Schroeder "Dragontail" Goodyear/Formula One racer

walter

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Will appreciate if anyone can ID this pusher.
Said to be intended as Formula 1/Goodyear racer early 1950s.
 

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Re: ID needed of pusher racer

It seems to be the OWL P.A.R. Special dated 1950
"The P.A.R. Special (Parks Alumni Racebuilders) was designed by Georges Owl and built by Bob Short, Errol Painter and him in 1950. It was the second pusher to appear at the All American Air Maneuvers. It also raced at Detroit and Chattanoga. It was clocked on a closed course at 180.9mph and at Detroit qualified at 179mph in 1950 but did only 176.44mph at Miami, FL in 1950. Brakes were applied in pushing forward on the stick. The wing had variable incidence for take-off and landing. The front wheel had limited steering. Art Beckington was the pilot. It was dismantled in early 1960 and Al Trefethen bought some of the parts and with his son made the Mace-Trefethen "Seamaster" by adding a fiberglass float in 1967".
Span: 20ft ; Lengh: 20ft;
From: "Goodyear & Formula 1 Air Racing-Vol 1" by Robert Hirsch
 

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Re: ID needed of pusher racer

Hi Retrofit :D
That was my initial thought also.
Please see attached 3-view/photo and there are so many (small) differences that I started to doubt and to be honest I still doubt it is the PAR.
 

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Re: ID needed of pusher racer

You are right Walter.
Too many differences compared to the PAR Special.
 
Re: ID needed of pusher racer



Just found out that I never advised that the pusher was ID`d by "Moses03/Moze" as the Schroeder Dragontail Goodyear/Formula One racer. The aircraft (N60298/Race # 50) first flew 1949/1950 and was lost during trials on 2 August 1950.
Kevin, sorry for my oversight :-[ :-[
 
From Ailes 4/1950,

an artist drawing.
 

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Definitely the PAR. Formula One race planes are constantly modified, plus Bob Hirsch's # views are not always perfect. There have been other pusher racers but this one is quite distinctive with it's cruciform tail. Pix from Hirsch's book.
 

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The variable incidence wing is definitely interesting. Nice looking plane.
 
Photo of the Schroeder "Dragontail" Race #50 (registration N60298) from "Experimental Light Aircraft & Midget Racers", John Underwood & John Caler, Aero Publishers Inc 1958.
Note: Paul Schroeder of Fort Worth designed another racer , the "Rarebird II" #17 (registration N16N) in 1953 (same source).
 

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Definitely the PAR. Formula One race planes are constantly modified, plus Bob Hirsch's # views are not always perfect. There have been other pusher racers but this one is quite distinctive with it's cruciform tail. Pix from Hirsch's book.
I would call that a "Y" tail since it is basically a "V" with a vertical fin added on the bottom.
OTOH cruciform tails (see Aero Commander 112) generally have flat horizontal tails or perhaps only a little dihedral in the horizontal tail.
 

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