RE: NITROMETHANE SUBSTITUTE.
They used to use nitrobenzine many years ago before nitromethane became the stuff to use. But nitrobenzine is more dangerous and is toxic and a carcinogen too.
You do not need any nitromethane in the fuel. We all like to just use methanol and castor oil or if you want a synthetic oil that will mix with methanol (motor oild will not mix with methanol). Klotz Benol is a good oil to use. anyway most of the model engine work just fine off of no-nitro glow fuel.
You can also use denatured alcohol, where they use methanol to denature the ethanol in the denatured alcohol. Normally there is enough methanol in the stuff to allow the glow plug to work. You lose a slight amount of power with it, but it actually works pretty good.
This is handy if you live in an area where the local hobby shops tend to charge really high prices for the glow fuel.
Here is a video of a guy using 75% Klean Strip S-L-X Denatured Alcohol and 25% castor oil in his Fox .25 engine powered Delta Coroplast plane. It was really windy that day, so he kept the plane upwind.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfQIevaZ1Aw&feature=player_embedded#at=16[/youtube]