Steve:

I too am a fan of multicylinder engines, at the moment I'm trying to get Marc Linville (Technopower) to build me a pair of 7 cylinder radials, he says next year. Don't know if I can wait, might have to go with some other engines. They will be for my latest F7F. The first F7F is shown in my avatar.

But I've heard some nasties about the 1.44 MVVS twins.

Please, run them in on a stand, and make sure they are absolutely reliable. You are going to have too much time and effort, not to mention money, in that P-61 to lose it because of unreliable engines.

Alternates would be the Magnum 1.60 twin, the Saito 182TD, or even the Saito FA-170R3, the three cylinder radial.

Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying you will have problems with the MVVS engines, and it's possible all the nasty I've heard has been one owner and one engine. Just make sure yours are good.

Bill.