I met Dick Martin the first time at the Whitside Fly-in (SQI) in September 1999. Dick, along with Lyle Heffel, lead an hour long question and answer/group participation session of about 20 other RV builders and owners. Dick has some definite ideas about what he likes in an airplane and, if you want to listen, will tell you exactly how he made it work in his plane. Dick stood around in the hot sun, tirelessly, while spectator after spectator came by to admire is still unpainted RV8 and asked the same questions over and over and over again. Dick didn't flinch and gave the same answers, over and over and over again. The fact that Dicks plane was still unpainted turned out to be a benefit. You could still see much of the excellent workmanship that might have other wise gone unnoticed and unappreciated.
While at Whiteside, I was too busy gawking and asking questions to take many pictures! I got some generic shots of several planes but it wasn't until an RV Picnic at Casa De Aero (private aero community about 45 miles NW of O'Hare) that I had a chance to see Dicks plane perform and get some detail pictures.
The RV picnic at Casa De Aero was about 2 weeks after the Whitside event. Don Mack and I met in the air just west of Clow International (1C5) at about 10:00, Don in his Ercoupe, Beth and I in the rented Warrior. The weather was CAVU and a little windy. Since Casa De Aero is a private strip it wasn't on our GPS's so I had my wife pull out the sectional and it was follow the map time. We found the airport right next to I-90 about 45 miles NW of O'hare near Hampshire, IL. From the air, we didn't see any RV's parked in anybody's yard but we figured on taking a look anyway since this was suppose to be the place. The wind had been picking up but it didn't seem like anything we couldn't handle. I approached first and when turning final I realized it was taking about 20 - 25 degrees of crab to keep the runway lined up. Over the threshold, I gave the old Warrior all the rudder she had and dropped the right wing as low as I dared. First the right wheel chirped, then a little balloon, then the right wheel chirped again. Next thing I know the left wheel chirped and I'm looking at a couple of RV's on near the taxiway and I'm looking for a place to park. Not exceptionally difficult landing but an attention getter for sure. Keep in mind, this is my version, those on the ground watching may have a different version of my landing.
Don was next in the Ercoupe and after a couple of tries and a close call with an RV coming in from the opposite direction, he was on the ground safe and sound. The next hour or so was spent watching several variations of landing techniques by about 8 RV's (tail wheel and tri gear), as they attempted to get their baby's on the ground in one piece. One RV pilot made two or three attempts, called it a day, flew home, only to return later in the car! He was probably the smartest one of us all and still got to enjoy the food.
But I digress.
Dick Martin's plane has several modifications that help it achieve the performance it does. When Dick was getting ready to leave the picnic and head back home up near Green Bay, WI somewhere, several people asked him to do a maximum performance climb on his departure. As Dick was getting in his plane, I said, "why don't you do a flyby first?" "I don't want to show off", says Dick. "Hell", I said, "Showing off is what these events are all about!" Dick thought about that for a second and nodded, "yea, maybe you're right". (you see, motorcycle racers like myself, don't need no reason to show off.)
Remember, in addition to the airframe mods, Dick says his IO360 is pumpin' out about 220 hp as well! Dick does his run-up and taxies to the centerline of 27, with all eyes near the hanger watching. This next observation is no exaggeration. Dick applied full throttle and immediately the tail came up. I'm not talking' 50' or 100' roll here! I mean, before he was 10' the tail was up and a couple of hundred feet more and he was nose up heading' for the sun. Dick flew about 1/4 mile upwind, turned crosswind at about 2000' then turned downwind. By the time he was 2 or 3 miles downwind he turned north and then leveled out and powered back. That's what we heard and saw from the ground.
Dick continues to update his plane to get the most speed possible. I see Dick all over the place at different fly-ins out here in the mid-west and he's always out there, standing by his plane and answering questions.
I was interested in his aileron trim set up. He's done a great job setting this up. It probably doesn't work any better than Vans system it sure looks more professional and not so much like an afterthought.
Another mod that Dick made recently was to the rudder cable area. It built some fairing that not only cover the rudder cable exits from the fuselage but also the rudder control horn. Notice how the fairings go all the way back and protect the rudder horn. They look pretty easy to make and I'll be using this idea on my plane. He has also removed the tail wheel steering springs. I don't think I'd go that far, but I guess you've got to find speed where you can.
Dick primary focus on this project (he's built several planes in the past) was on speed and weight. Another idea he came up with concerned the air vents. He developed a cool little system that does away with the eyeball vents in the plane. He opens and closes his fuselage vent with a simple sliding door system and allows the fresh air to just blow in under the panel. He says it works great for the pilot. I haven't talked with any of his passengers.
You can email Dick with specific questions if you like. I know he'd be glad to answer any inquiries.
The following are Dick's own words on some of the airframe mods that are pictured and how they helped him achieve the steller performance that I described above at Casa De Aero..
"The tip lens are by Tracy Sailor and the Rocket tips were from Oliver Brennan of Bakersfield. The sharp edge on the tips is supposed to improve speed. The cowling is a hybrid of a Barnard holy cowl from Sam James for a 6 and remodeled and fitted to the rear half of the Vans RV8 cowl. I also used a Dave Anders designed plenum chamber also from Sam James. The cam locks are the new adjustable SS type from Skybolt in Apopka, Fla. When I leveled out above the field, I was at 5500 msl and still climbing strong at over 2000 fpm @ 110mph. The airplane will hold 3000 fpm up to approx 4000' and then the speed starts to bleed off slowly below 100 mph. I have finally finished making and installing the last of the landing gear fairings and cuffs etc. I was amazed at the speed boost resulting from the cuffs that fit the gear/.fuselage intersection. It was a very noticeable 4 to 5 mph. I have now reached all of the easy speed mods and am quite pleased with the results as follows: - Dick Martin"
2000 msl, 28.3 man, 2700 rpm oat 40 degrees = 232 mph
5000 msl, 25.3 man, 2700 rpm oat 50 degrees = 225 mph
7000 msl, 23.5 man, 2700 rpm oat 45 degrees = 222 mph
Look out Harmon Rockets!! Impressive. Thanks Dick