Props for Texaco Event

I fly in SAM (Society of Antique Modelers) and they have the Texaco event.
I use the actual Cox Texaco engines (see my avatar).
If you are trying for the same thing as the SAM organization ( a duration event - 15 min. flight including the engine run.)
Here is how I set up my Texaco engines:

First the engine:
Check the venturi hole behind the screen with a number drill. The correct size should be .063"
The bigger hole will draw more fuel (faster)
If it is not .063" look around for either an old metal back plate ( those usually have the .063" venturi.
Next is to shim the cylinder so the piston is even to at the top where the glow plug shin goes.
I did a topic here in the Cox Forum on how to do it.
If you can't do it? No problem, you will have more (higher) compression which will be good if you are using low or nitro fuel.
You will have to play with adding or removing glow plug shims to get a longer run.

Next the fuel:
I used either 0% nitro or 5% nitro and 50/50 of castor and synthetic oil at 20%.
Remember, the oil doesn't burn so too much oil doesn't help on extending the motor run. The Alcohol is what make the engine run.

Last is the prop:
I use a APC Slow Fly prop 8x3.8 gray prop (APC08038SF). Yes It is for electric, but my engines run at around 4,000rpm and I have never had a prop failure. I did use Cox's 8x4 prop for a while until I saw a competitor using the Slow fly prop.

So, if you get the engine running correctly (at around 4,000RPM) it should run for 8 minutes on 5cc of fuel (the Cox small tank)

Last thing  is the size of the plane:
I was flying a Playboy Sr. at 275 Sq. inches and the plane weighted 16oz (by the rules)
So the engine ran for over 8 minutes and I had to glide for another 8minutes to get a 15 min. max.

I forgot to add to the engine part. use the standard glow plug. The Texaco glow plug would cool down running at such a slow RPM (about 4,000) that the engine would quit at 0% or 5% nitro.
I also used a muffler to give the engine back pressure and keep the engine warmer too.

Best of luck!

8 minutes this is Good flight time [bleep] ... me after 2 minutes I hallucinate everything becomes fuzzy then a strong heartache for vomiting After it takes me the day to recover

David, ”Texaco” is a free flight contest You are right though, 8 minutes of roundy-round would cause me to not find home (or out of the ring) for several hours

Thanks very much for your kind assistance gentlemen.
Very helpful.
My primary interest is in scale types. Slow/draggy, victorian era types.
I find free flight...scary. Probably would feel like David if I had to release a model with out some sort of control.

My Texaco flights are for R/C. The SAM event.
I fly both old timer 1/2A Texaco (with my Playboy Sr. around 250 sq.in.) and my Scale 1/2A Piper Cub.
I hand launch the planes, then let the plane slowly climb as the motor pulls the plane higher.
When it gets high enough, I sit down in my Cabela chair the swivels and fly my 15 minute flight.

Getting too old to try to stand for 15 minute with my head up and flying the plane.
Almost like doing a dui test with your finger (if your drunk)? Get a little off balance after a while.

Really appreciate the information. It'll be most helpful going forward.

used a muffler to give the engine back pressure and keep the engine warmer

Wow, that's thinking outside the box.
I looked up Playboy Sr. at Outerzone. Really a gorgeous airplane.
Also downloaded the plans for future drooling.
Hope to develop the skills (and patience) to someday build it.
I can picture you in the Cabela chair, enjoying those thermals.

Scratch049 wrote:Really appreciate the information. It'll be most helpful going forward.

used a muffler to give the engine back pressure and keep the engine warmer

Wow, that's thinking outside the box.
I looked up Playboy Sr. at Outerzone. Really a gorgeous airplane.
Also downloaded the plans for future drooling.
Hope to develop the skills (and patience) to someday build it.
I can picture you in the Cabela chair, enjoying those thermals.

I like the Cabin over the pylon version.
The cabin version has a longer nose compare to the where the engine is at in the pylon version.
The Playboy Sr. makes a good 1/2A old timer.

Best of luck!

I like the Cabin over the pylon version

I'm sure that I've seen pictures of the cabin version.
Could you tell me where plans may be found?
Thanks...

Scratch049 wrote:

I like the Cabin over the pylon version

I'm sure that I've seen pictures of the cabin version.
Could you tell me where plans may be found?
Thanks...

Scratch049,
I get my semi kits and plans from Bob Holman Plans Service:
http://bhplans.com/

Semi kits -- you get the ribs, wing tips, formers, rudder and stab ribs all laser cut
The plans are Cad to match the laser parts perfectly.

Next question is what size do you want to build the Playboy Sr.?
Here is one for 630sq. in. -- (approx. 72" wing span) -- plans $15.00 / semi kit $45.00 http://bhplans.com/THPg1.html
Here is original size at 786.9sq.in. (78" wing span) -- plans for $17.00 / semi kit for $55.00
Scaled up to 1600sq. in. (114" wing span) -- plans for $40.00 / semi kit for $85.00
http://bhplans.com/GMPg2.html

And my 1/2A Texaco Playboy Sr.
Span is 47.2" -- wing area 288sq. in. -- plans $12.00 / semi kit $35.00
http://bhplans.com/GMPg4.html

Here is a website that you can download the plans for free then take it to a print shop. (UPS or Kinkos?)
https://outerzone.co.uk/search/results.asp?keyword=Playboy+Senior

Really appreciate the Bob Holman site. I noticed that they even have some plans that cannot be found on Outerzone.

Scratch049 wrote:Really appreciate the Bob Holman site. I noticed that they even have some plans that cannot be found on Outerzone.

You may also want to look at Jim O'Reilly's website as well.
Bob Holman doses his laser cutting for his kits as well.

http://www.jimoreillymodelplans.com/

Thanks for the O'Reilly site, appreciated.
I may order a set of plans for the Playboy Sr. just because...
I need to go for eye surgery (cataracts) in June.  
So I wont be doing much flying in the short term.
My last flying electric went lost in the woods next to our field. Pilot error.  
Can't fly, but I can build.

Scratch049 wrote:Thanks for the O'Reilly site, appreciated.
I may order a set of plans for the Playboy Sr. just because...
I need to go for eye surgery (cataracts) in June.  
So I wont be doing much flying in the short term.
My last flying electric went lost in the woods next to our field. Pilot error.  
Can't fly, but I can build.

Good luck with the surgery.
I had that done over 5 years ago. One after effect is what my doctor told me were "floaters".
Talk to your doctor about this problem?
You'll see these small little black spots that will float in and out of your eye sight. (after the surgery)
I gave up flying my planes very high to where they were a small speck in the sky.
While watching my little speck in the sky plane, one of those floaters crossed my line of sight.
I lost concentration on my plane as that floater went by and lost sight of where my plane was.

I yell that I lost sight of my plane, luckily I had friend who was watching my plane and pointed out where it was.
I still couldn't find it, so I had him fly it till it got bigger, then I took it back over to land the plane.

The floaters are still there, but are not as big as they were after the surgery, and I don't fly as high as I use to either.
I have gone back building catapult gliders and wind up (rubber) planes in the last two years and having as much fun.
I just don't have the throwing arm (arthritis) for the hand launch (chuckie) gliders.

That is what I started with when I was a kid. It also give me good work out walking to retrieve the plane.
I have a good size sod farm to use as a flying field (maybe 1/4 mile square?).

Thanks very much for your best wishes and your information.
I do plan to call the Doctors office.
Really annoying putting on the years. Seems like I have a doctor for every organ in my body.
In any case this thread has been very helpful to me. Thank you.
I'm itching to get something on the building board.
Trying to decide if I should go for the Playboy Senior, or build something I can keep in the pattern.
I do have an orphan K&B 20 that I found for $12.00.
Pretty gummed up & frozen when I got it. But, it cleaned up nicely and I think it will be a runner. Fingers crossed.
Cheers!

Great information on setting up an 049 for a Texaco event. These little guys are a ball to fly and seem to do well on a windy day too. I have been flying an Airborne with an older Cox .049 Black Widow. I am lucky to get 3 1/2 minutes with a 7X4 Cox gray prop but I know I am running much higher RPM's. Also using 15% fuel. Thanks again for the setup information.

Good luck with the surgery. I had the same thing done a few years ago. Best thing I have ever done. I could not believe the improvement in my long range vision.

Again, Good Luck.

The floaters will be there both before and after surgery.