What 4-stroke will fit inside the cowl of a small Pica T-28 and still fly it scale like? Thanks for any info.

Measure the cowl and then look at the web sites for OS and Saito and get an engine size. That will tell you which if any engine will fit completely within the cowl.. pretty easy to do.. BobH.

Saito doesn't give measurements, none of the O.S. engines will fit totaly inside cowl. Wouldn't have this problem if FedEx hadn't destroyed the Bridi I bought.

Bruce, I had one of those old Bridie kits.. I never built it thought. There was an article in RCSI about someone building an older T28. Looked like the Bridie.. he had a lot of trouble during the build. If an OS wont fit in the cowl I doubt if the saito will either.. but hang the engine inverted and it wont look bad at all..BobH.

I can shave the front edge of the fins on a Super Tiger 90 and mount it inverted and it will be inside the cowl, might not sound too bad. I was just hoping to use a 4-stroke.

Bruce, I hear ya. The FS would sound nice. I would just let it extend out the bottome if it were me.. OR.... what about the saito 90 radial?? that might fit and sound great!! umm yes its expensive lol... BobH.

I have a 1/6 scale Pica T28. At 7 1/2 lbs, I used a OS Max 60 2s. I considered the 4s and actually looked at several. The motor mounts pretty much dictate that the 4s would need to be mounted inverted, or stick out of the top of the cowl. So , I considered mounting a 4s inverted. My next concern was about the tank being so high above the head and problems with idle. So I looked at 4s's with pumps that would act as flow regulators. The pumps on most 4s were mounted on the back of the motor. Because the fuel tank on a Pica T28 sticks out from the firewall as much as it does, the next problem is having enough room for the 4 stroke carb and pump assemblies without having the engine stick way out the fron of the cowl.
I have seem pictures of this model with 90 4s on it, so I know it can be done. But these are some of the issues you can expect.

BobH, the 90 saito was what I planned for the Bridi, it would fit in it, but not the little Pica. The Pica is a 1/7.5 scale and the big Pica doesn't look very scale at all, plus I already have the little one. My calculations tell me that about an inch would be out the bottom. The only hope Is if someone has the measurments for saito 80, it is in a 65 case, but I'm willing to bet that it isn't much shortter than a 90 4-stroke. I just don't like engines hanging out on scale planes.

Bruce, sorry to hear about the radial 90 as that would be great huh?.. I remember the Bridie being larger and more scale than the Pica.. oh well.. ya just do what you can ..... BobH.

How about an RCV or Lazer four stroke? The RCV is a rotary and the Lazer is low profile. Both have excellent power.

At the Pica web site, under "builders corner", there is a picture of a 1/6 scale T28 with a OS 90 4stroke. The engine doesn't appear to stick out at all.
Bruce mentioned the Saito 80. I looked at that engine to. I would check it out. That engine is smaller and if you read the specs in the manuals, the hp rating isn't that different than the 90. I think that would be a sweet engine.

The RCV sounds nothing like a 4-stroke, sounds like a thrashing machine, and I have never heard of a Lazer 4-stroke. Saito doesn't have measurments on their web page, so if anyone has the measurment from the center line to the top of the head I sure would like to have it. Thanks, Bruce

Proctor sells the Laser engines. See them at their web site.

Bruce,
I have a 1/5 scale T-28 (the ugly one) with a 120 YS inside the standard cowl. It fits very nicely. I would think a 90 4 stroke would fit in the 1/6 size OK.
Incidently, If you are ever at the EAA in Oshkosh WI, my 1/6 scale T-28 is in a large showcase in the main lobby. It flew very well on a Super Tigre 60 bluehead.

Bob S

BobS, with the measurments given by O.S. a 90 4-Stroke is almost an inch outside the cowl (inverted). I can make a 90 2-stroke, Supertiger, fit inside the cowl. I have a 70 O.S. 4-stroke, and it won't fit inside the cowl. I'm sure a 60 would fly the plane nice, I would just like to have the sound of the 4-stroke. I hope to make it up to Oshkosh someday.

Bruce,

My Saito .65 is just over 3 5/8" from the centerline to the top of the rocker covers. I don't know if the .80 is any taller or not.

Jerry