Boeing U-787

[ozbryan]

Can anyone tell me did the Boeing boat every actually race?

 

[Glenn Gates]

Not that I know of Brian, Would be a beautiful boat to build. Not sure it would be legal if it never entered a race.

 

[ozbryan]

Yeah it's a great looking boat.

 

[Dasboatman]

http://www.h1unlimited.com site. Select the Results tab, then select 2008Chevrolet Cup at Seafair. In the Qualified block, you'll see that Chip Hanauer ran the hull and a qualifying speed was posted. He was not awarded any points for qualifying, and I did not see that the U-787 Dreamliner ran in any heat. I believe it was more of a demonstration qualifying attempt, and this livery never actually raced.

I was unable to copy and paste the info here for you from the H1 Unlimited site. As I recall, there were a bunch of pics posted on Chris Denslow's site documenting this event. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Wayne Johnstone]

I have had a look in the "Hydro's Who's Who" 1946-2010, for 2007 / 2008 it indicates in there that the boat never entered an event other than for exhibition purposes

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Wayne,

That is the source I too would have used, but the copy I have is 46 - 94, with '95 Update, so I had to dig a bit.. Where did you get the newer version - HARM?

Paid Political announcement:

For the sake of simplicity, I'm thinking that if a hull is listed in the Master Hull Roster, and photographic evidence is available of the configuration being modeled, it should be allowed to be the subject of one of our 1/8th,1/6th, 1/10th, 1/12, or 1/7th Scale models ( I think I got all the various Nitro, FE and Gas Scale classes). It is sometimes next to impossible to find information as to if the boat actually qualified, where and, when. I've done enough resource documents in my life time - don't need to extend that into my hobby. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Don Ferrette]

Hmmmm..... this is an interesting topic since as per Bob's posting the boat was listed on the qualifying board @ Seafair. From the IMPBA rulebook-

D. Engine and Boat Specifications
1. All models must be of a real unlimited hydroplane as listed in the APBA Master Hull Roster list. The model owner must show the real boat attempted to qualify, qualified or raced in an actual sanctioned racing event, in the configuration being modeled, via photographic and/or written documentation. Failure to adequately meet the validation requirements can result in the model not being allowed to compete in an IMPBA event until proper documentation is obtained.

In my personal opinion I believe to boat should be allowed and as D12 Scale Director if someone presented one correctly done I would have no heartburn letting it run. Perhaps we need Mr. Wiebelhaus to weigh in on this as IMPBA National Scale Director.

 

[Duck899]

There is one registered in RCU out west. If the boat qualified at a race, then its legal to run as far as I know.

http://www.rcunlimiteds.org/#!2007-Boeing-Dreamliner/c1wn7/hu6338nj429

 

[Duck899]

Not sure of the registered owner

 

[Duck899]

Some shots of it in the seattle museum

 

[Joe Wiebelhaus]

http://www.h1unlimited.com site. Select the Results tab, then select 2008Chevrolet Cup at Seafair. In the Qualified block, you'll see that Chip Hanauer ran the hull and a qualifying speed was posted. He was not awarded any points for qualifying, and I did not see that the U-787 Dreamliner ran in any heat. I believe it was more of a demonstration qualifying attempt, and this livery never actually raced.

I was unable to copy and paste the info here for you from the H1 Unlimited site. As I recall, there were a bunch of pics posted on Chris Denslow's site documenting this event. CHEERS !!! Bob

I'll make an executive decision (with Bobs approval of course har har).

Build it, run it, it qualified, although it had no intention of racing, meets the IMPBA rule requirement.

let it be said, let it be done.

 

[jim hagan]

This was an Ellstrom hull that got dressed up to promote Boeing and the 787 Dreamliner. In addition, boeing tested biofuel in the regular turbine the unlimited. The first year with Chip driving, it qualified mid pack but did not race. The next year it was I believe the fastest qualifier. There was some question if it was fuel flow legal but it proved bio fuel worked and Chip could still drive!!

 

[Dasboatman]

The thing I found interesting, Don, was that the U-787 received no qualifying points - which I thought was interesting. I tried to copy and paste it earlier and was unable to do so. Seems to me that Jimmy King drove the boat after Chip drove it for the demo, but I don't recall where when. Villwock was too large a man to get into it as I recall, so Chip drove it for the initial unveiling. There were a ton of Chris Denslow pics of that unveiling for Boeing.

Bob doesn't give a Rat's Arse - Joe. I'm done with input to Rule Books, but I will continue to offer my opinion. How many of us have the resources to determine if, where, and when a boat Qualified, and in that line of thought - WHO Cares???? You, Don and I certainly do, and have done that for many boaters wanting to get into Scale.

Having done 1/8 Scale boats since before there was even a class within IMPBA, or NAMBA. Roger provided Gus with a very crude early Master Hull Roster ( MHR ) in the early 70s, and that is what we used for years.

I am all in favor of going with - "If listed in MHR - it's fair game to model." We have all seen Scale boating decline over the years, so maybe it's time to go back to the more generic, simple rule set. The Master Hull Roster is the one source that is available - on line - to anyone wanting information on a particular Unlimited hydroplane..

I relieved Tom Grannis as IMPBA District 3 Scale Director when Tom was elected IMPBA President. Tom and I spent considerable time going through the MHR, teaching him what it was, how it was organized, and what a valid reference source it is to everyone interested in Scale Unlimited Hydroplane Modeling. There are no engineering drawings available for Unlimited Hydroplane

modelers as there are for Aircraft - - as Greg Hahn can attest. The best we have generally starts with Roger's drawings, which are, at best based on photographs, and a Solid Wild Ass Guess (SWAG).

Here comes that Joe's livery ceiling hangin' Lobster boat - I just know it will be coming. Stand by to " ...make an Executive Decision....", Joe. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Dasboatman]

Seattle Qualifying Results reference: http://www.h1unlimited.com/category/results/2008-results-seattle/

 

[Dasboatman]

There is a 2007 Dreamliner Registered with R/C Unlimited. They changed the format of their "Our Boats" pages and it no longer gives owner/boat specfics. Just this pic

Looks like you're off the dime, Joe. R?C Unlimited is a hellova lot more picky that IMPBA, so looks like you won't have to make that "Evecutive decision" . Wheeee, the pressure is off.

Have a Great Memorial Day, Joe. Time for a Cuba Libra. Bob

 

[Don Brown]

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2009579259_hydros01.html

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2008088614_hydros03.html

http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2003822323_seafairnotes05.html

 

[ozbryan]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

The quick and dirty was the Ellstrom team was given the opportunity to qualify the boat in Seattle to prove it could be done with biofuel. As already stated, Chip drove the in 2008, qualifying 13th and again in 2009 where he qualified 1st overall. Jimmy King also drove the boat in an exhibition run using biofuel as well. Since the Ellstrom's had no plans on running that boat in competition and made it known prior to the run, no points were awarded That being said, the boat was kept in a race ready condition so it could be run if the situation required it as it was still looked at by the team as the Elam backup boat, despite carrying the Dreamliner colors. That does bring up a interesting question:

Why didn't they repaint or wrap the boat with the Qatar paint scheme and race themselves last year instead of contracting the U-17 camp to run for them once the boats returned to the US?

 

[Duck899]

The quick and dirty was the Ellstrom team was given the opportunity to qualify the boat in Seattle to prove it could be done with biofuel. As already stated, Chip drove the in 2008, qualifying 13th and again in 2009 where he qualified 1st overall. Jimmy King also drove the boat in an exhibition run using biofuel as well. Since the Ellstrom's had no plans on running that boat in competition and made it known prior to the run, no points were awarded That being said, the boat was kept in a race ready condition so it could be run if the situation required it as it was still looked at by the team as the Elam backup boat, despite carrying the Dreamliner colors. That does bring up a interesting question:

Why didn't they repaint or wrap the boat with the Qatar paint scheme and race themselves last year instead of contracting the U-17 camp to run for them once the boats returned to the US?

They probably did not want to wreck that nice paint job or, Boeing had a say in it as well, depends on how much money they had invested too as a sponsor.

 

[jose barreiro]

beautiful boat