ORIGINAL: DarZeelon
Since I don't consider the Cox and Testors rear-induction .049s real engines (but rather metal mosquitoes), my first one was an HB .40 PDP...
I learned a lot on it.
It was my only engine to ever shaft-run (wood prop not tightened firmly enough). The only one to ever break the crankshaft (hydraulic-lock and a starter...).
I also made the mistake of soldering an extension for the needle, with the O-ring inside it (old Perry carburettor - the high-speed needle never could hold its settings). I also made it run too lean and need a new ring...
But it was a screamer!
Friends with Webra Speed, Enya and OS FSR engines of the same displacement were amazed [X(] at its abilities.
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Heh-heh, metal mosquitoes. I liked that. <G>
I owned and flew the dickens out of an HB .40 PDP back in the late Seventies/early Eighties. It was discovered that when mounted on a Bridi RCM Trainer 60, the Trainer 60 was actually a great trainer without a power deficit. I used the Trainer 60 as a test bed aircraft for engines and new/repaired radio systems.
The HB .40 PDP was a very nice engine, albeit heavy because it was built in a .50 case. I have four or five of them now.
Ed Cregger