The Owl Racer OR65-2 is a racing aircraft designed by George Owl in 1969 for use in

Formula One Air Racing Formula One Air Racing is an American motorsport that involves small aircraft using engines up to in displacement. Racers can reach speeds over 200 mph. History Formula One air racing is sanctioned by the International Aeronautics Fede ...

Development

The prototype was built by John Alford. A second example, ''G-AYMS'' named ''Ricochet'' was built by Farm Aviation in the United Kingdom and was first flown at

Panshanger Aerodrome Panshanger Aerodrome was a former general aviation aerodrome located on the most eastern tip of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, west of Hertford, East Hertfordshire. Wartime history During the Second World War, a decoy aerodrome ...

Hertfordshire by Squadron Leader M.A.Kelly on 13 April 1971. The aircraft was raced at

North Weald Airfield North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome, in the civil parish of North Weald Bassett in Epping Forest, Essex, England. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain, when it was known as the RAF Stati ...

on 31 May 1971 but crashed in the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

at Greenwich later that day following propeller failure.

Design

The OR65-2 is a single seat mid-wing aircraft with a bubble canopy and conventional landing gear. The tapered wing uses wood construction with plywood covering. The fuselage is constructed of steel tubing with fabric covering.

George Allen Owl, jr.

Born August 1, 1920, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Reservation in North Carolina. BS Aeronautical Engineering, Parks Air College, East St. Louis, 1940. Engineer at Curtiss Wright, Aeronca, McDonnell Aircraft, North American Aviation, California. Projects included X-15, B-70, B-1, F108, F-14, F-15, Space Shuttle. Died December 18, 1981.

Operational history

Owl racers raced under the names Pogo, Fang, Ricochet and Yellow Peril. The first race of Pogo occurred in St. Louis with Bud Pedigo as pilot in 1969. Pilot Bud Pedigo clocked 208.90 mph, good for sixth place in an amazingly fast field of 13 racers. A few weeks later, at Reno, Pedigo raced into fifth place in the Formula One Championship Race at almost 204 mph. One OR62-2 crashed in 1971 due to propeller failure, and another in 1975 due to a fuel system failure.

On display

An Owl racer is on display at the

Pearson Air Museum The Pearson Air Museum is a place-based aviation museum at Pearson Field in Vancouver, Washington, USA. Managed by the National Park Service as part of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, museum exhibits provide an opportunity for visitor ...

at Vancouver-Pearson Field.

Specifications (OR65-2)

Bibliography

* Jackson. A.J., British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 3, second edition, 1974, Putnam & Company Limited, London,

References

{{refend Homebuilt aircraft Racing aircraft Mid-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1959