I did see Col. Bob's attempt to fly at QSAA a number of years back. I think it was just too hot for that poor K&B .82 to lift it up!
One of my first experiences with Col. Thacker was watching him fool around with his BD-10. It was clear to me at the time that the inlets were too small for the fan that was installed in the model. It made a terrible 'sucking' sound. This, along with the sheer size of the beastie is probably why it was underpowered.