OT - Okay you horsepower junkies...RENO 2005

Reno 2005 has come and gone. I did not make it this year, but I did the research, and lived vicariously though the internet. Here is what I learned:

As of this year, Dago Red has retired. Dago Red Qualified in 2003 at an astounding 507 mph AVERAGE lap speed over an 8 mile long lap. This year, Rare Bear was the unchallenged victor. According to the team, the Bear loped along with a best average lap of "only" 465 mph. However, Dan Martin in Ridgerunner (a P-51 running the only "mouse" motor in the field) pushed it awful hard to get into second place to challenge Rare Bear (using a healthy supercharged R3350 round motor) for a lap or two...until he blows it up and has to declare a Mayday. Unofficially, timing and scoring had Dan's first two laps at over 480 mph. He was literally wringing the priceless Rolls Royce Merlin V-12's neck to try and eeek out that last mph to stay with John Penney in Rare Bear. There was some high drama in this year's final. See the attached video link.

First time in a long time that there in only ONE P-51 in the Sunday unlimited gold field!

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=4798


Also attached is a picture of Rare Bear....IN YOUR FACE!!!


-erik

Most I've ever pulled on the manifold is 55 inches. I can only imagine pulling over twice that. Some guys won't go over 49 inches to try and make the Merlins last longer.

It would be fun to go that fast that low though.

Les

I will put in a shameless plug for the AEHS - the Aircraft Engine Historical Society. They produce an excellent quarterly Journal called "Torque Meter", and every year they cover the Reno engines thoroughly.
Note this is a magazine for gearheads, so they are examining the engines more than the aircraft.

There are plenty of books and magazines that will tell you all about nose art, paint schemes, squadron details ad nauseum, but this seems to be the only society I have found that looks just at aero engines, especially the big ones from WW2.

For example, the Fall 2004 issue which gives the Reno report also has an article titled "Unlimited Power" by Graham White that looks at all the engines being used and how they have been modified, the special cooling systems used (spray bars), ADI (water/methanol anti detonation injection). All good stuff!

http://www.enginehistory.org/

BTW, as an example of the cooling problems - an R-4360 at race power is ejecting an enormous amount of heat - 16,000 BTUs per minute from the oil alone.
2-4 gallons per minute of ADI may be used, plus the oil coolers may use a spray bar system that sprays water into the oil cooler.
Some immerse the oil cooler in a tank of ADI and let it boil off during the race (less drag).
Some air cooled engines even spray water directly onto the cylinders.

Dago Red will consume about 1 ton of fluid per 15 min race:
900 lbs spray bar water
300 lbs ADI fluid
1000 lbs fuel.

Hope this wets any readers appetite for an excellent aero engine publication!

Peter S,

Looks to be a *very* interesting site. Thanks.

I just got back from Reno. It was my first time out, and I had a blast. I went with a couple of longtime air race fans, and got the grand tour over two days.

I was amazed at the array of aircraft, and all the technical and background info that was poured over my head during the weekend. All in all, it was one of the two most interesting weekends I ever put in in my life. (The babe watching was excellent too, by the way.)

Racing vintage military airplanes has to be the ultimate form of "boyz 'n their toyz".