this might be a really dumb question but norvelles are still made arent they? they arent like Cox engines or anything. i could just go down to my local hobby shop and pick one up right?

I *think* they are, but I don't know if thy're being imported at the moment. Sig is supposed to be working out details with Norvel to continue carrying the line.

Norvel engines are in short supply and waiting for Sig to sort supply issues out with Norvel is getting tedious. If you need an acceptable throttled 1/2A you might as well just get an AP Wasp .061.

will that be enough power though or should i go bigger if im going to use the wasp

I have a .061 AP WASP that spins a APC 6x3 at 15,500 rpm. I have not compared that to a Norvel though.

The AP .09 is a really nice engine with twin ball bearings. It would provide all the power you might need for sport flying and is only $10 more than the .061.

The .09 is a pretty heavy lump though... []

I've heard locally that a couple of guys flying the .061 found them to be real dogs initially. But after 15 - 20 tank fulls through them the came to life. These guys think they just require a lengthy break-in. Supposedly they are little screamers once broken in, but only time will tell about how well this engine will do and it longevity.

Hogflyer

I believe the AP .061 is a close copy of the pre-Revlite version of the NORVEL.

George

All of the Norvels I have flown were pre-RevLite. By the time the RevLite came along I had moved to VAs.

We had some trouble with the nickel peeling off the cylinder walls. It did not happen with every engine. We were running little glass props and 5X3 black Cox props cut to 4&1/4, so they were turning up pretty well. Whether or not the problem would have occurred at 25,000 I don't know. Maybe not.

Speculation was that the problem was possibily related to not cleaning and properly preparing the cylinder prior to plating it. Both the cylinder and piston were usually ruined when the problem occurred.

Never-the-less, I regarded them as pretty neat engines, especially considering the low cost and we had a ton of fun with them.

So, I would not particularly worry about the AP being like the pre-RevLite Norvel, if the quality is equal to the Norvel.

That brings me to think about mounting one on a Sig Star Cruiser initially, and then perhaps something that requires better speed and power after it's broken in. If enough folks get familiar with this engine, it could be a good replacement for the now defunct Norvel. Would Sig consider carrying this brand?

NorfolkSouthern

I've run a little less than 5ozs through my Wasp .061, and it's already holding a pretty lean setting. It "feels" or sounds like it can still gain a bit more with further running. I didn't want to push it too soon, so I had it one or two clicks back from the leanest setting it would take before sagging. I'm really happy with it so far, and I plan to buy more down the road. I think as long as you mount it on models weighing around 1lb and less, it will prove to be a fine engine. As far as I'm concerned the collectors can keep their NIB Norvels.

BTW, I was reading on the Norvel web site (yes, someone's still paying to keep it live) that in 2001 they borrowed about $2M for new CNC machines. I wonder if maybe they defaulted on that loan and had to sell off the equipment. That's a huge debt to try and pay back by selling 1/2A engines (unless they were making other products, too).

Both AP .061s I've purchased seem to be a lot like pre-Revlite Norvels with the same porting as the Big Mig. I brought this up in the Norvel FAQ thread and the responses pretty much confirmed it. The first one made a pretty nice diesel conversion with the RJL head and I'm doing the same on the second one for myself. Just started the patient process of finding the compression setting and flipping and burping the thing to life on primes. Another hour or so and I'll be ready for the first 1/2 oz. tankful.

Has anybody thought about the Thunder Tiger .07?I have two samples,and they both shreik pretty good on 20% nitro,and a 7/3 prop.