Butts Aerowing-The Only Way To Fly

[jrome]

Here are three pictures of Tim Butts driving Wayne's boats; one picture with the famous V8; and one of Charlie Bailey driving Wayne's T73. Wayne has a funny story about Baldy and the Shaft Newsletter to go along with the picture of Charlie Bailey.

[smittythewelder]

Wayne, if you're still following this thread, I'd be interested to hear about the operating characteristics of that Windwalker, as compared to the more conventional Butts hydros. Maybe 15 years ago, Ron Jones Jr. built an Unlimited with some roughly similar ideas about venting excess lift. The second owner told me that boat was very good on smooth water, but that if it got to bouncing around in rough water it would spill or vent too much air, and really beat him up. As a kilo boat it would have been terrific. What was your experience with that outboard? I'm assuming that idea was not that the boat would be any faster with the same power than a standard Butts, but that it would have a lot less sensitivity to wind gusts and attitude changes.
Finally, were any more of them built, and when were they last raced?

Thanks in advance!
--Smitty

[Jeff Lytle]

Bet Tim had sum bugs on his teeth after that ride

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Yeah Smitty, I'm still following the thread. Made a big loop to San Francisco & back--4800 miles worth. Left Albuquerque yesterday morning & got back last night.

I never drove the Windwalker. The photos were of its maiden voyage if I remember correctly. Tim tested it about 3 months before my last race in Berlin. I didn't make another race until two years later at Alex as a spectator. Never saw it run and don't recall a conversation with Tim about its handling characteristics. Short of Tim coming on to tell us about it, probably Joe Rome would be the best bet. Think this was the only one made. It may have been inspired by the kilos at Waco, Texas in 1980. And I think you are correct--made to be fast but stable at the higher speeds we kept attaining.

Tim and I ran kilos with competiton setups to see what the boats would do. When you don't have any testing time, you just make the best guess and go with it. Neither one of us guessed right. The water was too smooth and it was really too hot for the engines to perform to the max. I never was able to open mine up because it was flying on the edge the whole time.

I didn't see Tim go through the traps. We pitted at a launching ramp next to the river and you had to go left to get to the river. The view was blocked by trees. My Dad and I were talking to Jimbo McConnell about some UIM stuff when Tim made his run. It was in the same boat that we dueled with in Dayton. We heard the engine screaming then suddenly there was silence. The crowd hollered and we ran over to the bank. We got there after it was all over. The boat upside down and Tim in the water with his chute deployed. He had one of those parachutes like drag racers wore. That was the only time I ever knew of Tim to blow over.

This picture of my boat was taken at that kilo event. There are some similarities between this boat and the Windwalker, but you can wonder about how the windwalker may have made the attitude not quite so precarious. With most of the midsection gone it we might have been able to pull the pipes up all the way. I can remember how hairy that ride was. Having the power, but not being able to use it. Tim, if I remember correctly, went out after me. He may have made a setup change and thought it would work, but he pushed it too hard. Also rivers are kind of tricky and I think that's what got him--a sudden change.

[WharfRat]

as usual, AWESOME pic Wayne !!


Kinda noticed you haven't been around, glad to have you back, sir !

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks Scott, but someone else took that of my boat. Wish I could have had my camera when Tim went flying, but we were busy with UIM politiks. Going to try to have someone hookup my new computer wireless next Friday. I'll give you a call when its up.

Left our race course here at Barbon Monday 14th and went by three race courses in San Antonio, Firebird Lake in Phoenix, and Golden Shores at Needles, California. Passed close to two I never raced at. Havasu and Parker. With all the history at those two places, I hope I make it sometime. Good to be back though.

[WharfRat]

well Wayne, iffin' you wanna crawl back in one, I'll take pictures of you

[Dan M]

Wayne,

I had heard a story that the reason that Tim blew over was that he kept moving forward in the boat as it got high and had "pulled the pin" on the chute and that had caused him to blow it over. Don't know if it's truth or rumor. Tim's the one who would know for sure.

Dan

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You know Dan, there's something in the back of my mind telling me that it was something weird, and maybe that's it. For some reason I didn't take a single picture there or have any notes to refer to, but I seem to recall sitting in the suburban with Tim describing the situation. I forgot who gave me the photo I posted, but I think there are either some photos or a movie of Tim's flip out there. Maybe someone at the Waco Kilos might remember.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

What an awful feeling that must have been! Boat is going / riding ever higher so you creep forward to compensate a bit and with a wooosh/bang, your chute deploys because the pin was pulled and your floating on your turkey a couple hundred feet behind the boat, that in this case went over. Oh my gawd! The G-Force from a deployment like that must have felt some one trying to rip your spine out with your lungs attached! Amazing.