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There seems to
be some misconceptions about about these models.
The Tigress was a
project that , while well intentioned, just sort
of got out of hand. The original idea was to "just" install the 600HP
version of the Orenda (ex. Thunder) 496ci in a 1V, in retrospect things
might have turned out better if we had used the normally aspirated version of
this engine.
The Tigress was a
two place side by side, 1V, with a new top fuselage, two place
because the firewall was moved aft 20 inches, to accomidate the
turbocharger, and you flew from what had been the back seat.
The firewall forward
was HEAVY about 1300 lbs.so the wing was moved 3 inches
forward.
The Orenda
engine was complicated, 6 oil pumps,
dry sump, no interior oil manifolding, 2 coolant pumps , a single
turbo that weighed about 90 lbs. and the exhaust system that required,
tried to cremate every thing under the cowl.
Don Goetz did the
initial flights , and
the final flight to Oshkosh, and Orin Riddell did most
of the test flights.
The plane was, after
a lot of changes, fast a little over 420MPH at 26000 ft.
In the end
Lance figured the project was way to complicated , and to
expensive for the end result .
The plane was
donated to the EAA museum, they never displayed it but instead gave it
to the FAA to be used as a training aid for DRs, strange
choice.
The Sentry was a two
place tandem 1V with a M601-D turbine, no recip. engine
ever considered.
It's performance was
comparable to a regular 1V turbine , and because of the seating
arrangement, it had the most comfortable and best
view, of any Lancair
We had hoped that
perhaps it might make a low cost military trainer, along with non military
sales.
We took it to Reno
in 2000 and it generated lots of favorable comments, but no
sales.
Soon after the
Company was sold, and no further work was done on the plane.
The person that
financed the project, still has it and I believe fly's it
regularly.
Ross
Connell
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