It must have been a handful with the escapement, even with the prop on backwards. Mine is fitted with an old gold-cased, red-tanked engine from the 60s, though. It's all original except for the carb body which has been replaced by a newer black one. Come to think of it, I believe I bought that from you.
The guy I bought the engine from inherited it from an uncle who flew .010 free-flighters in the late 60s and early 70s. It had been in storage ever since. It's my best .010 engine.