.020 PeeWee

roddie wrote:Try to find a Cox "Sky-Copter" parts-helicopter that still has the engine/mount. These had a plastic reed-holder/back-plate type of set-up that you can modify for an external tank. Mark (batjac) has a few of these that he's messed around with. Maybe he'll chime-in on the particulars. I think this is a photo of one of his.

Those RTF backed Pee Wee's have a place in my heart, because as you state, one can readily mount the engine and make use of an external tank for extended runs.

Hi, All.   The previous pic isn’t mine, but yes, I’ve tried three or four methods for mounting the production engines from the PeeWee powered helicopters.  I love these little engines.  The way I finally settled on to mount these is a pretty permanent modification to the backplate, but what the hell.  I’m never mounting them back in a helicopter again, so nothing’s lost.

The way I prefer to do it now is to take the two piece backplate assembly apart, and mark the backplate piece that attaches to the engine using an old tank back from a PeeWee.  I use a trashed tank back because I don’t want to take a chance on messing up a good tank back, although the chance is slim.  What I do is put a couple of screws through the PeeWee tank back, through the plastic backplate, and screw them into the crank case to hold the pieces together.  Then I use the holes from the mounting tabs as a drill guide to drill out mounting holes in the plastic.  





The position of these holes leaves enough clearance to put screws though the front.




I then screw the other plastic piece to the first and drill through the second piece for matching holes.  After that I scribe lines outside of the mounting holes just a little bit outside where the mounting tabs would stick out on a PeeWee backplate.  I cut and file the round plastic plates to a rectangular shape and then smooth everything up.





Makes a nice mount that will fit the standard PeeWee firewall mounting holes.  The only thing is that the screw heads holding the backplate to the case still protrude a bit.  So, either make recesses in your firewall for the screw heads (what I prefer), or use spacers on your mounting screws when you mount the engine.

That’s how I plan to do it from now on.

The Re-Purposing Mark

Mark (batjac), that is a very practical way to re-use this engine to fit Pee Wee mounting in models. I guess one could also mimick the mount bolt pattern for the Tee Dee .020 by drilling two holes, one on each side. The greater capacity of an external tank really extends flight making this a really useful engine. (Reminds me of Sir Toppem's statement in Thomas the Tank Engine, LOL. )

I have a .020 with a Ryan PT mount. It is a much cleaner looking mount and easier to install on the nose than a helicopter mount. Both the Ryan and helicopter mounts work well though.

Ron

Cribbs74 wrote:I have a .020 with a Ryan PT mount. It is a much cleaner looking mount and easier to install on the nose than a helicopter mount. Both the Ryan and helicopter mounts work well though.

Ron

Now that one really looks the part! Where might I get one of them? If they're too hard to get, where can I get one of those helicopter backplates from? The red one looks the best to me.

Cribbs74 wrote:I have a .020 with a Ryan PT mount. It is a much cleaner looking mount and easier to install on the nose than a helicopter mount. Both the Ryan and helicopter mounts work well though.

Ron

I had forgotten about those Ron! An old RCG "For Sale" ad stated in it's description that the Army-Trainer was only produced from 1969-70 and that a major design drawback, is that the wing was "glued-on".. unlike it's rubber-band saddled big brother. The photos below show "pins" on the fuse near the wing's L/E though..   I suppose there would have been problems with the pushrod bending.. seeing that the bell-crank is wing-mounted.

(RCG photo)




How does that back-plate "needle".. as compared to the tanked engine? (more/same/less touchy?)

Did any of the RTF's have a Pee Wee tanked engine.. or did they all use a similar plastic back-plate?

Thanks Mark I have one of those heli. engines and was wondering how I could use it , got it at a swap meet 2-3 yr. ago $ 10--- Heck that red one looks good but only one yr. in production is going to be tough to find and $$$ I have seen a few on the bay if you keep looking can pick up cheap. Eric

I've wanted one of those PeeWee backplates, but they are always too expensive on eBay. I've not seen that style, but I've seen the early Pitts style two or three times on eBay. Cheaper to get the heli engines and modify them.

The Frugal Mark

An old thread but I found it useful…. After reading Mauricio’s recent remarks on the Skycopter backplate I found and ordered one…. Then found this thread with Mark’s method to adapt to airplane use … Thanks guys!!

I reworked it then mated it to a PeeWee .020 R/C front end….Tested with the Cox 3.125x2.5 three blade…. Near 20K top and about 8.5K idle…. Nice transition from low to high every time….
Should make a neat RC engine….

Nice job Robert, I simply have to try one of those throttle sleeves on a Cox engine.

Yes, old thread when roddie was active.  He always had a beneficial comment.  I love that Ryan ST and the Cox model of it.  Never found one in my price range.