FIFI engine was used??

[h34race]

I read a tred on here that a engine from FIFI was used in one of the racers was it a new design one or an old spare reworked,IF it was a new one how did it hold up???

[flyboycpa]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

If I'm not mistaken, it was Rare Bear. Seems to be what I remember hearing during the races.

Somebody feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Sam

[Race5]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

The FIFI motor was used on Rare Bear. It was a new build "hybrid" motor that uses parts from several different dash number 3350s. For being a stocker it seemed to work pretty well, and it lived through the weekend.

[h34race]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

I hope somebody will give details about the hole deal so that the people that support and love FIFI have hope and knollage that the support and giving will see FIFI back in the air for a long time with longevity and safety.

[stuntflyr]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

I think the short story is that the nacelles are redesigned on Fifi so that it can use the more modern version of the 3350 rather than the archaic WWII version. It is similar to a Skyraider engine now, and fit on the Bearcat. The Rare Bear team found their racing engines weren't going to be able to be used, and so Rod Lewis, owner of the Bearcat and a CAF supporter, was sold an engine from the Fifi program.
The Bearcat team installed their "slow nosecase" so the airplane would go fast, and it did pretty well by going real fast on Sunday's final at around 480 mph.
Anyone?

[f1-69]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

the president of the caf is a very good business man, and if he allowed rarebear to use fifi's engine, you know it was good for the caf$$$$$$$.that is what I was told directly and I believe it

[Fugari]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

Sorta nice to see Gary Austin's 3350 set-up flying well on the Bear.
Especially so since he loved racing.

[440_Magnum]

Re: FIFI engine was used??

I hope somebody will give details about the hole deal so that the people that support and love FIFI have hope and knollage that the support and giving will see FIFI back in the air for a long time with longevity and safety.

Bittersweet subject, given the recent passing of Gary Austin, who was behind the FiFi hybrid engine program.

If you use the "search" function on this discussion board and on the other popular air race board using terms like "FiFi" "Rare Bear" or Gary Austin's name you can find a lot of information, including posts from Gary himself, and I wouldn't try to repeat it all here. But in short, the early model R-3350s that the B-29 originally had have almost nothing in common with the later and far better R-3350s that were used on airliners in the 50s, plus many military aircraft. The early 3350 was a maintenance and safety nightmare, the later ones were amazingly better. The FiFi re-engine plan was to pick and choose sections from different later models of the 3350 that could be mated together, made to work in a (somewhat modified) B-29 nacelle, and give the kind of safety and reliability that later 3350s had while not being visibly different from the outside of the airplane. A side benefit was more available power for hot/high takeoff situations. It should just be much safer and better all around to operate FiFi with the new engines.