digital_trucker

I ran the OS .10LA today, what a BEAUTIFUL engine (once I figured out the idiosyncrasies of the backplate mounted NVA). Getting somewheres around 15K on a Graupner 7x4 and Sig 10%.

Now, you can't even begin to get me to believe that a 1/2A can't be made up to these standards.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

DT, I get the feeling that the OS .10 is hanging by a thread, so if you like 'em, buy a spare. A twin .10 project would be very cool, BTW.
I am no machinist, but I think it is easier to produce perfection in a .40 size engine than it is in a .049. Every little microscopic blemish in a tiny engine has more impact on compression and crankcase sealing than on a larger model..
There is more of a fine line in design engineering, too. Rotational speeds and the weights of the moving parts has very narrow parameters.
If you can convince either OS or Enya to invest the money to tool up for .049 production, we would get a very nice .049 LA or .049 CX, no doubt.
Andy W mentioned that if fuel costs were to skyrocket, the demand for .049s might resurface.

digital_trucker

Mine's a blue one, and I don't think any are available anymore. The .10LA naturals are still available. The Enya ULTRA11 is still available too. Also mustn't forget the Thunder Tiger .07 and .10. Sadly none of these are 1/2A (I know, technically neither is a .061, but we can agree that's close). Surely, the tolerances required for 1/2A are more critical then even a .10, but equally surely we can have better than what we have. I've also been looking hard at the OS30 4-stroke.

jeffie8696

You would think in todays modern age of microchips in everything that are made to microscopic standards and cost next to nothing (I can buy a pocket calculator for $1.00) somebody could figure out how to make a decent .049. Geez look at the tip of a ball point pen, how close is the tolerance there? and they cost pennies.

digital_trucker

Oh, no doubt it's the volume of the item. But even so, a big company like OS can surely produce a money-making item...or does the sale of the occasional 4-cylinder 4-stroke inline float the whole outfit?

jeffie8696

I know a lot more people with $50.00 in their pocket to spend on an engine than $5000.00.

ProBroJoe

Dare I say that I'm starting to see a trend where the 'lectric crowd is becoming interested in "electric to glow" conversions... Maybe this will give 1/2A glow the shot in the arm that it needs and manufacturers will listen? The advent of cheap electrics have certainly gotten a lot of people involved in the hobby, and now they're looking for the next step, sumthin' a bit more exciting...

Now, my OS .10 FPs... what little darlings... you can bet I have a few stashed away!

peterburford

As I have ranted before, I really feel that the available engines could and should be made well enough to do the expected job.
I guess that there are reasons why they don't come up to our expectations.
If anyone believes that there is a demand and feels strongly enough about it, I'm certain that there are manufacturers who could and would make the engine you want.
A $50.00 sale price may require an ex factory cost of say, $15.00, a minimum production run of say, 10,000 units with an expectation that at least 100,000 will be sold.
If the US is the main market and the manufacturer was elswhere, there would need to be an agreement and a financial undertaking from the importer.
Which one (or group?) of you is prepared to mortage your and your parents' house?
Peter

digital_trucker

First thing we gotta do is throw the $50 notion RIGHT OUT. However, I do notice that Tower sells the .10LA for $55 and the TT07 for $62.

I conclude that even $70 wouldn't be unreasonable for comparable engineering in a 1/2A.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Tomorrow a friend plans to maiden an electric 3-D ARF that he has converted to mount a glow .25 (he is a gofast kinda guy). The plane has a 40-inch wing span and the specs call for a final weight in the 28 - 30 ounce range. When I looked at the model before he started assembling it, I would have thought it was constructed too light to hold up for too many flights with any 2-stroke engine up front. He said he put a lot of effort into beefing up that front end - enough that he had to change the receiver, servo, battery configuration. He also said it now weighs, "more than two pounds".

Looking at the over-balanced elevator and nothing else, I expect the tail section will just rip off.

Having said all that, maybe with a more reasonable engine, a reasonable amount of front-end reinforcement, and reasonable attention to airspeed and maneuvers - it could fly reasonable well. BUT I doubt that any glow engine you put in an ARF electric 3-D machine will EVER perform as well as it would with a properly matched electric motor. Those big props make all the difference. Now if you just want to putter around the onion patch - well that's another bushel of bananas.

Quoting from the book of LeFlyr wisdom; "You can fly models designed for glow engine power with electric motors. But I don't think you can fly models designed for maximum electric peformance with glow engines effectively."

There! I've said it and I'm glad. Fire when ready, Gridley.

jeffie8696

A GOOD 1/2 A!!!

peterburford

We may get lucky.
There must be many capable people out there considering making one.
Maybe if it was made on a modest scale and sold outside of the mainstream trade?
Peter

makoman1860

My Feedback: (1)

If anyone is interested, check out the posts in the castor vs. synthetic oil testing done on Cox sure start engines....not very inspiring.
-Aaron

digital_trucker

I've heard of some guy in Australia who should be more than qualified to make such an engine

Too bad all he makes is a diesel, but it's a beautiful piece of machinery! *sigh* at nearly $500 USD it deserves much better than sport use though. I just might have to save my beer can money and get one, would be sweet in an old-timer.

makoman1860

My Feedback: (1)

I know what you mean! Its a work of art. Of course so are my PAW diesel engines...and they are much simpler. Heck that R/C carb on them has to be the most un-frilly carb I have ever seen, but man does it work! with a 7-3 APC im turing 12k static and idle at 4,500 using the old equal parts fuel. Rock solid idle and transition. Ive got roughly 3/4 of a gallon through mine and it feels at good as it did day one. And I cant keep the latest Cox engines from chewing themselves to death before they have a quart through them. I wish one of the major hobby importers would take a look at either an english or Aussie diesel for importing. The guys doing it now are just fine.....but sometimes its nice to have it available from a LHS as well. Just my thoughts.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

ProBro,

In case you or anyone alse is interested, the model (electric to glow conversion) I said was going to be maidened today - did. . . It "isn't" any more after the third flight.

The pilot/builder said he lost orientation when the plane was far away and seemed to stall. He was unable to recover it and it landed hard in the nearby lake. On the way to the "scene" I was betting that the tail section had failed. That was not the case. I don't know what caused the stall but the tail feathers were in perfect condition - unlike one of the wings, front and one side of the fuselage.

I can't tell you exactly why, but I'd bet that model would not have died that way and that soon if it had been built and flown as intended. So, you pays your money and you takes your chances. But it was a darned pretty model while it lasted.

jeffie8696

Did Joe tell you about the "Super Cub"? [sm=lol.gif]

cortacesped

Hey guys !! Any engine you are tired off, send it to South America I can make it fly here!!

I cannot complain about Cox engines (30 % nitro, sealed crankcase/NVA, good batteries and a little touch of electric starter).

Regards.

Claudio

Yuu

Ahhh! DT, you have made me feel better. Your post shows you ARE playing with the carbs and NVA and such to get better performance. I must agree I'd like to see a better 1/2 A, or I'd like to have started to hoard Norvels a lot sooner. Then I'd have a 'stash' of good engines like you guys out there. But I see some of the 1/2A crowd is going electric.... and I see another group going on to the .10 and .15 size. I have an SST with a .15 on it, and I like it, but it lands like a rock. No glide, no flair. And a .10 or .15 doesn't leave the slop on the plane like an Cox. I'll have to experiment a little more with mufflers and a 'slop tube' for the Cox, or perhaps just enclose the engine in a cowl full of paper towel.
Speaking of engines... for the second year, did anyone notice Honda was the 'sole' provider of engines for the Indy race? Cars, motorcycles, trucks, yard tools, generators....
Engineman...I fly 'where' you do, but not 'when' you do.
And now, when I get done with my list from "she whom must be obeyed", I'll try to get the SS with the AP carb to start.

digital_trucker

Doesn't look like making the airbleed adjustable on the Mp Jet is going to work, not enough meat on the carb housing anywhere to put a screw. Their 2-needle carb must've used a different casting. One wonders why they didn't just make the 2-needle carb standard *shrug*.

I haven't given up on the Toki just yet, heavy as it is I can't think of a reason why it does what it does. Some test stand work is in order. First thing I'm going to do is a tear-down and see if there isn't something amiss in the innards...the fact that it was shipped with the backplate screws not even finger tight is a hint (don't ask why I didn't check 'em first). One weird thing I discovered is that all the bleed-down seems to have gone away. Before it ever encountered a drop of fuel the compression went away quick at TDC, now it holds very well...no idea why. I really don't mind the fact that it's on the porky side. Seems like most of the 1/2A planes I've ever built have had issues with nose-heaviness. I had to extend the nose on my Q-Tee to get it to balance without adding anything, and a lot of the ones I've built in the past required a little ballast. Since I intend to focus more on scale than sport jobs a heavier engine will probably be right up my alley anyway

ClemenTang

I ligh yo-ah chingooluish!

Walther

My Feedback: (1)

Does Enya make a .06 engine? I see on the Richmond RC site they have one listed for $50.

tangerine-jack

http://engrish.com/

I like Engrish. Much Chinese in USA, it pays to learn language.

digital_trucker

The OS .06 is made from pure unobtainium....unless we can convince 'em to bring it back [&o]

jeffie8696

Is the crank and crankcase the weak link in the AP .061 besides the carb?