Air-to-Air VariViggen / EAA Sport Aviation

Lowflynjack

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Jack Fleetwood
This was a fun shoot. Unusual plane and this guy could fly formation nicely!

You can see the story behind this one here: 50 Years and the Last of the First

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Interesting airplane and (as usual) great shots Jack!

That last shot of the bottom looks like the main gear was designed to retract but it doesn't?
 
Interesting airplane and (as usual) great shots Jack!

That last shot of the bottom looks like the main gear was designed to retract but it doesn't?
Thanks!

Poor guy was getting an EAA photoshoot at Oshkosh... and wasn't comfortable retracting the mains. He even mentioned his disappointment during the shoot. They had issues with it earlier and he was afraid it wouldn't come back down.
 
Thanks!

Poor guy was getting an EAA photoshoot at Oshkosh... and wasn't comfortable retracting the mains. He even mentioned his disappointment during the shoot. They had issues with it earlier and he was afraid it wouldn't come back down.
Sounds like the right choice to me. And answers my question. Interesting that the nose wheel can be retracted separately.
 
The magazine just showed up here a couple of days ago. First thing I did was see the cover and check the photo credit - hey, I know that guy! (At least, I've met him once.)
As usual, superb photos that inform and tell a story very well.
 
Sounds like the right choice to me. And answers my question. Interesting that the nose wheel can be retracted separately.

Seems like a holdover from Rutan's Vari-Eze since it had the same manually retractable nose gear (although fixed mains).
 
Seems like a holdover from Rutan's Vari-Eze since it had the same manually retractable nose gear (although fixed mains).

Probably more like the other way around as he flew the VariViggen three years before he did the first flight of his VariEze.
 
The article about this plane in Sport Aviation implied that the nose gear was electric like the main gear but with its own motor and not manual.
 
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