CL:

My very first twin was a control liner, a twin fuselage plane, with a pair of real (not Testors) McCoy rear intake 0.19 engines. That was back in the dark ages, in the middle '50s. Once I learned to make sure the engine on the outside of the circle quit first I had no problem flying it.

And that is more important on a u/c twin than counter rotation.

On an R/C plane the counter rotation makes a real difference, on a c/l plane if the engine on the inside of the circle quits first you have a problem. Counter rotation wont save you if you are high at the time it quits. You're going to run to keep the lines tight. With a single it just comes down when the engine quits, a twin with the outside engine running by itself is going to come in on you if it's high. If you are down low when the inboard quits you're generally ok.

Regards the Norvel <-> Cox argument. Both are good engines. Use all four of them - build two planes. You have the kit, just cut an extra set of parts.

Just a word on the Norvels - if you've never run ABC/ABN engines, do not run them rich for break-in. They have to stay hot, running rich they will stay too cool, you can ruin them quickly.

One final item against using the Coxes counter-rotating. Try finding a matched set of reversed props for them. You can do it, but it's a pain.

Hope this helps.

Bill.