The immediate predecessor to the K&B 6550 had a one piece crankcase as well.

A while back, I went on a collecting spree of HB engines. Mostly .50, .61 PDP and one .61 Blitz. None are in like new condition, but they have some possibility of running well with some cleaning and TLC. I haven't had a chance to play with them since I bought them for various reasons. I need to build another Bridi or Great Planes Trainer Sixty as a test bed airplane. Either version suffices well. These models have the fully symmetrical airfoil and are not the later flat bottomed airfoil aircraft that is sometimes mistakenly called a Trainer Sixty.

My previous test bed rendition of a Bridi Trainer Sixty was always criticized as being too hot for a beginner to handle. That, of course, depends upon the amount of control throw, the balance point's placement and the throttle setting.

One day, just for kicks, I fitted the nose of the Trainer 60's Edson Adjustable Engine Mount with an HB .40 PDP (red lettering). You never flew a trainer with such a terrific match of power to weight. What surprised me was how lively the model was and yet how docile it was on low rates. Truly a fantastic combo. My HB engines have always been excellent performers.


Ed Cregger