I know this won’t apply to many here, but if any of you have been to NZ in recent times (eg for Wanaka) did you happen to photograph NZ’s fastest piston engined aircraft, the Thunder Mustang “Tigers Blood”.
If you did, you should enter this awesome competition on the new Experimental Aircraft section of my forum put up by the aircraft’s owner Simon Gault.
http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=experimental&action=display&thread=1145888089&page=1
Simon has kindly offered an amazing 40 minute flight to the person who provides the best photo, as judged by two US based judges.
At least take a look at the thread which has some nice photos of the plane already, and feel free to join in with the comments and discussion.
By: Dave Homewood - 4th May 2006 at 09:45
Great photo Daz. There is some film with awesome sound of another on one of the US owner’s websites, not sure where now. Turbo linked it from the NZ forum. Have a search, it was a real early post before Simon joined us.
By: Dave Homewood - 4th May 2006 at 09:44
Zackerty, please do put them up. We’ll enjoy them anyway. Mine are crap photos which won’t win, but the more the merrier. Got to make the winner, whoever it is, look real good.
By: DazDaMan - 4th May 2006 at 08:29
Dave – someplace online there is a short clip of the prototype Thunder Mustang (see below) being put through its paces. Makes you want one! 😀
Sadly the prototype crashed a couple of years ago, but there was a brilliant write-up on it in Today’s Pilot – I think I probably still have it somewhere.
By: zackerty - 4th May 2006 at 07:28
I have a few, but not that good enough for an entry…
By: Dave Homewood - 4th May 2006 at 00:36
It’s not exactly a homebuilt as such. It is a kitset plane on the Experimental register, but was professionally assembled. The Ryan Falconer engine was built by a chap who specialises in high performance boat and car engines for the racing circuit. The build is the highest order of high tech modern materials. So not exactly a ‘made in the shed’ job. But I see what you mean.
There are only ten of these amazing aircraft in the world, and I believe the other nine are all in the USA. The fuselage is 3/4 scale while the wings are 5/8th scale, which makes it look a little more racy. In the air it’s smaller size is unnoticable, unlike most replica fighters this plane looks right. And the sound from that V-12 is simply incredible.
The display pilot is Brian Gault, Simon’s Dad. He flew real Mustangs in the RNZAF and he told me that the Thunder Mustang is actually much better than the original. Understandable as it outperforms the real thing in every way under 10,000 feet.
By: DazDaMan - 3rd May 2006 at 22:41
Oooh, a flight in a 400mph homebuilt Mustang! 😀
Just a pity I wasn’t there! 🙁
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May 3, 2006 at 8:38 am