Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

[MLenoch]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

BuckyD:
I had only heard that he became involved in boating 'big time'. I'll try to find out what that means and what he's done since.
Thank you,
VL

[t-dub]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Hey Bucky, Great thread you started! You don't mind if I ad a few more shots do you? All of these were taken in 1991. The first is a shot of the pointed spinner and prop. The next one is Mickey down the VOS. And finally the classic "ramp shot". Great plane, Great competitor...........

[t-dub]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Oops! I guess it would help to attach the files!

[Dash]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

This airplane, the parts from the crash were also shipped to Florida and were used (I think) as patterns to rebuild a mustang. Which one I don't remember, but it was at American Aero Services in a huge crate marked Rupp. I believe that Gentleman Jim was being restored there at that time. (Glam Glenn III I believe was the original paint) I saw the parts of the crashed plane and thought it looked familiar and didn't figure it out until later.

[BuckyD]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Hey Bucky, Great thread you started! You don't mind if I ad a few more shots do you? All of these were taken in 1991. The first is a shot of the pointed spinner and prop. The next one is Mickey down the VOS. And finally the classic "ramp shot". Great plane, Great competitor...........

"Mind"? - Heck no! All I'm tryin' to do is 'hand-prop' start a new thread & hopin' others will expand it and keep it goin' w/fresh opinions, insights, anecdotes, photos, recollections, etc.

Bring em on, there T-Dub! Always enjoy your posts.

DBD

[dvddude]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Micky Rupp was a nice man and gentleman. He was very cool and so was his crew.

Frank C.

So, I'm confused. Can someone answer the question directly of whether Mr. Rupp is still alive or not?

Thanks.

[tow-3]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

the 2008 martin county fla manufacturing guide lists mickey as ceo of rupp marine so i will assume he is still with us.

[wingman]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

A question for Vlado: I assume that this is the "thicker dorsal" that you wrote about? What did this do for the airplane on the race course, and what problem with the stock piece did it solve? It looks a bit like the one on the Griffon Precious Metal when it had a -D vertical -- is it related? Is it fiberglass, or metal?

Hey Buck -- Great thread...

[wingman]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

So what is it with these Florida Race pilots?

[MLenoch]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Wingman:
The thicker dorsal was to solve drag associated with the thin design. Ed Horkey was giving/writing (free) his opinions on drag reduction for the Mustang in the late 80's early 90's. One of which was the design of the factory 'thin' dorsal. This was the basis for Mickey's construction of the thicker dorsal from fiberglass.
I never saw a drag reduction only because I did not analyze it properly; I added all the Rupp stuff at the same time. thus never saw an increment from that dorsal alone.
VL

[Sully]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Quote: "So what is it with these Florida Race pilots?"


You have to remember, all we had in Florida was flat swamp to practice over.

Sully

[t-dub]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

So what is it with these Florida Race pilots?

Fantastic shot Neal!

[wingman]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

Thank you, and thank you Vlado for the reply. I remember wondering about that dorsal fin at the time, but eventually forgot about it entirely.

Here is the airplane out on the ramp after the 1995 Gold Race. After several years of blown motors and heartache Mickey finished all the Gold heats that year and finished 4th on Sunday at 420 mph or so. It really looked like his efforts were beginning to pay off....

Anybody know anything about this propeller? Where it came from, who built it up? Was the team happy with it? Was it on the airplane when Mickey bellied it in? Have any others like it been tried?

Neal

[MLenoch]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

In talking to Mickey, the short propeller was also for sale with his racing parts. I declined to buy it. Mickey said it was essentially T-28 blades on the normal Mustang hub. I never heard if it improved his performance. Quite possibly, the blades are flying on a T-28 again.
VL

[gto78]

Re: Mickey Rupp's Racer#5 - OLD CROW / SAMURAI

I joined this forum after finding this thread online just to answer your question about Mickey. Mickey is still alive and he owns Rupp Marine in Port Salerno, FL. I am a mechanic and I did the annual on his Beech Baron 2 years ago. Him and his son own it.

He cartwheeled his P51 (Samurai?) at his home in Naked Lady Ranch in Palm city a long time ago and survived (1996?). I think Jack Rousche bought the remains of that airplane.

Mickey was getting old when I saw him last and had lost the sight in one eye due to an engine explosion that sent shrapnel into his eye- however he's still pretty sharp and smart. My close friend, best man at my wedding, lives next door to him and has known him for 20+ years.