Fixed Gear ( history in Oz)

[Koenig, Tom]

A little history for you guys...

It was actually an older fellow by the name of Bob 'the bee man' Harrison
who first used fixed gear in an F3A plane down here in Oz. He strapped it
onto a new Rubin which he had built..including one of those 'Monster YS 120
SC's'.

Everyone was in awe at the time. We were all very sceptical about the fixed
gear thing...what was he thinking!!!! It just wasn't cricket!!!

Anyway, Bob was a very practical  gentlemen and he flew this thing so well
it gave the top boys a scare quite often..the fixed gear made it fly no
worse, thats for sure. So a few eventually tried it as well. Pete did so as
well, on I think his third version (?) of the Carrera. 
Blowing my own trumpet here a bit..I actually did the first 2 M Carrera back
in 94-early 95 from Peters plans. The original version was not 2 M, but
since I had access at work to a scanner I decided  to have a go at it. I
think I first flew it at the Australian Masters in 95, with retracts. The
paddock went silent on my first take off to watch this "Big" thing fly.
After my first few manouvers interest subsided as I made a mess (ooops) of
it all.The poor old OS 120SP nearly blew to bits as I had it set sooooo lean
( nerves), I reckon it was near glowing when I landed! Only the top guys
like Pete continued to watch. He was watching the plane...not the pilot. I
think thats when their decision was made to try 2M birds as well.
I remember Pete being really keen on fixed gear and he always spoke highly
of it. I remember him talking about going to the US nats with it, would it
rock the boat??? Look at where we are now. So hats off to him for making it
more than a fashion item, he gave it credibility.

Tom

> ----------
> From: 	ronlock at comcast.net[SMTP:ronlock at comcast.net]
> Reply To: 	discussion at nsrca.org
> Sent: 	Thursday, 19 February 2004 7:24
> To: 	discussion at nsrca.org
> Cc: 	vanputte at cox.net
> Subject: 	Re: prophecy Fixed Gear
> 
> I suspect the original research on that question was by Peter Goldsmith, 
> during design of his Carerra.  It was the only fixed gear bird in the F3A
> line
> at a Nationals in mid 1990's.  Peter found that conventional gear
> retracted into a door-less well had more drag than fixed gear with pants.
> That was the start of fixed gear becoming popular.
> 
> Ron Lockhart
> 
> >...John - Are you saying the the retract cutouts cause more drag than the
> 
> fixed gear with wheel pants?
> 
> Ron Van Putte<
> 
> > 
> > On Feb 18, 2004, at 10:57 AM, John Ferrell wrote:
> > 
> > > I was unaware of the 160 engine. It will probably be necessary to shut
> 
> > > down
> > > the engine to land. A fixed gear Prophecy does well on a standard 
> > > YS120.
> > > Retracts seem to raise the power requirements somewhat.
> > 
> > John - Are you saying the the retract cutouts cause more drag than the 
> > fixed gear with wheel pants?
> > 
> > Ron Van Putte
> > 
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "jim ivey" <jivey61 at msn.com>
> > > To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2004 10:55 PM
> > > Subject: re: prophecy ?
> > >
> > >
> > >> Tim
> > >> All the posts I have seen about your Prophecy are correct. 3/8 throw 
> > >> is
> > > more
> > >> than enough all the way around. My concern would be that you will 
> > >> have a
> > >> bullet on your hands with the power of the 160. Not trying to scare 
> > >> you
> > > but
> > >> I would not fly it over 1/2 throttle, maybe 7000 rpm. The plane 
> > >> grooves
> > > like
> > >> no other sport plane you will ever have and can really scoot at full
> > >> throttle. I have had 2 prophecys and I powered the first one with a
> YS
> > > 140FZ
> > >> which was more than enough power.
> > >> Plan on cruising around easy at first to get used to it and you won't
> 
> > >> have
> > >> any problem with the plane. Just go easy on the power.
> > >>
> > >> jim Ivey
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> jivey61 at msn.com
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>> From: Tim Wortkoetter <twortkoetter at yahoo.com>
> > >>> Reply-To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > >>> To: nsrca <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > >>> Subject: re: prophecy ?
> > >>> Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 18:38:31 -0800 (PST)
> > >>>
> > >>> John,
> > >>>
> > >>> I just set up the control throws and the elevator
> > >>> doesn't look like 3/8" isn't very much.  I have never
> > >>> flown anything like this before so I just want to make
> > >>> sure that it is enough.  I usually have more throw on
> > >>> my extra and sport planes.  Still in the learning
> > >>> curve and if there is anything I should know about my
> > >>> first time flying a 2m please let me know.  Thanks in
> > >>> advance.
> > >>>
> > >>> Tim Wortkoetter
> > >>>
> > >>> __________________________________
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> > >>> http://photos.yahoo.com/
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> > >>>
> > >>
> > >> _________________________________________________________________
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> > >> http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200364ave/direct/01/
> > >>
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