Flydoc,

I'm working on my Don Smith B-17. I ran the gambit of what motors to use, including the RCV motors. Those motors look like nothing but trouble, and your going to use 4 of them (4X the trouble).
2 reasons I shy-ed away from them:
1) The design of the cooling fins is wrong. They were not designed for the air flow to go through the fins (hence the need for ducting) Take a good look at the design and you'll see what I'm talking about. I don't care what anyone says; take that motor and put it behind a dummy radial, then try to duct air efficiently to cool it? X that by 4? = TROUBLE. Not in my $6000 bird.

2) Things are made in the UK. Not the trouble, but you have to send them back there for service and parts.


I feel the same way you do about the scale look of the plane. I decided to go with 4 YS 91s. All the gas motors and their mufflers will stick way out too far . The YS motors only protrude marginally (only about the rocker arm cover). You can duct their headers back through the nacells and out the scale locations.
I broke my 4 YSs in on an Ugly Stick, with YS fuel. (About a gallon through each, should be enough for starters).
Not one of these motors missed a beat on their enitial break-in.
These(YS) are reliable, well known, well tested, tried and true motors, with accessible repair facilities and parts.
Just my .02

Good luck.

Mustang51