The Engine Shop
Eric Henderson | [email protected]
Ghosts of engines past
(Editor’s Note: The article “75 Years of Model Engine History,” featured in the 75th Anniversary Supplement, garnered much attention from readers looking to get the facts straight, as well as read a more-detailed history of engines. A full-length feature article detailing the history of model airplane engines, written by Bill Mohrbacher, Model Engine Collectors Association (MECA) president, will be printed in the February 2012 issue of Model Aviation.)
I attended a celebration of life for the late Maynard Hill, hosted by his wife, Gay, and their children in Silver Spring, Maryland. The mood was upbeat and everyone was allowed and invited to wander through his house and marvel at his achievements. (Maynard died June 7, 2011, following a long illness.)
Maynard’s workshop was in his basement, just as he left it. Hanging on the wall in an adjacent bedroom was a sketch of the most famous ghosts of all: the Wright brothers. Without them we may never have made models of the heavier-than-air craft that flew. Next to the sketch was a list of all the records that Maynard set with his airplanes. I saw a lifetime of work and achievement in every line. He spent his spare time toiling in his workshop, and reached for the skies in so many ways.
As an engine man, I was drawn to a pile of O.S. .61 FS boxes in Maynard’s basement workshop. They formerly contained the engines that Maynard converted from glow- to spark-ignition to run nonstop all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. A version of the Trans-Atlantic Model (TAM) airplane and its engine were on display in Maynard’s backyard. Everyone took pictures of this “little aircraft that could.”
Dave Brown, former long-term AMA president, also was there. I was captivated by the thought of how little fuel this engine consumed as it made its way over the dark waters of the North Atlantic. I thought of Dave Brown, who has flown some of the most capable and advanced aerobatic models in the world, standing in Ireland and waiting for a simple, high-winged aircraft to arrive from the wide blue yonder—not knowing if the engine had kept running or if the navigation system had worked. A tiny dot became big enough for Dave to see and he began to guide the aircraft. By this stage in his life, Maynard could not even see Dave or his creation, but he could probably hear the little O.S. “miracle” running until it landed. Now that’s an engine story worth telling the grandchildren.
My initial “Engine Shop” charter was to offer engine guidance and cover current and emerging engines. Specifically, I was asked to expand more on single- and multiple-cylinder gas engines, as well as the current breed of two- and four-cycle glow engines. I deviated this month because of the historical significance of Maynard Hill and the history of engines in our hobby. Speaking of history, earlier this year I was asked to write a short précis on “75 Years of Model Engine History,” as part of a supplement to Model Aviation magazine. I closed the synopsis with this sentence: “Each time one of these incredible engines is run, it could be said that it represents the ghosts of all who invented and made what we use today.” I make no claims to be an engine historian; I would describe myself as more of a model engine enthusiast and mechanic.
Although this piece was not in The Engine Shop column, I received a reader’s letter that mainly pointed out errors in the article. I have no problem with such letters because they increase my knowledge and also let me explain the situation. When I get a letter from a reader about historical accuracy I pay attention, especially when he is 77 years old and has first-hand experience.
There was a problem with my opening paragraph that said, "In the beginning, there were working model engines such as the Atom and Arden .049 gas-ignition engines."
"More powerful gas/ignition engines, such as the Foster Brothers .99 with dual-ignition speeds, soon came along."
All of us who use auto-correcting text on our iPhones or word processors are familiar with what gets sent, as opposed to what we actually typed. In one case, Arden became Anderson. In another, Forster became Foster, and I murdered .099 into .049.
This leads me to mention MECA president Bill Mohrbacher (AMA member since 1957). He sent me a letter expressing his and his society's concern over my lack of accuracy and how much they would have helped in getting it right. Well, you don't have to ask me or the AMA twice on that one.
For all of you who want to know more about MECA, see the website listing under "Sources." Bill and his group know more than anyone about the early engines. It is a great place to find out about early engines and how they have evolved.
My next reader's letter came from a distinguished engine man, C. David Gierke. David is a writer for a number of magazines and you will see his name in engine books such as Two-Stroke Glow Engines for RC Aircraft (1994), RC Pilot’s Handbook, Chapter 11 on “Maximizing Engine Performance” (1994), and Ultimate RC Flight Guide, Chapter 6 on “Getting the Most from Your Engine” (2002). All of these books are available online from Amazon.
When I worked as Model Aviation’s “Precision Aerobatics” columnist, I had the opportunity to read and review David’s work. I recommend reading what he has written about engines. It’s helpful information based on many years of experience.
I am pushing you to do some research because I have seen—in my store and at the fields—that expertise is disappearing from the flightline. We need all of you to step up and become the next generation of engine experts.
I received a letter from 88-year-old David Shoup of Riverton, Wyoming. He had read my piece on the resurgence of ignition engines and wanted me to know about Bill Carpenter, who owned C&H Electronics and developed ignitions for small engines.
When Bill first created the unit, it could be used with any size model engine. David even put one on a .20-size engine and got it to work with a 12 x 6 propeller.
He wrote that the gasoline ignition units were popular in Muslim countries because using alcohol in engines is forbidden.
David pointed out that when Maynard Hill flew his model across the Atlantic, he used Bill Carpenter’s ignition unit. He also said that Bill may not have been the first with in-flight model gas engine ignition systems, but as far as he knew, Bill’s were the first that could be set up to run on any two- or four-stroke engine. The units have been sold throughout the world.
Sadly, Bill had to close his business because of health issues.
I enjoy all of the readers’ letters. My favorites are the requests for information and advice on engines. Sometimes the running issue (aka “operating problem”) is difficult to diagnose, but a few emails back and forth can identify the problem. Sometimes it is clear that the modeler has no local support, because electrics have taken over at his or her field.
There are still plenty of us who like glow- and gas-powered engines, and will for a long time. For those of you who want to contact me, I can be reached via email at [email protected].
I hope what I have written gives you a sense of the history to which many, many individuals contributed. I am always aware of their contributions, and although I will never be an oracle on engine history, I will continue to fly the flag in their memory.
I will, however, continue to focus on what is available and what is coming. There will be plenty of emphasis on how to use what we have and get the most out of it!
Please keep those letters coming. I answer every letter. If you do not get a reply, assume that I did not get it and email me again.
Mathematically speaking, I will not be around in 75 years (62 plus 75—you do the math), but I believe that our hobby will. I cannot help but wonder what we will all be flying and what the power source will be. Will it be fuel cells or some new, clean energy? Will we all have wind generators and solar panels, or hydrogen fuel to power our newly named “gas” engines?
Either way, the future historians will look back at our efforts, and hopefully they will report them in a favorable light. All of our “ghosts” will surely be watching.
Sources:
- Model Engine Collectors Association (MECA)
[email protected] www.modelenginecollectors.org
- Amazon
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
