I find that very interesting because I never saw him fly better than with his Vulcan. His P-47 flights could not touch his flights with the little plane, and I am not the only person I know who said similar things about Werwage. Even his WC winning flight with his P-47 paled in comparison to his 1996 Classic Nats flights (all under similar conditions).
I think Bob G flew much better with the small Nobler also, even though he would swear he flew better with the big ships. I think if you ask Bob's friends who watched him go from the little plane to big planes they might say the same thing (in fact they have). The better engines may have opened the envelope over the Fox 35, but as for hitting 5-45-90 with laser flat bottoms Bob was the King with the little Nobler. He never won again after going to the "big planes" (at what he felt was pressure from the stunt community---be it real or imagined).
I would also like to remind everyone that Kenny Stevens won advanced *going away* with a Cavalier and a Fox 35 in 2002. He has not really improved on that performance since. At that Nats he told me he did not feel nearly as comfortable with the large plane.
No, I will be the dissenter the discussion, in that I do think there is a bias against the smaller, classic style planes is *serious* competitions. I have had judges tell me flat to my face that the little planes cannot compete and cannot be expected to win.
Bill Wilson competes very closely with all of the best fliers in Texas... the best pattern I ever saw him fly in the wind him fly was with his Panther and Johnson 35 running 20% nitro in a dead solid 4 cycle with a 4 pitch prop.
Hi Brad
That was Billy's statement, I will accept his assessment of his planes. Mine has been stated before.
I believe that i would never choose to fly the NATs Worlds or TTs with a Classic ship either. Some people think we have made zero gains and that the older Classic ships are/were just as good as some today, It's not true, we have made gains and there are some very good world class ships flying today.
I am not bashing Classic airplanes, I have stated before that if you take an older Classic plane add modern power, a good cf prop, modern large 4 to 4.5 inch HD bellcranks and control systems, all the new trim, ultra lite spinners, ultra lite wheels..etc, You can wind up with an airplane that will compete and fly at any contest held anywhere in the world, however this is not all Classic ships.
The Shark 45 ,USA-1, Super Ares, Gieseke Nobler, Chizler, and others are capable ...with help from modern technology to be absolutely great airplanes, Other Classic planes will never be as good as the top ones in broad contest conditions
All modern ships are not as good as all Classic ships.
Every Classic ship will never be as good as some modern ships.
As far as your assessment of Bill's flying, I know your opinion and we will agree to disagree, I have seen Bill Fly many ships and P-47s throughout many decades, I have seen him fly his new modern ships as good as it gets, The problem comes with the little Vulcan when you add in very bad conditions and human judges.
The Vulcan really benefitted from modern technology, by the way it was a ST 46, at first,the since the Aero Tiger it blew the ST out of all of Bill's smaller planes.
In Bill's words the Aero Tiger gave more power, lighter weight, a broader setting, less fuel-weight ,much much smoother, and made the planes fly better in bad conditions, it allowed the plane to turn easier and fly easier, and it didn't beat/pound the plane and control system to death.
The Aero Tiger is also much smaller than the ST 40-46 and will run all 4, 4-2, wet 2, low pitch props, high pitch props, it just works with a huge variety of setups. It is even pulling a 700 sq in modern ship in Ca with ease.
Larger planes leave a bigger impression on many judges, alway have as I have seen, maybe always will, not only my observation, some say it ain't so but I think you know where I would put my money.
As far as Kenny goes, I have watched him fly very very closely for many years now, He is flying his 22 at another level from where he was flying the Fox 35 plane in Advance, Kenny has not stopped or went backwards he is an improved flyer from his advance win. I can attest that Kenny flew very well this year also, and made gains from even last year.
Bottom line is bring whatever you are happy with, fly it have fun, If a Cougar and a K&B 35 is what you want to use and you think it as good as it gets ,
I have no problem seeing you bring it out and compete at any level. I think any arguement about this is silly anyway, Everyone has opinions, I just hope they remember this is a hobby and is about having fun and enjoying themselves.
Regards
Randy