The following pictures were taken at the 1997 KR Gathering in Perry, Oklahoma.

The low clouds in this picture didn't last long. The weather was hot and windy on Friday, cool and windy on Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately the 20+ mph winds were almost directly down the runway.

Marty Roberts flew continuously so that all KR newcomers could experience the thrill of flying in one of these 3 dimensional airplanes. The line (and the infamous light pole) stand in the background.
Tommy Waymack trying to hit the mark in the spot landing contest. Marty Roberts won, by splitting the mark in half with his tires on his second try, and didn't miss by much on his first.

Sam Bailey demonstrating his best deadstick technique. He must have a Posa...

Tom Bagnatto's award winning Type 4 powered KR1.

The "Best KR1" award winner.

Tom's very clean 2600cc Type 4 installation.

These short stacks make the engine sound like the exhaust is loose when it screams by overhead.

Wing root fillets on Campbell's KR2, originally built by Lance Niebauer.

Dennis Pointer's cowling. This was AFTER his nosewheel was torn off during a tough landing.

Dennis's engine, complete with Dan Diehl's old Rayjay turbocharger installation.

Don Betchan's engine, showing his spinner mounted alternator, stolen from a Wisconsin industrial engine. Don's plane was full of good ideas, including retracts using motorcyle forks and a forward hinged canopy (see last year's photos at http://fly.hiwaay.net/~langford/kgathr96.html ).

This electronic ignition timing sensor was mounted next to the spinner.

David Roe's VW powered Hummelbird was a knockout! His half VW engine was built by Donald Reid, who was on hand to discuss some of the more salient features of VW powerplants.

We thought we'd stumbled onto Perry's Area 51 when we found this mutant KR2S hiding in a hangar.

It featured a trailing link retractable landing gear, among other things.

The nose gear was retractable as well!

Here's the elevator counterweight, viewed from an inpection plate in the composite (that's right!) fuselage. The fuselage was composed of a Lastofoam core with glass skins inside and out, and had an Aerocore firewall.

This is the simplest, strongest canopy sliding mechanism that I've seen yet. Just an aluminum channel glued to the top of the longeron on each side, with a nylon roller that rolls inside it. The front rolls in a similar channel which extends along the centerline of the foward deck to the cowling. If I had it to do over again...

It finally saw the light of day on Saturday when its owner rolled it out for display.

This fiberglass carburetor airbox mount reminded me how versatile the stuff is.

Steve Bennett's Great Plains VW prop shaft mount (this picture was taken at Oshkosh). The shaft connects to a rubber coupler which minimizes torsional vibration transmitted from the prop to the crankshaft. This allows the use of "regular" automotive crankshafts, and eliminates the need to taper the pulley end or install the larger main bearing. The bottom line is that for a few extra pounds, the cowling can be streamlined significantly, and stock distibutor and fuel pump retained.

The flywheel mounts three drive lugs which fit the coupler...

The coupler is clamped to the drive shaft...

which mounts to this housing through a thrust bearing. This is the wave of the future...

Friday night we were treated to an impromptu discussion of the old days, featuring Jeannette Rand, Dan Diehl, Steve Bennett, and Ernest Koppe.

The hangar is chock full of the finest KRs flying.

Mike Ladigo brought his turbine powered KR2S and fired it up for the first time. It immediately became the focus of attention, with some running to see it, and others running away from it!

Diehl wing skins mounted on Mike's plane.

Very sanitary pitot tube installation.

Looks like his wingtips will be removable. He also used nutplates and a fiberglass ledge to hold his aft deck onto the fuselage. This is going to be one very nice KR2S when it's finished.

Here's another way to mount an internal elevator counterweight.

I didn't take many pictures of KRs. I already have plenty that I took last year and the two years before. See them back at my KR2S construction page. Next year I hope to take some air to air shots, preferably from my own KR2S.

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Send email or contributions to Mark Langford at langford@hiwaay.net