My big day out

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 13, 2016 5:07 am

I'm only giving a brief summary of today's activities and will follow up with more info once I've had a good sleep. I'm pretty well exhausted.
My vintage engine club was asked to display at the Tyabb Airshow, about an hour from where I live. We took along some old hit-&-miss engines and pumps etc. to entertain the 12-13,000 spectators (like they needed us). We've done this before and always get a huge amount of interest from the public, so I take along my display boards of model engine. I was kept busy for hours talking to people reminiscing about when they had similar engines as kids. Generally, it's the Cox engines which draw the most comments, apart from the Aussie Taipans which everyone out here had in the 60s & 70s. I had two separate guys ask me why I didn't have an .010 Tee Dee on display. The good reason is that I can't afford one. Turns out the first guy had one unrun NIB, unmolested. Is it worth much? What do you say. He paid $16US for it 10 years ago. Early one in a crystal case. The next guy had a later one in the red & black cardboard box. Bought the engine off a friend's widow who was cleaning out his stuff. Paid $50 each for a heap of engines, including the Tee Dee, as there were some large new R/C engines as well. So, even though I've never seen one out here, they're around. I offered to triple the first guy's money. Nah...

Anyway, that wasn't the highlight of the show. I've never seen one of these in the flesh either. First appearance in my state and almost the first for Aus. The one & only.......
My big day out 100_4712

Sorry, I have a really bad camera so couldn't get any aerial shots.

Rod.

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:33 pm

How's this? There's a guy on field who designs & builds radials for small home-built planes. Got talking to him. He & his brother first built a model radial, pictured here,
My big day out 100_4714

just as part of their hobby. It worked so well they decided to go into production of full scale units. He says there's a good market for the small radials due to so many people building "antique style" aircraft, such as these.
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Here's a lineup of engines under production. All done on CNC machines.
My big day out 100_4718

He also had an engine test cell there and was giving test runs on one of his engines for people to watch. Sorry, didn't get a picture or any video.

More to come.

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:51 pm

Then there was this.
My big day out 100_4719

It didn't fly at the show, but here's a clip of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXcvouAggA

akjgardner Sun Mar 13, 2016 9:20 pm

I would of loved to had been there to see all of that . Thanks for sharing. What is the little green and yellow airplane?

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 13, 2016 9:35 pm

akjgardner wrote:I would of loved to had been there to see all of that . Thanks for sharing. What is the little green and yellow airplane?

I didn't see anything to identify the plane, but it sure is a sweet looking little machine, especially with a 7 cylinder radial up front.

I don't know how they managed it, but we also had a flyover by this.

It wasn't on the program and surprised most of us. It didn't have permission to land on that strip due to its weight so it just did three passes and went home to Amberley air base, 1,345 km away. Crew of 3, 1 hour 50 minutes to get there, five minute display and 1 hour 50 minutes to get home. Glad I wasn't paying for the fuel, (well I am with my taxes), but not a bad little exercise for the crew I guess.

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 13, 2016 9:46 pm

akjgardner wrote:I would of loved to had been there to see all of that . Thanks for sharing. What is the little green and yellow airplane?

Here you go. Just found this on the Rotec radial website.
My big day out 14-1ge10

It's a Gere Sport.

Rod.

cox24711 Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:33 am

that must of been awesome! rod! I love that corsair !

rsv1cox Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:51 am

Great thread Rod, loved the pictures.

That "Flying saucer" is something else. If you did not know better you would think R/C. The engines are beautiful.

Bob

Oldenginerod Mon Mar 14, 2016 4:20 pm

Some more pictures of visiting aircraft. There were a number advertised which didn't make it due to uncertain weather.

Merlin powered P-40F. Very rare with the original Merlin installation. My big day out 100_4723

C.A.C Boomerang, Aussie designed & built. A very successful fighter than only made it towards the end of WW11 My big day out 100_4721

Spitfire Mk VIII My big day out 100_4720

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Grumman Avenger. Rarely seen out here. My big day out 100_4722

For the purposes of this forum, I'll try to find if someone actually took a shot of my model engine display. I didn't think to take one.

cox24711 Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:17 pm

I love boomerangs! they are awesome! p.s the p40 is loverly

cox24711 Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:25 pm

the spitfire is cool! (I prefer merlin engined ones though)

akjgardner Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:37 pm

cox24711 wrote:I love boomerangs! they are awesome! p.s the p40 is loverly

Oh yes, The P 40 is my favorite WWII airplane also the most underrated in my opinion.

cox24711 Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:04 pm

it did soo well against the Japs! with suicidal attacks, they responded quickly and effectively! I wish they were used in the battle of Britain because the could easily shoot down the Fiat CR.42 Falcos .That would also ease the pressure off from having less aircraft than the Luftwaffe but somehow they did not use them! anyway, they are awesome little planes and they got what they deserved "dubbed' the flying tigers. Airplane

batjac Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:32 pm

Wow! I've never heard of a Merlin powered P-40. Must be a killer. As an aside, at an EAA meeting about 22 years ago, I met the guy who designed and prototyped supercharger that went on the Allison in P-40. At the time he suggested it, the factory scoffed at his idea, so he worked on it after work on his own time. When he showed the result, it went on the P-40 and made it the plane it was meant to be.

The Deaf Mark

cox24711 Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:44 pm

batjac wrote:Wow! I've never heard of a Merlin powered P-40. Must be a killer. As an aside, at an EAA meeting about 22 years ago, I met the guy who designed and prototyped supercharger that went on the Allison in P-40. At the time he suggested it, the factory scoffed at his idea, so he worked on it after work on his own time. When he showed the result, it went on the P-40 and made it the plane it was meant to be.

The Deaf Mark

Wow only if they listened to him (you don't know his name by any chance?) and Frank Whittle (invented the jet engine if you didn't know). It would have been a heck of a lot easier to win the war!

cox24711 Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:50 pm

Oldenginerod wrote:

For the purposes of this forum, I'll try to find if someone actually took a shot of my model engine display. I didn't think to take one.

Oh jeez I wish I was there to see that! bounce

But seeing the half restored b25 Mitchell radials run was cool at the museum near me. I will post some information about it when I next go there.

Oldenginerod Mon Mar 14, 2016 9:17 pm

batjac wrote:Wow! I've never heard of a Merlin powered P-40. Must be a killer. As an aside, at an EAA meeting about 22 years ago, I met the guy who designed and prototyped supercharger that went on the Allison in P-40. At the time he suggested it, the factory scoffed at his idea, so he worked on it after work on his own time. When he showed the result, it went on the P-40 and made it the plane it was meant to be.

The Deaf Mark

Yes, the factory fitted P-40 Merlin was uncommon. There are very few examples flying. Note it doesn't have the small intake scoop on top of the cowl.
My big day out 100_4724

I have a shot of it from a few years back when it was under restoration. I'll try to locate it.
There's a business call "The Old Aeroplane Company" based at the airfield where the show was. They specialise in restoring warbirds and other antique planes. The lady who owns the business (& the P-40) also owns the P-51 in the background of the P-40 photo as well as a Vampire and a T-28 Trojan which she always flies at airshows.

getback Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:50 am

Good Stuff Rod , man that is a Big day out , enjoyed taking in all the info and videos , pictures were great . Thanks !! Eric

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:10 pm

I didn't get any shots of my engine display at the airshow, but we did another vintage engine & tractor rally this weekend. Here's a picture of my engine display board. I didn't have my 1/2A board out. The engine on the trailer is a 1927 3hp. Austral side-shaft hit & miss kerosene engine.
My big day out Lsa_8910

Sorry, picture's not clear. Left to right. Mills P75 diesel, Gilbert 7, Gilbert 11, OS Pet II .099, Frog 149 Vibramatic, Mk-17 (Russian) Diesel, 1960 Taipan 1.5cc Diesel, Fox .099 "Rocket", Torpedo .15 Green Head, 1959 Taipan 2.5cc Blue Head diesel, 1965 Taipan 2.5cc diesel, McCoy .35 Red Head fitted with Merco muffler, 1970 Fox 40R/C, OS FS60. Just a small cross-section of my collection.
Rod.

Marleysky Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:22 pm

Rod - that's one very nice looking display. I like the way you've lined them up. Also, the old ad for the Cox's and OK cubs. You even have a promo sheet for the CEF! Nice job! Small Cox Logo

cox24711 Sun Mar 20, 2016 11:08 pm

awesome rod!

Oldenginerod Mon Mar 21, 2016 3:45 am

Marleysky wrote: Rod - that's one very nice looking display. I like the way you've lined them up. Also, the old ad for the Cox's and OK cubs. You even have a promo sheet for the CEF! Nice job!

Yeah, I tried to get them in order of physical size, just to show a bit of variation. A few diesels & a few glows. I'll probably swap in a couple of different ones for next time. Thinking maybe a Torpedo 40 in place of the Fox (which isn't a particularly attractive engine in my opinion).
I just reproduced a few pages that I'd found on the net including the Thimble Drome, OK Cub & Gilbert ones, plus I have a "wanted" ad. Had someone offer me a Taipan 1cc diesel for nix on Sunday. Just got to drive about 40 miles to pick it up. He tells me he just shifted and had a heap of old control line planes he crushed and threw out. Kept the one engine.
I only got rid of two CEF tabs from the poster but hey, It's worth a shot. I sent one guy this way who was looking to maybe sell a NIB Tee Dee .010. Thought he might get some more realistic information here than if he just goes on what he sees on ebay.

Oldenginerod Sun Mar 27, 2016 1:52 am

One happy outcome from the most recent display of my engine collection.
My big day out 100_4710

Just about every time I show my engines, someone will come up to me and say "I've got some old engines at home. You can have them". They always change their mind and decide to keep or sell them, except this time. A fellow told me he had just moved house and decided he didn't need to take his old models with him, so he crushed them all and threw them in the rubbish (trash). He saved this Taipan 1cc diesel and happily gave it to me for preservation. I promised that I wouldn't sell it on. Although he's obviously attacked the head with pliers, the engine looks to be in excellent shape, although gummed up. It has no brand or size markings, which is unusual for a Taipan, but I'm confident that it is what he told me. He actually had it mounted in a boat, but it was way too hard to start with a pull string, so I don't believe it has ever been airborne.

The one negative apart from the marks on the head is that it cost me a 180km round trip to pick it up, but at least it gave my son a good amount of driving on his learner's permit, and we got to go have lunch together.

The very grateful Rod.

rsv1cox Sun Mar 27, 2016 6:06 am

A road trip with your son to pick up that engine Rod ...... life is good. Bob

ian1954 Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:41 am

It is definitely a Taipan 1cc diesel but i don't know what year. The only info I have on Taipans is in Model Engine news and the 1cc engine doesn't appear there.

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