Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

[Tigercat24]

The NAG on FaceBook made mntion of the 22 Unlimiteds that have signed up so far for this year, not mentioning names, of course. I then commented with a list of aircraft I predicted would make the Gold final. Their response was "Haha no Wild(fyer)"...anyone know if they finally got their act together?

[Big_Jim]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

The NAG on FaceBook made mntion of the 22 Unlimiteds that have signed up so far for this year, not mentioning names, of course. I then commented with a list of aircraft I predicted would make the Gold final. Their response was "Haha no Wild(fyer)"...anyone know if they finally got their act together?

I hear from Bill Statler Jr. from time to time. Given the very small budget and limited volunteer force (every Saturday, as of the last update) they are still in that phase where the last 10% takes 90% of your total time to finish. I don't think any significant progress has been made since the last taxi-test that Dave Morss did for them a few years back, and he's not even involved with the program anymore.

[supercub]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

I emailed hem a month ago and they said they are still working on her once a week, but it's slow going. They said they wouldln't make Reno this year.
Brian

[Matt Jackson]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

The fact is that work is progressing nicely on Wildfire. There has been a tremendous amount of work performed over the last year and a half. How do I know this? Because I have been making the 100 mile drive out to Mojave every Saturday for the last 2 years come this August. Contrary to popular belief the project is moving along nicely. Bill comes from a time and place where information is carefully monitored and released on a need to know basis. I guess that comes from working for Lockheed and Northrop for decades. Wildfire has a dedicated crew that works diligently every Saturday with an occasional weekday. We don't have a great deal of money and times are tough as everyone knows. We are however moving along. The plane is receiving a great deal of updating and modifications to make it the best we can. I am sure when its done race fans will appreciate the effort of the crew. Bill and his brother Rich are basically honoring their Dad's memory by completing a very expensive project in very difficult economic time. Throw in the possibility of no races and you have a indication of the true dedication of the owners and their crew. When the crash happened last year the crew showed up as usual to proceed as planned to complete a very unusual aircraft. So as I have always said. Stand by to stand by!!!!

MJ

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

All I know is that I first saw Wildfire in AIR PROGRESS when I was in my mid-twenties, and I'm now in my low-fifties! I hope I get to see it race before retirement age, or worse.


And since all the talent and experience comes from places like Lockheed and Northrop where the SR-71 and B-2 came to life, I have to assume that W/F is just a front, and that there's really some top secret super-unlimited-racer being built in a hidden skunkworks building nearby, the program totally blacked-out and unknown to the public.

The MEN IN BLACK are goin' racing!



Oops. Did I give away too much?

[Tigercat24]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

The fact is that work is progressing nicely on Wildfire. There has been a tremendous amount of work performed over the last year and a half. How do I know this? Because I have been making the 100 mile drive out to Mojave every Saturday for the last 2 years come this August. Contrary to popular belief the project is moving along nicely. Bill comes from a time and place where information is carefully monitored and released on a need to know basis. I guess that comes from working for Lockheed and Northrop for decades. Wildfire has a dedicated crew that works diligently every Saturday with an occasional weekday. We don't have a great deal of money and times are tough as everyone knows. We are however moving along. The plane is receiving a great deal of updating and modifications to make it the best we can. I am sure when its done race fans will appreciate the effort of the crew. Bill and his brother Rich are basically honoring their Dad's memory by completing a very expensive project in very difficult economic time. Throw in the possibility of no races and you have a indication of the true dedication of the owners and their crew. When the crash happened last year the crew showed up as usual to proceed as planned to complete a very unusual aircraft. So as I have always said. Stand by to stand by!!!!

MJ

Much appreciated, Matt. What's the latest on Furias?

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

Here is Wildfires website: http://wildfireairracing.com/

An interesting interview about mid page here titled "Chatting by the Wildfire" : http://wildfireairracing.com/news.htm

another page of data here: http://wildfireairracing.com/history.htm

[taglialavore]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

No matter what we can think, it always will be a BIG BIG challenge.
Thank you to all the Wildfire team.

[Race 29]

Re: Wild(fyer) (since it yells at me for the real word :-P )

It's always this time of year that I start wondering which racers are going to show up at Reno. Wildfire has always been near the top of my list of hopefulls! That's not going to change till she shows! After everything this crew has been through, that will be as good as a win in my book. Maybe not all of yours, but in mine, yeah! It says on the website they were replacing the original cowl with one fron an A-26, that's gonna look cool! Does anyone have any up to date pictures of that mod? Any recent pictures at all?

Race 29