prole

My Feedback: (3)

Have any of you guys ever heard of the Glibert Thunderhead engines?


I just saw a .074 and a .11 but I've never even heard of them. Are they good engines, they seem pretty old but they are both in great shape.

Anyone ever tried using one?

Which one would be the better of the two if you had to pick one?

I put this up at the 1/2a forum but haven't heard too much, I don't have any idea as to the age of these little beauties. I think the factory that made them closed in the late 60's. I also think that they might be a CL/FF kind of thing, there is no throttle so...

If any of you guys know anything at all, good or bad, any info would be great


Thanks for the help....

T-theprole-

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Prole:

It was the A.C. Gilbert company, the engines were supplied in throwaway plastic U/C airplanes. I don't think a lot of them ever got off the ground.

A.C. Gilbert was distributed by AHC, and they're still in business. Also, Erector sets and American Flyer trains were ACG. The trains were excellent quality.

The associations are from 50 year old memory, mebbe an error in there.

Plastic plane from Gilbert or Cox,
. Flies as well when left in the box.

Bill.

Art S.

The Gilbert .074 and .119 were indeed used in plastic ukies and utilized a recoil starter. Both engines were also made in flip-start form for builders. Their stay on the market was limited to 1962 and '63. The engines were never very popular or powerful for that matter.

Art Schroeder

prole

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks guys,

The general feeling for these seems to be about the same. Some one in the 1/2a forum said, and I quote-

*RUN AWAY*

Hey, you never know, and thanks to you all, I didn't just buy a expensive balsa weight. It means a lot to a younger guy like myself to have all of this knowledge around, it keeps me out of a lot of trouble.


As Always,
T-theprole-

Randy W.

A.C. Gilbert also produced a free flight called the "Wing Thing" using these engines. It consisted of a pod holding the engine and fuel tank, and three plastic rods forming a triangular wing. I think it is called a ragallo. As a small kid one afternoon, I heard the unmistakable buzz on a model engine. I rand outside only to see a Wing Thing climbing briskly into the air! I was mesmerized! The thing flew all the way across a small canyon and landed on our neighbors roof. I helped the kid get it down. For some reason he never flew it again, don't know what ever became of it. Too bad, it flew pretty good!

My dad said the Gilbert engines were designed by none other than the legendary Bob Holland of Holland Hornet fame! Guess we all do things in life we aren't really proud of!

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

What designs of A/C were Gilberts used on?

I thought I saw a few Comet controlliners advertised with them installed. However, I remember the majority of Comet models used OK power.

And, I never saw a M.A.N. or other secondary plan with a Gilbert engine specified. They must have been used in something.

I know Bill Effinger of Berkeley models went to Gilbert after selling the company off. This was about the time that American Flyer trains were going downhill in sales, so A.C. Gilbert company wanted to jump into another phase of the hobby.


Wm.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Randy:
it is ROgallo, developed by a NASA engineer.
In the early days of Ultra Light, when they were still called "Hang Gliders," about 99% of them used Rogallo wings.

BobHolland? Wasn't he also responsible for the Atwood 0.049 designs?

Atwood and Holland engines were fine,
. But Gilbert? Holland lied: "It aint Mine!"

Bill.

prole

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks a lot for reading my post and letting me know what the deal is, I really appreciate it.

I've been asking around in the 1/2a Forum and have been getting all sorts of neat ideas but I was wondering what you guys like for .09-.15 engines. Do you have any old ones that just stood out as being great flyers as well as easy starters? This might be a bit smaller than most guys are into, I just can't help it, the SMALL has a tight hold on me-I just love 'em

I'm looking for something a little different, like not a new OS and I'm not opposed to diesel.

I would just like to hear all of your opinions on something good and dependable in that size range.

How about the OS Pet .099 or the MK-I7? Any good stories about them???


Thanks guys...

T

probligo

If you are not opposed to diesel, keep a look out for the PAW's in .8cc and 1.5cc. I have a 1.5cc plain bearing which pulls anything I want to build. It is in line to be mounted on a Class A Texaco (38" span oltimer with 2channel) and should do well. NIB they are about NZD150, should be not much more than USD80. Good engines!! I have a 8x5 on it at present and use it for freeflight aggregate. Starts first hit every time unless I flood it. With 14cc of fuel it should run for about 5 minutes without too much problem

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Prole:

For an 0.049 range engine, I always liked the OK Cub up to 0.074, and the 0.075 diesel. They weren't as strong as the hot Coxes, the Thermal Hopper and Space hopper, but the Cubs were dependable and easy to operate. Modern? Norvels are easy to buy and run well. Estes? Heard too much.

Going to the 0.09, favorite old time engine was, and still is, the "Green Head" K&B 0.09. Very strong engine, and still easy to operate. I still have one, near new condition, not currently in use. I have no plans for it, I've gone to larger planes. While this is not intended as an offer for sale, if you're interested...

When we get up to 0.015, there are too many good ones for me to pick a favorite. K&B, OS, Super Tiger, they are all good.

Hope this helps somewhat,
. more than sitting on my twat.

Bill.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

You know why he never flew it again? Because the Wing Thing was a MENACE to launch. Pusher with the engine hanging down...it today's days of liability? Not a chance?

There were three different other gilbert CL planes...a Beechcraft, and two different non-scale ones, one low wing, one mid wing...both mighty ugly. Don't know if they flew or not...

pittsdriver

My Feedback: (7)

Curtis, You're too hard on the Wing Thing. I had one when I was 11 or 12 and remember that it flew great. The Gilbert engine was not that powerful but ran OK and started easy. I was demented at an early age and liked the wierd and strange stuff way back then and have never outgrown it. Don

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

Oh, no, it FLEW just great, no doubt. By my friend said that everybody thought the slashes on his wrist were from a suicide attempt...

foghorn

Just a correction -- The Gilbert engines were designed by Duke Fox and manufactured by Dynamic Models. Foghorn

johnvb-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

Another vote for P.A.W. diesels. I have a 149 (.09) R/C in an Airsail Gas Buggy, about 48" span old-timer. It's too much motor really but it throttles really nicely, and never seems to empty the film canister I use for a gas tank. Running an 8*5 Master prop.

I recently got a P.A.W. 80 R/C (.049) which I've just run in. Very sweet little engine and throttles well too. It might end up in another Gas Buggy or something of similar size.

Diesels, you can't go past them.

AWC

I have both the Gilbert 7 and 11. I am having problems with them as they both start, but run backwards more often than forwards.
Anyone have any ideas as to why and what I can do about it????
I am using them in vintage FF models.
Thanks.

ifr2lax

I have a Fox 049...the standard, not the FIA.

I have always been amazed as it will almost ALWAYS run backwards.

Now, my reed-valve Cox may be indifferent about the direction it runs...what ever is the wrong way it does it...hence he beauty of the "spring starter"....encourages it to run one way more often.

But the Fox 049 is shaft induction...it should not be inclined to run the wrong way...the timing must be pretty biased one way or the other to encourage backwards running.

Oh well.

Pete

The Ghost

AWC
Fit pusher props backwards and that will solve the problem.

Cheers

johnvb-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

I've found that running backwards can be caused by over-priming. It's a bit hard to say how much priming will be required though. Might need some experimentation

GWILLIE

For Foghorn,

The Gilbert engines weren't designed by Duke Fox; this was a popular legend, probably because the Gilbert Engines looked so much like the Fox Rocket 09. Bob Pelfrey did a lot of digging and interviewing and confirmed that Bob Holland, designer of the Wasp and Hornet .049s, did indeed design the Gilbert engines. The original engines were produced by Dynamic Models (Hi Johnson), but later on, Gilbert, with their massive casting and machining capabilities, took over production themselves.

Jim Ivey, a Jr and Sr controline flier of note from the late 50s, early 60s worked as a machinist for Hi Johnson. He told me that Fox actually did make some screw machined parts for the Gilbert Engines, but Dynamic did the main work and assembly.