MacRobertson London to Melbourne Entry thread

[Willy]

Okay guys n gals. Here's where you make your entry into the race. Make sure you read the rules first and put in what class and what aircraft.

[Willy]

I'll go first...

I'm entering in both the Golden Age and Modern GA classes

1st, I'm entering in the Modern GA class and flying the FSD Cessna 337H Skymaster. The Cessna Skymaster is an excellent light twin with a unique pull/push centerline thrust arrangement of it's engines. I'll be flying N4AQ which is a r/l paint scheme on a 337. This aircraft is known among Merc Air's Flight 19 as the "CDM" or Cessna Death Machine.

2nd, I'm entering in the Golden Age class and flying the Tom Eads Granville (Gee Bee) R-6H "Q.E.D." This was the last of the Granville racers and was special built for the 1934 MacRobertson and in her special "Lucky Strike" green paint was flown by Miss Jackie Cochrane in the race. She dropped out in Bucharest due to mechanical trouble. The QED was plagued for the rest of it's career with problems that prevented it from winning any races but did set a Mexico City to NYC speed record in 1939 flown by Mexican aviator Francisco Serabia. It is the only Gee Bee R series aircraft to survive and is currently in a museum in Lerdo Mexico. ETA: Every time we run this race, I try it in the QED. So far I've made it as far as Bagdad one time. :d

Pictures taken at Merc Air's secret HQ in Rochford England where Merc Air is providing support to these aircraft in preparation for the race.

Hope to see yall in my rear view mirror

[srgalahad]

I'll go first...

Hope to see yall in my rear view mirror

Mirrors?? Yeah.. I hear they put a couple on the Mixmaster so the pilot could watch the rear engine fail... the GB?? prolly so he could see the crash wagons approaching... Oh well, we can all dream

Good luck Willy!

[buzzbee]

Tossing my ring into the hat flying a classic.

Buzzbee - Spartan Executive

I may be back to enter a GA as a team if I can round up some support.

Cheers and Thanks to the Race Committee for the effort to put this event on!

[Vicious]

Count me in as well in the GA class flying the GeeBee QED. It's time to show what this bird could have really done if it finished the race.

[salt_air]

Another Spartan Executive is entering the race as of this post.

A GA entry TBA after some more research.

Good Luck everyone!

Tally Ho.........

[Highmike]

I'll be entering the Golden Age class in a Spartan also. I was considering entering in a Gee Bee Z, but it's range is dismal and so I've decided not to.

Spartan Ho!

[Great Ozzie]

Golden Age Aircraft Entry is the DH.88 Comet "Reine Astrid" G-ACSR (FSX de Havilland Comet Package by David Grindele).

Modern GA Aircraft Entry is the Flight1 Pilatus PC-12 sporting the Red Bull/Sauber F1 Race Colors by "Butch, via the kind folks at AussieX." It's flying under Swiss Registry HB-FOT.

[salt_air]

Golden Age Aircraft Entry is the DH.88 Comet "Reine Astrid" G-ACSR (FSX de Havilland Comet Package by David Grindele).

Modern GA Aircraft Entry is the Flight1 Pilatus PC-12 sporting the Red Bull/Sauber F1 Race Colors by "Butch, via the kind folks at AussieX." It's flying under Swiss Registry HB-FOT.

Very Impressive Rob! I was looking at entering that very plane (Comet).

Second thoughts about the length of some of the legs,,,,,that's a long time to "tend" the stick.

Hat's off to ya! That will be quite a piece of work when you're done.

Cheers,

[Dangerousdave26]

Very
Second thoughts about the length of some of the legs,,,,,that's a long time to "tend" the stick.

Hat's off to ya! That will be quite a piece of work when you're done.

Cheers,

I will say that at least in my Sim the Comet has always Trimmed out real nice...

Just make the Pee Breaks short.

Dave

[Great Ozzie]

Thanks salt_air... but since I'm required to carry an extra 170lbs of ballast in the aft seat, he'll be doing much of the flying. :-P

The greater challenge for me will be during low speeds with a significant x-wind ( >60° & > 10-15kts during the initial takeoff roll and shortly after the tail drops on a wheel landing)... something I will try to avoid like the proverbial plague. You'll probably agree things can get quite squirrely in a hurry; the only "near fool-proof" way for me to avoid a merry-go-round ride is with differential throttle. I think I'd prefer a near zero-zero viz landing with zero winds to it being severe clear and have a 15kt 90° x-wind.

At any rate, yes, I am very excited about this race (like a kid at Christmas) and thankful the Race Committee put this one together. We had quite a few magnificent crews for Evita and hoping the same here. :ernae:

[salt_air]

Thanks salt_air... but since I'm required to carry an extra 170lbs of ballast in the aft seat, he'll be doing much of the flying. :-P

The greater challenge for me will be during low speeds with a significant x-wind ( >60° & > 10-15kts during the initial takeoff roll and shortly after the tail drops on a wheel landing)... something I will try to avoid like the proverbial plague. You'll probably agree things can get quite squirrely in a hurry; the only "near fool-proof" way for me to avoid a merry-go-round ride is with differential throttle. I think I'd prefer a near zero-zero viz landing with zero winds to it being severe clear and have a 15kt 90° x-wind.

At any rate, yes, I am very excited about this race (like a kid at Christmas) and thankful the Race Committee put this one together. We had quite a few magnificent crews for Evita and hoping the same here. :ernae:

Totally understand and agree on all points Rob.

Dave makes a good point too! Still a long way to stay focused and at the ready.

I'd only add that I've flown this bird as baton or wing in the all of the past RTW's that I was a part of, and that would be the only time I would event think of running the duenna at the same time....:isadizzy:.

Only way I was able to cut way down on the "squirrel factor" on take offs and landings was to pay no attention to existing runways and fly directly into whatever wind was present cutting across runways, taxiways, sidewalks or whatever,,,,just no buildings or trees....

Maybe it's just me, but I think it handles better in the dirt and grass than it does on hard surfaces.

I've still gotta give you extra credit for this effort!

[salt_air]

Another Spartan Executive is entering the race as of this post.

A GA entry TBA after some more research.

Good Luck everyone!

Tally Ho.........

I need to resend this entry to ammend the specified aircraft.

My appologies to the committe for the confusion.

Will repost later.

Thanks!,

[arrvoo]

I too was planning on flying the Spartan (as i did last year but unfortunately wasn't able to complete) but as we have a few of these already i'm going for the Savoia Marchetti SM.79. Seem to have it setup nicely in FSX now and am going to spend the next week practicing.

If i have time afterwards i'll be flying the Beech Duke in the GA class.

Thanks again for the, as always, wonderful organisation guys.

[MM]

The Percival Mew Gull deserves its spot in the sun. The small lightweight racer stood at the head of the class in British handicap racing during the 1930s. This particular ship, G-AEXF, was built in 1936 for the Schlesinger Portsmouth-Johannesburg race but had to drop out at Belgrade. It was sold, and then swapped to the very young Alex Henshaw. In this plane, Henshaw raced competitively through the 1937 season and won the 1938 Kings Cup. This model represents the Essex Aero modification with an older Gipsy 6 engine and added fuel tanks—in which Henshaw set the record connecting England-South Africa. For many, this is the most charismatic of British racing aircraft.

Henshaw himself was a remarkable figure. Reputed to be the best pilot of his generation, he won a number of air races in his early twenties. And then he became the chief production test pilot for wartime Spitfires—several times having to escape from faulty aircraft. Later in his life, he wrote The Flight of the Mew Gull and Sigh for a Merlin, both of which met enthusiastic critical review.

I'll enter this in the Golden Age class. (Pending the engineering to port over to FSX: this is a very old FS2004 model—and there remain a few kinks to work out.) This effort will serve as a tribute to a pair of aviation legends: the Mew Gull and Alex Henshaw.

(After this white knuckle ride, I'm planning to parallel Harvey in a smooth comfortable Beech Duke for the GA milk run.)

[Bry Rosier]

I would like to register for this Race also I also plan to fly the Savoia Marchetti SM.79 on FSX in the Golden Age race . It was a close choice between this and the Staggerwing .
I also hope to fly the PC-12 or Cirrus CR22Turbo in the GA race . I also extend my thanks to the race organisers for all your , much appreciated , hard work :ernae:

Mike I managed to get Lee Halls P6 MewGull into FSX ok with a few panel tweaks , nice plane

Unable to find the E3H as link is down at the outhouse Would have been nice to compare the two

[RedGreen]

I would like to announce the entry of Team United into the 2009 MacRobertson Race in the Golden Age Category. Team United shall consist of several members from the Flightsim.com Multi-Player Adventures group.

Our current (tenative and subject to change) roster consists of:

1) Myself
2) DHC120 Charles
3) EdGeneer

Our airplane will be the Boeing 247D in the United Airlines "City of Oakland" paint scheme.

Our compliments to the Race Committee for taking the time and effort to put this together!

[srgalahad]

The Percival Mew Gull deserves its spot in the sun. The small lightweight racer stood at the head of the class in British handicap racing during the 1930s.

(After this white knuckle ride, I'm planning to parallel Harvey in a smooth comfortable Beech Duke for the GA milk run.)

I looked at the Mew Gull too Mike. In fact it's still on the 'possible' list. It is indeed a mite twitchy at first, esp. with the long range fuel tanks full but after an hour of touch-and-goes it felt better (pilot notes are "Classified").

Never know.. learning now may be rewarded at a later date, elsewhere in the world...

[Willy]

RedGreen, Jens did a livery of the B247 in Roscoe Turner's paint scheme from the 1934 race. It'd be pretty cool to fly that one.

Edit: I thought I had it in the hanger...

[menekod28]

Mandrake von Wrecktoften, the Dead Baron, enters a MAAM DC-3 passenger liner in the Ozark Airlines livery into the Golden Age category for the glory of the Kaiser (retired).

[PRB]

I am pleased to announce the entry of the first of the Lockheed 9D Orion aircraft into this little jaunt, which I borrowed from a vacant lot... Well, sort of vacant. Good luck to all!

[Vicious]

Here's a quick pic of the R6 on a quick test flight after leaving the paint shop. Now on to the instrumentation hangar for some needed upgrades and then some test hops before the race. It should be fun!

[falcon409]

I will also be entering the race in the "Golden Age Class" and flying the DH.88 Comet "Black Magic". Looking forward to this a lot.

[salt_air]

This is my official entry for the "Golden Age Class".

I have decided to fly the default Lockheed Vega "Lituanica II".

This livery in memory of the two pilots, needlessly shot down over Germany in 1933 after completing there flight across the Atlantic, but before they could reach home in Kaunas (Lithuania).

The real "Litunaica II" was flown in September of 1935 in a commemoration of their tragic transatlantic flight.

Steponas Darius and Stasys Girenas may well have entered and placed nicely in this very event in 1934 had they not been killed the year before.

Good Luck to All!

[AussieMan]

My official entry.

Hope to fly the Puss Moth and the Uiver DC-2 or Boeing 247.

Cheers
Pat