New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

Hello! I have been fascinated by small model engines since I got into my dad's collection as a kid, today at the local thrift store I found a box of engines, a box of props, and a box of mysteries to help start my own collection... But I don't know what I have got... Which ones can I play with and which do I put on the shelf and look at?

(Price tags where on engines already, I am not trying to sell.)

Thanks.

Baby Spitfire with box and paper... This is a looker
http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/3523/dscn3823az.jpg

Enignes... All turn and all have compression.
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/8212/dscn3829.jpg
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7231/dscn3835q.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/838/dscn3833i.jpg

Props... plastic, aluminum sheet, and wood
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/5366/dscn3822a.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2248/dscn3826r.jpg

There is also a box of weird electromechanical parts... including 3 Essco-Lorenz? vacuum tube recievers, timers, relays, switches, and escapements
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/7071/dscn3838y.jpg

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

The engines could all still be usable, provided the right airframe. They are all control line or free flight engines if you didn't know that already, as evidenced by their lack of throttles. Specifics and values can probably be found here. http://www.modelenginecollectors.org/

The electronics are curiosities, maybe valuable to a collector. The cheapest stuff available now is so much better that the only reason to try and use any of it would be the simple enjoyment of trying.

The props might be good or they might be deteriorated to the point of being dangerous. I wouldn't worry much about the wood ones but the nylon ones do get brittle with time. It's your decision if you want to test them all at 15k rpm to save $2 on a new one.

You've got a neat find there though and thanks for the pics. I love looking at old stuff like that, even if it's not usable anymore.

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

One of the engines you have is a Spitzy .o45. This was my very first engine in 1954 and I flew controlline with it powering I think just about all the Scientific brand hollow log 1/2A kits.

What you have is a nice collection of 1/2A and A engines from about the same time period as well as some nice early single chanel RC stuff from the fifties mostly and a some from the early sixties.

As already suggested by Jestor it would be a mistake to attempt to use any of it to learn to fly with. It would make a nice starter for your own collection if you were inclined or it does have collector value to some but keep in mind it is not a gold mine and will not support the hobby for you.

John

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

My intentions are to get information and values on them and get a few of the common ones operational on a "bench" setup just for the fun of it as I can't afford to try actual flight right now.

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

The simplist engine to do that with will be the larger one with the Red painted head That is a McCoy and I beleve probably a Nineteen.

Use Fuel that has at least 25% oil content and 5 or 10% nitro. Do not use any of the props. Some of the plastics are the now dangerous pure nylon types (they loose moisture). Some are modern rubber or electric props and some of the wood while they may be usable I would not use any of them without a close inspection by an experianced modeler.

Use a new 9X4 if it is infact a .19. Master airscrew would be fine as most modern brands.

John

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

In addition to what was said above I want to just interject, in case you were un aware, that you need to run these with a prop. If you run them without a prop they could over-rev and self destruct pretty quickly. When you pick one you want to test run check back here for a recomended prp size that will put the right load on the engine... too big will lug it down and too small will allow an over-rev. If you already know this, I appologize but I would hate to see these engines destoyed.

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

if you dont mind me asking, what did you pay for all of that?

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

Oh boy, those engines bring back good memories.



Pete

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

For the OP:

There is a group of collectors / modelers in an organization called the Society of Antique Modelers, or SAM. Here is their web site:

http://www.antiquemodeler.org/

You may want to contact someone in that organization to see what they have to say. I am fairly certain that someone there can give you quite a bit of background info on the stuff you have, and may be willing to offer you something for them. You never know.

CGr.

RE: New guy needs engine help... What do I have?
 

Go talk with the folks CG mentioned. That Atwood was my first engine in 1956, I hated it but finally got a Cox and life was good. The Cox and Tee Dee would be the ones I would play with. Mater of fact I still use them once in a while for two ch. gliders.