Jim Walker "Firebrand"...It Flys !!!!!

Ken Cook wrote:            Kim, is that a original QZ .049? My dad bought a half dozen QZ's in the late 60's. He removed the mufflers most of the time and the engines appeared to be a normal Babe Bee to me. I quickly realized that these things ran like no other Babe Bee's and I never knew why until years later. These were dual ported cylinders to offer power to the restrictive muffler. Some also were offered with the high comp head even furthering the rpm's. Over the past 30+ years, I gathered up all these parts and sought out to return these beauties back to original. Following many threads on here from Mark Bosen, I've put back these beauties to their former glory. I've found parts all over the place. Occasionally my dad will show up with the clip that rotates around the muffler, or the spacer for underneath to eliminate SPI. All in all, it's been fun to run these once again like they were intended. Now I have about 20+ more Babe Bee's which unknowingly as a youth committed a crime in interchanging cylinders, tanks and parts. I did what I needed to do to keep flying. Now I'm faced with the task of enjoying them for what they are instead of what they did for me back then.  It really upsets me now knowing what I was doing back then. I find it rewarding when I systematically clean them and carefully associate the proper items back onto these engines. Ken

roddie wrote:

Ken Cook wrote:            Kim, is that a original QZ .049? My dad bought a half dozen QZ's in the late 60's. He removed the mufflers most of the time and the engines appeared to be a normal Babe Bee to me. I quickly realized that these things ran like no other Babe Bee's and I never knew why until years later. These were dual ported cylinders to offer power to the restrictive muffler. Some also were offered with the high comp head even furthering the rpm's. Over the past 30+ years, I gathered up all these parts and sought out to return these beauties back to original. Following many threads on here from Mark Bosen, I've put back these beauties to their former glory. I've found parts all over the place. Occasionally my dad will show up with the clip that rotates around the muffler, or the spacer for underneath to eliminate SPI. All in all, it's been fun to run these once again like they were intended. Now I have about 20+ more Babe Bee's which unknowingly as a youth committed a crime in interchanging cylinders, tanks and parts. I did what I needed to do to keep flying. Now I'm faced with the task of enjoying them for what they are instead of what they did for me back then.  It really upsets me now knowing what I was doing back then. I find it rewarding when I systematically clean them and carefully associate the proper items back onto these engines. Ken

Hi ya' Ken. I enjoyed reading your response. You mention your dad occasionally showing-up with some QZ parts.. and it made me smile! I have photos of you and Sean.. but none of him. Can you post or PM me a photo or two?

I don't consider it a crime... for you to have swapped some engine-parts in an effort to obtain optimal-performance for a given model-airplane. You're still here.. and still passionate about these engines. I did it.. and still do it. If you hadn't tinkered with those engines.... well.. our paths may have never crossed here at CEF. I am glad that they did Ken.. because you have given me LOADS of helpful modeling information (in general..) that I have applied with favorable results!