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Miller-Bohannon JM-2 Special

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JM-2 Special
Role Homebuilt Formula One Air Racing aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Bruce Bohannon
Designer Jim W Miller and Bruce Bohannon
First flight Early 1989
Retired 1996
Status Sole example in the AirVenture Museum
Number built One
Developed from Miller JM-2

The Miller-Bohannon JM-2 Special, named Pushy Galore, is a one-of-a-kind American homebuilt Formula One racing and record-setting aircraft. It was based upon Jim W Miller's Miller JM-2 design, highly modified by Bruce Bohannon.[1]

Design and development

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Bohannon began construction of Pushy Galore in 1988 and first flew it in the early part of 1989, first entering it in a race in June 1989.[1]

The aircraft is of three-surface configuration, having a cantilever mid-wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed main tricycle landing gear with a retractable nose wheel, a t-tail and a nose-mounted canard. It is powered by a single rear-mounted engine in pusher configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from welded steel tubing covered in molded carbon fiber. As required by the Formula One rules, its engine is a 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200A.[1]

Only one example was ever built.[1]

Operational history

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Bohannon entered the aircraft in the Reno Air Races in 1994, qualifying in third place in the Formula One class, with a speed of 236.153 mph (380.051 km/h).[1]

In 1995 Bohannon flew the aircraft to second place in the Formula One Gold championship race at Reno, Nevada.[1]

Bohannon also used the aircraft to set world time-to-climb records in the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) C-1.A class. At AirVenture 1994 Bohannon set a new world time-to-climb record, climbing to 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in 12 minutes and 50 seconds. In January 1996, Bohannon climbed the aircraft to 9,000 m (29,528 ft) in 41 minutes and 35 seconds, setting class world time-to-climb, absolute altitude and altitude in horizontal flight records. In July 1996 at AirVenture in Oshkosh, Bohannon set a third FAI class time-to-climb record of 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in three minutes and eight seconds.[1]

After the climb records were set in 1996, Bohannon retired the aircraft and in 1998 donated it to the AirVenture Museum.[1] Bohannon later went on to set many more time-to-climb records in his successor to Pushy Galore, the Bohannon B-1.[2][3]

Aircraft on display

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Specifications (JM-2 Special Pushy Galore)

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Data from AirVenture Museum[1][4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Length: 17 ft 2 in (5.23 m)
  • Wingspan: 18 ft 5 in (5.61 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
  • Gross weight: 941 lb (427 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental O-200A four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 100 hp (75 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 250 mph (400 km/h, 220 kn)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Experimental Aircraft Association (2013). "Miller-Bohannan JM-2 Special "Pushy Galore" – N189BB". Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Retirern' Tiger". Archived from the original on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Bruce Bohannon". Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  4. ^ Experimental Aircraft Association (2013). "Miller-Bohannan JM-2 Special "Pushy Galore" – Specifications". Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.