Rare Bear N777L in 1969 as Able Cat (the AD Skyraider was Able Dog,so when Lyle Shelton re-engined it with the Wright 3350...) in yellow zinc chromate primer, equipped with a Skyraider engine, Connie spinner after-body and DC-7 prop and spinner. All done from a wreck in 9 to 10 months with $20,000 in 1969 money! 356 mph, 2400 hp.
Rare Bear in 2007 taking off for the Championship Race, a few mods later.
Clipped wings, custom low profile canopy, custom composite spinner and after-body, DC-7 segmented cowling, extended exhaust ramps with custom length exhaust stacks, combo optimized for proper boundary layer control and jet-pump cooling air extraction, narrow, hollow blade Aero products prop (used in setting speed record), single large oil cooler with water spray cooling, and a hybrid Wright R-3350 with civilian EA-2 nosecase only used on the Lockheed L-1649, reduces prop speed allowing huge overspeeding of the engine while keeping prop rpm down to subsonic tip speeds. This is how the airplane set the 3KM piston powered propeller driven speed record in 1989 at 528 mph.
Airplane now owned by Rod Lewis and raced to victory by John Penney in this race. 481 mph, 4200 hp.
Plans are for a downdraft carb air intake to increase ram, boil off oil cooling, leading to the elimination of the wing root air intakes and a new pilot.(Larry Lowe picture)
Chris...
Topic: OT. Rare Bear (Read 1271 times)