Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

[rc38pilot]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

??????????????????????????Left behind????????????????Its got alot to do with sponsorship dollars!!!!!!Remember this is race 75's 2nd year and a stock prop thats does not handle high horsepower,funded by george and only george!!!!!! race 352's first race with a new airplane running a STOCK motor thats "naturally aspirated" !!!!!No turbos or superchargers or any other forms of horse power hop-ups!!!!!!!All I can say is keep watching!!!!Those tm's are going to be FAST!!!!!!!

[marada mx3]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

Jim:

I know you won't remember who I am, but I spoke with you 2 Aprils ago when Blue II was still being built. The wing spar was being worked on the day I visited - it was being flipped by hand and looked to be a bit of a chore. I was standing several feet from the hangar and you invited me in to look around and even take pictures (I did not photo Blue II though). There were 2 or 3 other TMs in the hangar - I'll have to look through my pics to see exactly which ones. I was fascinated.....even enthralled. You told me your handle here on Aafo and I've remembered that day every time I see you post. Thanks!

I was wondering too when the TMs are going to get the superchargers going, streamlining the airframes, and going for Gold? This question was partially answered, but how many of the TMs at Reno were Falconer powered?

Thanks again!
Tommy

[RCoulter]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

I was waiting to see these, nice work Victor!!

[split-s]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

??????????????????????????Left behind????????????????Its got alot to do with sponsorship dollars!!!!!!Remember this is race 75's 2nd year and a stock prop thats does not handle high horsepower,funded by george and only george!!!!!! race 352's first race with a new airplane running a STOCK motor thats "naturally aspirated" !!!!!No turbos or superchargers or any other forms of horse power hop-ups!!!!!!!All I can say is keep watching!!!!Those tm's are going to be FAST!!!!!!!

I didn't know that the Falconer V-12 didn't have a supercharger, kind of assumed it was a scaled-down Merlin. Maybe more money will make a difference, but I maintain that the difference must be made aerodynamically. I couldn't help noticing that Voodoo ran in the "fastback" profile this year and oddly enough took pole position.

Of course I'll keep watching, but until the TMs overtake the more functional designs -- and I would applaud this -- they're just a cute idea.

$

[W J Pearce]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

There were nine Thunder Mustangs at Reno. One is still being built and the eight complete examples were in the photo. The Falconer engine is the only engine the TM is designed for and it is not supercharged out of the box. I believe two TM have been converted to turbine power. One of those was at Reno.

The TM is 75% of a P-51 with 100% of the performance. Yes we have/are chasing Aero Chias and NXTs. But I think there is more to be found in the TMs and all we need is to go disaster free for a while.

This was Rapid Travel's 2nd year. Last year she managed 350 mph. This year the speed was up to 382. I know Unlim course is faster but that is a nice speed increase. It is supercharged but as Jim mentioned, beats the air with a less-than-perfect prop.

When Blue I was normally aspirated she went 356 mph. That was 356 with a modified engine and Nos. Blue II was turning 354 with a stock motor, no Nos, and a 1st flight 3 week prior.

Blue I was supercharged in 2006 and it took about a year to work out the bugs you only find when you start pulling a lot more power. Much of the trial and error helped smooth the corners for George and his supercharger set-up. For the 2007 race the general consensus was the that bugs had been worked out and we were ready to see what she would do. But we never made it that far.

Lets just say that there is more left without modifying the airframe. Of course it only takes money and seeing is believing.

No offense to any other Super Sport racers, but I think calling any of them a "more functional design" is a bit much, at least in their racing form. Many have a tank ridding shot gun, some use a camera to see where to taxi, others have a preparatory engine builder, another was completely rebuilt to counteract its design deficiencies (and very well done I might add). Which one is out of the box?

Once again, that was not meant to slight any racer but I don't see any one that would be used to take the wife and kids for a vacation.

Voodoo was on the pole on Sunday because the plane in front of it on Saturday cut a pylon. But your point is very valid. Voodoo is faster with the turtle-deck.

I say they are more than "just a cute idea". It was a revolutionary idea. While people were taking a 60 year old engine design and wrapping it in fiberglass, the Thunder Mustang went the other direction. Who knows what could have been if things went a little differently. But I see it for what it was and is, not that it was slower than something else.

Jim, anything to add?

[Jason S.]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

This little beauty was powered by the Walter M601 turbine.





Jason

[split-s]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

[Damn, that's a bit more poke with that turboprop! Looks wild, how's it run?]

God knows I love P-51s. I've been doodling, sketching, drawing and painting them for more than thirty-five years. It's a beautiful, inspired design with a borderline mystical (or at least Freudian) character.

But the 'Stang was designed as a predator, not a racer. The thoroughbred Super Sports have inherent aerodynamic advantages over the TMs regardless of what aftermarket devices are attached to the former (no pun intended).

If Thunderers succeed in defeating the Nemeses without Stregaesque mods to the airframe, I will experience a degree of gratification that cannot be politely expressed, at least in mixed company. I just don't expect it to happen.

$

[Jeff E]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

Jason,
Has that turbine Thunder Mustang flown?

J

[steve D]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

I saw it taxi onto the ramp but didn't actually see it land early in the week.

[Jason S.]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

Jason,
Has that turbine Thunder Mustang flown?

J

Yes, he flew it in early in the week and then flew out on Sunday after the races. He didn't do any passes so that kind of sucked.
Jason

[RichH]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

Something I've wondered... with so many TMs at Reno, why is it that only two raced?

[flyingjibus]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

Something I've wondered... with so many TMs at Reno, why is it that only two raced?

I takes a LOT more then just a plane to enter the big show.

[WARPT]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

[QUOTE=Jason S.;74988]This little beauty was powered by the Walter M601 turbine.

Thank you for answering my question.
Do you have any idea of the perfomance characteristics of this turbo prop Thunder Stang?

[Jason S.]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

[QUOTE=WARPT;75096]

This little beauty was powered by the Walter M601 turbine.

Thank you for answering my question.
Do you have any idea of the perfomance characteristics of this turbo prop Thunder Stang?

No, sorry I don't have any info on the turbo Thunder Stang, but just a guess it's probably around the same performance due to the fact that they're roughly the same horse power. The only thing I think that would be a big difference would be the range between the two.
Jason

[Jeff E]

Re: Thunder Mustangs... A whole herd of them

Is it on any other sites? I checked the Thunder Mustang Site and didn't see anything.
Its pretty cool... Would be great to see it fly. I saw the video of the other TM, love the sound of the Engine too.

Does any one know if any one took shots of all the individual TMs?

Thanks

Jeff