Hall's Bulldog Racer

The Bulldog Racer was designed and built by Robert Hall, an engineering and test pilot in the early 1930s who had worked for the Granville Brothers design the famous Gee-Bee Z. Hall decided to design his own airplanes after a disagreement with the Granvilles. First was a two place airplane to fly in the England to Melbourne Race, named Chicada, which looked like an insect for its paint scheme. The second airplane design features a gull-wing "Bulldog" and it suffered in directional control stability. Several modifications of the vertical fin and rudder were made, the fin and rudder area above the wing level was increased to escape turbulence from the gull wing, reversal of lateral control was experienced with the ailerons, before downward deflection was eliminated. During the race, the Bulldog's speed was a disappointing 215.57 mph with a very top speed of 270 mph. The Bulldog finished in sixth place. There was a speculation that a restricted air inlet kept the inlet Bulldog from showing its true potential. The Bulldog was dismantled after the races were over and the engine was returned to Pratt & Whitney.