the update Wayne.
I know many of us would have had a hard time sitting here waiting as well.
good news about the plane, thoe it may be a set back it is one that will only hurt a little bit.

thanks again

Wolfee

[AAFO_WSagar]

Wolfee.. the "coulda been worse" saying comes to mind here!

If there was a gear problem that could have cropped up later, like not at home base, or worse..

Jim's one heck of a pilot just getting that thing in and out of Cottage Grove.. short field, trees on the approach end... narrow.. it's just a miracle that he did not flip her.. that could have been a disaster.

The fact that the wing is wood is actually going to be a big help here also.. very likely no structural tweeking of the wing and I don't think the fuse got anything either..

Minor nicks on the prop, not even enough "whack" to stop the motor.. likely, a very "minor" setback for the team..

Wayne

[wolfee]

that same saying could be aplied to the ME 262 from last week. The best news is that the pilots are safe and not hurt, or worse.


Thanks again Wayne.

Wolfee

[AAFO_WSagar]

Originally posted by wolfee
that same saying could be aplied to the ME 262 from last week. The best news is that the pilots are safe and not hurt, or worse.

Very lucky there too but I fear there will be much more damage than is being "reported" so far. He hit that abuttment awfully hard and stopped pretty darn fast.. I'd be amazed if there was not a lot of hidden structural damage.. ie: bent fuse..

Sure came up high and slammed down hard in the video... I wish that project all the best too.. Amazing to see these things fly again!

Can't wait till someone builds another "Spruce Goose"... (not holding my breath what a racket 8 4360's would make ey!!

Wayne

[Peashooter]

Among us EZ flyers, there's a saying relating to landing "on the nose." (gear-up) There are those who have and those who will. Although, I know a guy who has twice! (Not me!) Peas

[AAFO_WSagar]

Originally posted by Peashooter
Among us EZ flyers, there's a saying relating to landing "on the nose." (gear-up) There are those who have and those who will. Although, I know a guy who has twice! (Not me!) Peas

Hey Peas.. hang close to him.. he took the bullet for ya..

Wayner

[AAFO_WSagar]

**UPDATE FROM HUGHES RACER SITE**

Talked with the crew again today, they now have a summary of what happened on the Hughes Racer website.. Repairs look like they will take a bit longer than first estimate but she'll still fly again..

http://www.wrightools.com/hughes/the%20bear.htm

Wayne Sagar

[Unregistered]

The original was not as pretty...

I saw the original Hughes Racer in the Smithsonian last fall. It was cosmetically pretty on the surface due to restoration effort by the NASM crew, but peering inside the cowl flaps showed that this was, like all real racers, put together for performance not polish. Some details that the replica group has spent a great deal of effort "blueprinting" were a little more slap and dash on the original.

As a 25 year racer in 5 different motorsports, I have always focused more on performance than polish. Once, I was asked why I didn't replace or repair my scraped up fuel tank on my superbike (from an earlier crash). I replied that my time and budget was limited and I would rather spend both on getting to races and going faster. Looking good when you DNF is far less impressive than finishing on the podium with a racer that looks a little dented.

I applaud the replica group for their historic recreation, but I feel that I have to remind everyone that real racers built in the time of their design and raced on an uncooperative schedule tend to be a lot less polished and a lot more utilitarian. Remember that when you look at the "crude" nature of some of the racers in the pits.

Eric

[Scotty G]

Right on, Eric. Remember Stiletto in 1984? Not real purty, but she did go fast!

Scotty G