Just another day at the office...

[wingman]

[Big_Jim]

Re: Just another day at the office...

Is that a McLatte in his hand? Must've stopped through the drive-thru at the McDonalds on Stead Blvd on his way down the chute.

Great shot, Neal.

[xmh53wrench]

Re: Just another day at the office...

Great photo!!!!

I dont know if its my newb status, but should I have been impressed by Hoot Gibson's racing line?.....BECAUSE I WAS!!!!! What I was able to see, he seemed lower and tighter than anybody else. Now whether thats optimum in air racing I have no idea, but it was sure impressive. In dirt track racing there are guys that just have "STYLE" by hiking the left front tire up on the inside berm, or riding the dirt cushion up high, Hoot would be one of those guys

This has prob been posted before, but great little vid...
[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaxmyRqHEK4[/YT]

Thanks again for the impressive pic!!

[FuryFan]

Re: Just another day at the office...

Hoot seems like a guy that everyone would want to hang out with. If you get a chance read about STS-27. He didn't think that the shuttle was going to survive re-entry because of tile damage and, to him, mission control didnt' seem overly concerned about his opinions of the situation.

From the video I've seen, his line on the course is really consistent.....then again, it should be because they wouldn't let a hack fly the space shuttle!

Kevin

[wingman]

Re: Just another day at the office...

He's not at all afraid to fly formation at 460 mph, either...

Note the tailwheel doors.

Photo from Pylon 8 during the Gold.

[V1670]

Re: Just another day at the office...

Hoot did an outstanding job in 232. Clean, tight line on the course. Very impressive!

[wingman]

Re: Just another day at the office...

Yes -- a great match of pilot and machine...

[440_Magnum]

Re: Just another day at the office...

Is it just me, or do the exhaust stacks on 232 this year poke a heck of a lot further out of the cowl gap than most Sea Furies?
Compare:

http://www.warbirddepot.com/dbimages/15/15-m-1280.jpg

http://www.sawbonesair.com/Photo_Gallery_2011/album/slides/P9130010.html

Seems like if they stuck out too far it would reduce the scavenging effect of the exhaust pulses, which pull air out of the aft part of the cowl and increasin cooling air flow over the jugs. They obviously work quite well, its just interesting that while there's a sort of standard way of putting a 3350 in a Sea Fury, they're still all custom and the little differences do show. And a reminder that the 3350 under 232's cowl is not the same as under Spirit of Texas' and Sawbones' cowls.

Of course Pardue's was the most radical departure from "standard" Sea Fury exhaust and cooling air exit systems:

http://antipasto.union.edu/engineering/Archives/SeniorProjects/2006/ME.2006/seguine/P9160019a.JPG