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Press Release: For immediate release
Blue Thunder Air Racing
April 2008 report on "Blue II's" construction progress


After the never ending on-again off-again issue with the electrically controlled fuel valve, Andair has agreed to provide a prototype model with a considerable number of strings attached.

MT Propellers has an electrically controlled hydraulic propeller governor, but only for 24-volt operation. We are still working on getting one for 12 volts.

Electrically controlled (drive by wire) throttle bodies are available in all sizes now and we are looking into how this could be integrated into an aircraft application. The redundancy requirements may outweigh the advantages.

The fuselage of “Blue II” was delivered without an electronics bay/baggage door cutout on the left side. The picture shows the bagging of the mold we are making for a bay door.

The rear canopy trolley is installed with only a slight modification to raise the canopy higher off the deck while it is open. The rear trolley support is modified to provide a complete closeout of the aft fuselage deck.

Stringer flanges and the rear fuselage deck shear web have been added to carry the tensional loads in the fuselage all the way back to the aft rudder spar (bulkhead 247).

Work on the wing is continuing even though the fuel system is on hold until we get the new fuel valve. The inner gear doors are fitted and functioning. After three days and about 43 man hours of work trying to develop an new hinge for the outer gear doors, I gave up and installed them per the TBG supplement to the TM construction manual.

The picture below left shows the result of our foot well appendectomy and the first step in the development of a Thunder Mustang with a turbocharger engine. The additional engine compartment is required to house the turbochargers.

The rudder pedal assembly is straight out of a Cessna and bolts right in just forward of the up latches with plenty of room for the “chubby little pilot”.

For now, the oil tank will be suspended on fabricated support fixtures in the standard TM location.

Work on the normally aspirated engine for Blue II is continuing at RFI. The new engine will have a new induction system, controlled by Motec M6 ECUs and the new six-segment oil pan and pump. Next month we should have a picture of the new Falconer Engine configuration for Thunder Mustangs.

Thanks again for everyone’s support.
Jan and John Parker
www.bluethunderairracing.com 


Press release: For immediate release
Blue Thunder Air Racing
March 23, 2008 report on “Blue II’s” construction progress.

Here it is deep into April and I am just now getting out the March progress report. I must begin this report by wishing all of our sponsors, fans, supporters and crew a belated Happy Easter.

The electronically operated remote fuel valve from Andair we promised to show you in this month’s progress report still has not shown up yet. We are quite disappointed with this delay, and if any of our friends going to the Sun-N-Fun show, stop by the Andair booth and ask Andy, or Owen, about the remotely operated fuel valves we have on order.

The hydraulic pump has arrived and we are setting up a test stand for it on our hydraulic mule stand. All of the hydraulic plumbing forward of the main wing spar has been installed except for the inner gear door cylinder lines. I am sure all can recognize a high tech test stand pictured at the left.

What appears to be a snake pit pictured below right are the push- pull cables that will operate the flight controls. These cables eliminate a considerable amount of complexity and weight, but probably not much cost.
Pictured at the left is the tail wheel unlock assembly. The assembly electrically unlocks the tail wheel with an over center latch to hold the wheel unlocked when the power is off. A momentary lock, unlock switch is used to control the assembly which includes a light indication when the tail wheel is unlocked. We have not decided yet as to whether we will mount the switch next to the gear lever or on the throttle.

Normally there is a very large gap between the lower wing skin and the flap as designed by Papa 51. “Blue II” has a gap seal which will close that gap and improve the aerodynamics of the under side of the wing as well as effectiveness of the flaps.

Hopefully we will be able to have some news about the remote fuel valve after Sun-N-Fun. As soon as the wing portion of the fuel system is finished we can close out the wing.

We are doing a lot of work on “Blue II” that sometimes looks like very small steps; however, we will have plenty to report on in the April report.

Thanks again for everyone’s support.

Jan and John Parker
www.bluethunderairracing.com


Press release: For immediate release
Blue Thunder Air Racing February 22, 2008 Report on “Blue II’s” construction progress:

The electronically operated remote fuel valve we promised to show you in this month’s progress report has not shown up yet so, little work has been accomplished on the fuel system. We have been unable to get a firm commitment from Andair as to when it will be delivered other than they will have some at Sun-N-Fun.

Some additional hydraulic plumbing has been installed in the wing. The Oildyne Power Pack we mentioned last month was ordered and is scheduled for shipment next week. Our March report should include some pictures of that unit as well as some additional system components.

Most of the work on “Blue II” this month has been on the fuselage. So far, all of the parts have been trimmed and the bulkheads from the rear seat back through station 247 have been installed. The dog house is assembled and the radiators attached the spray bars are in place.

The belly scoop has been partially assembled with only a very few modifications.

Most Thunder mustang builders will recognize the considerable modifications to the tail wheel bay station 192 – 220. One objective is for this bay to be completely sealed except for the leakage around the gear doors. A new tail wheel door retraction method is also in the works so that the door operation will be more positive and secure eliminating their opening in high speed flight.

With the entire tail wheel mechanism confined to aft of bulkhead 192, the bay aft of station 168 is available for additional equipment and remote electronics storage. The opening in bulkhead 168 has been enlarged to provide access to this bay.

Next month I will be able to show some changes in the control systems we are working on and the new electronic fuel selector valve as well as the hydraulic power pack.

The final $14,286.87 payment on the engine that burned up in Blue was sent out last week. Anyone is interested in helping out on that payment, don’t hesitate to hit the PayPal button on our web site. Any amount is appreciated.

Jan and I thank everyone for their continued support.

John & Jan Parker
www.bluethunderairracing.com

Press release: For immediate release
Blue Thunder Air Racing January 13, 2008 Report:

Within a week after the loss of Blue, the Team started collecting and inventorying the Thunder Mustang parts we had collected as spare parts. By air race time, we had a stabilizer built. December 5, 2007 saw the delivery of Bob Garrison’s complete Thunder Mustang kit, which provided us with the entire Papa – 51 parts. You all know that Blue had many updates to her, and Blue II will have even more.

To date, major progress has been made on the wing. All the parts have been trimmed, ribs and spars installed, MLG installed along with the flaps.

The hydraulic system will be powered by an Oildyne power pack greatly reducing the complexity of the system and some of that plumbing has been installed in the wing as well as the brake lines.

The fuel system will have the same capacity, but the plumbing is modified to eliminate all fuel lines and fittings from the cockpit. We are waiting for our electronic fuel selector to arrive before any additional fuel plumbing is done. We expect the selector sometime in February.

Our accountant, the firm of Grant Thornton of Reno has put the loss of Blue at one million dollars. The bad news is that it will take about that much to complete Blue II. The good news is that through the very generous contributions of good, services, parts and money from all of our friends, fans, supporters, and sponsors, we are at least 50% back to the million-dollar objective. The road ahead is a lot of labor, along with the purchase of parts not supplied in the TM kit. A $5,000.00 payment to the TBG for the new PSRU cover plates for Blue and Blue II was due last week. If anyone is interested in helping out on that payment, don’t hesitate to hit the PayPal button on our web site. Any amount is appreciated.

Next month I will be able to show some changes in the control systems we are working on and maybe show you the new electronic fuel selector.

John Parker

Press release:  For immediate publication
December 5, 2007

Bob Garrison has sold his complete Thunder Mustang kit to us in terms and conditions that are so favorable to us it is like a gift. His kit will become Blue Thunder II. We owe Bob more THANKS than anyone could imagine.

An ABF truck arrived at the AAR facility today at about 0920 with the Blue II kit on board. With the help of the Blue Crew and our airport volunteers, the unloading began.

By 1230 the truck was unloaded and the crew broke for lunch, and a celebration that the Blue Thunder II kit was on the property.

With all the support we have, we should have Blue II far enough along in the construction process that she can be “a roller” by Thunderstorm 2008.

The next event for the Blue Thunder Racing Team and the Thunder Builders Group is to support George Giboney with “Rapid Travel” at the Pylon Racing School in June 2008.

With many thanks to all.
John & Jan Parker
www.bluethunderairracing.com

Press release:  For immediate publication
September 5, 2007  Blue Report:

As you all know by now, the Blue Thunder Air Racing Team suffered a devastating blow with the loss of Blue Thunder in a sage brush fire after an aborted take off on Labor Day, September 3, 2007. The decision to abort was based on an instrumentation failure. In the attempt to stop, the brakes over heated and became minimally effective. Standing beside her, watching Blue Thunder burn up was the most heart wrenching time of our lives. Blue Thunder may not have had a heartbeat but she had a soul, and the blood, sweat, and love that so many people have put into her made her something more than an inanimate object. The outpouring of condolences has been overwhelming, coming from thousands of Blue Thunder’s fans, friends, sponsors, competitors, and supporters. Many from sources we don’t know.

 
The question is, what is next for the Blue Thunder Crew? The crew and I have never looked back, never stopped, never given up, always supported any racing team when asked for help as well as all the Thunder Mustangs. So that is how things are going to continue. Thunder Storm 2007 is still on as well as 2008.
 
In the coming days and weeks we will be consulting with our friends and sponsors to clearly define a plan for the next Thunder Mustang. We are asking all of our fans and sponsors to stay with us as we go forward with our next project which will be a benefit for us all.
 

Thank you for your continued support,

 

John Parker

Blue Thunder Air Racing

 

You Can Help Us Return Blue Thunder To The Air!

 

 

 

The hair on your neck is standing straight up. Your eyes strain as you stare, closely observing shimmering objects in the distance. You feel your muscles tighten; you feel the electricity in the air. Amongst the wind, your ears begin to detect the faint sound of shear, raw, unimaginable horsepower, echoing off the distant mountains. The faint sound turns into symphonic vibrations of harmony, ever increasing in intensity. Your eyes now have a lock on multiple, winged-crafts splitting the boundary between sky and earth, and turning. The mechanical music still grows, your muscles tighter, your eyes widen. The rush of power blasts by in a shattering roar as the thunder travels through your ears and down to your feet, then another, and another and still more. As the sound fades, the crafts grow small, but the intensity remains. Your heart pounding, your adrenaline flowing, your body shaking, you have just witnessed the first lap, of an air race.

We get the same feeling. Blue Thunder Air Racing Team is a dedicated group of professionals who campaign a Thunder Mustang at the Reno Air Races in the Sport Division. They have been involved with air racing for nearly 40 years. Our team is determined to see the expansion of air racing to encompass more people, places, and sponsors. We believe through increased exposure comes increased interest. That is why we need your help.  
With your support, air racing will grow to have events throughout the country. With your interest, more people will be exposed to the sport and become fans. With your participation, you will see why so many people have become completely committed and addicted to this unique sport.
To some, it's a sport. To us it's a way of life.

Blue Thunder Air Racing supports our men and women in uniform.

Blue Thunder Air Racing would like to thank its sponsors; their generous support makes it all possible. 

Please take a moment to visit their websites and see how they may assist you:

 

 

 

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