Just some random info that some Netters might find interesting. The Revmaster 2100D built from 1968 to 1989 was rated at 65 HP, at either 3200 or 3400 - certainly not at 4200. The efficiency of KR-size props deteriorates rapidly when turned much beyond 3100 RPM.
Steve Bennett rates his 2180 at 76 HP at 3400 at sea level. The reason I mention "sea level" is that if you take that same engine up to 12 thousand feet and turn it at 3400 it's putting out between 40 and 50 HP, depending on what formula used. Rule of thumb is 3% loss per thousand feet. Perhaps more accurate is altitude x 0.03 x HP/1000 = In my own instance I run the engine WOT at 3100, not 3400 (RPM is a function of prop pitch and diameter when running WOT of course) so at my normal altitudes of 12.5 and 13.5 I'm pulling 40 hp or less. No wonder my cylinder and oil temps remain low and fuel efficiency high - between 3 and 3.5 GPH at those altitudes. The original R-2100D engines, the ones built before 1989, came with cast cranks. Although I don't think I've ever heard of crank failures in the early engines (surely there must have been some though), we don't want to use cast cranks in a VW installed in an aircraft. My first KR-2 had the 2100D with the cast crank and the Maloof CS prop that Revmaster sold at the time. I never had a problem with either one but wouldn't recommend them. ************* PatS in Mississippi mentions he has two unfinished KR's and an unfinished Lancair for sale. Pat was evidently following the natural evolution of the KR design. Lance Neibauer built a KR-2, N282L last seen in San Antonio and owned by someone named Anthony Lee. I think I recall Lance raced it back in the day and got over 200 MPH with the Revmaster 2100D he had in it. He then went on to design his gorgeous Lancair based upon what he had learned building the KR, as told in this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrwm82HlKiA He mentions that he consulted with Northrup engineers but doesn't mention Ken Rand by name. Ken worked for Douglas but Douglas and Northrup were both in SoCal and were closely associated from their very beginnings. Jack Douglas and Jack Northrup came to SoCal together and worked closely together so to say one consulted with Northrup engineers is to say Douglas engineers as well. Located in El Segundo and Hawthorne, communities next door to each other, these companies were twins joined at the hip. Lance lived in Redondo Beach, right next door to the above communities. He formed Lancair at first in a hangar at Santa Paula (SZP) before moving to Bend, OR. Mira Slovak (friend of Sparky's) flew out of SZP in those days, as well as Steve McQueen. For such a small airport it has been home to many important people in aviation. The first Sunday of every month they have "Open Hangar Day" and for anyone visiting the LA area and can time your visit to the first Sunday of the month, visiting SZP is well worth it. Sparky once had a hangar next to John Thorp at Whiteman Airport and in his life has met just about everybody of note in antique and homebuilt aviation. He flew with Ken Rand of course. He's a walking encyclopedia and it's been my good fortune to have known him since the early 80's and currently have a hangar three doors down from him. He gave me my first ride in a KR and there's a whole bunch of other people who can say the same thing. I've had many, many people ask me in my travels over the years, when they find out I'm from San Diego, "Do you know Sparky? He gave me my first ride in a KR!" I can't tell you how many times this has happened . . . dozens. I could be and probably am totally incorrect in my assumption of any personal association between Lance and Ken. Ken died in January 1979 and Lance finished his KR in 1982 after a one-year build time. My thought is that the Lancair is truly the next generation KR, not the KR-100. The latter was simply a lightly modified KR-2 with a bigger engine & different airfoil - similar to Mark Langford's plane. The Lancair was an evolutionary leap. We had the pleasure of meeting Kim Neibauer at this year's Gathering in McMinnville. Kim is Lance's cousin and flew his really nice looking KR-2 (I mistook it for Joe Horton's plane at first) to McMinnville from Grand Junction, CO. I really wish somebody would publish an overview of this year's Gathering - who attended, who won what awards, pictures. I saw plenty of cameras there but so far I haven't seen any results of what surely is a treasure trove of photographs. Jeff and I have posted our travel pictures, plus some non-annotated Gathering pictures taken by Jeff, but what is still missing is a photographic and general description of the Gathering itself - you know, like we usually see following a Gathering. We need another Video Bob of course. Lacking such a person, it would be nice if those who took pictures this Gathering would publish their photos and an account of their experiences related to this year's Gathering. I realize not everyone is afflicted with verbal diarrhea as I am but the KR list is followed by hundreds of people around the world who are interested in the KR so at least make an attempt please - you guys with your fancy cameras. Hopefully something is in the works? BTW, if anyone had trouble (as I did) downloading Jeff's .avi files on his website Jeffsplanes.com, he has just put his website on a new host which works far better than the old one. Mike KSEE ____________________________________________________________ No Branches = Great Rates High Yield CDs & Savings Accounts. 24/7 helpful customer service. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/55f5e356d7b863557912st01vuc
