Hey, you want the good news or the bad news?
Bad news, always.
Alright, we've installed the 450 radial, but the struts won't take the vibrations. [Gives Howard a magnifier to look at the strut] The minute we fire her up, the struts start cracking at the attach points.
Well, what's the good news?
There isn't any.
Goddamn it, Odie, if the 450's too big, we just gotta figure something else out.
Well, we've done everything. We've rebuilt her from top to toe. Now, if we drain the fuel tank for a couple of runs, she might make 180 MPH.
I want minimum 200, alright?
Yeah, well I want a date with Theda Bara, but that ain't gonna happen either.
Ah, don't be so sure...Well, if the struts won't sustain the engine, then maybe we get rid of the struts.
No, then the top wing falls off.
...Then let it.
What?
Who-who says we need a top wing? Who says we need anything?
[Realizes what Howard's thinking]
A monoplane...
A cantilevered monoplane, right? I mean, they're doing it in France. To hell with the top wing and the struts.
Put in a 550 Wasp engine...
100 octane fuel, that would give us a top horsepower of what?
700.
We squeeze that to 1,000, we've got the fastest plane ever built.
You know, I just gotta say, we've already spent over $200,000 rebuilding this plane.
Yeah, to hell with it. [Grabs a 2x4 and tosses it to Odie] Tear it up, Odie! Go on! [Odie swings the board at the struts, breaking them and the top wing]
