Radial model airplane engines

Here's a Morton M5 kit. A good friend of my Dad gave it to me when I was a kid(a while ago !)
This was a project if you were a machinist. Detailed instructions and material were included. Spring wire to make valve springs. Some cool little parts. My Dad's buddy Wilbur ended up building a 5 cylinder radial from scratch later in his life. When he passed away, his wife donated it to the Smithsonian air and space museum. Last time we were there it was in a display cabinet.

 

That is drop dead cool! My grandfather was a machinist for General Electric for many years(he retired around 1949)and one of his passions was building things.I remember him having two radial model aircraft engines down in the cellar in his"workshop".One was a 9 cylinder and the other a 14 cylinder(2 rows of 7 cylinders each). I'm not sure of the reason but radial engines always have an odd number of cylinders on each row. The crankcases were machined from a block of aluminum as were the cylinders(they had cast iron liners inserted)and about the only thing he didn't make were the spark plugs and the nuts and bolts. He always said the hardest part was correctly making the master connecting rod.
I believe my cousin still has them at his house(he inherited them when Gramps died). I wish I had been around at the time;they would be in MY cellar now! I'll have to get in touch with him to see if he still has them(I'm sure he does)and hopefully get some pictures.

 

I have a set (copy) of the original plans for this motor. There is a gentleman reproducing this motor, albeit the original parts before they are machined. I think it’s one cool motor.


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Mahty, I have the plans too. Originals. Dated 1944

 

I’d still like to build one. I’m sure I’d never find an original for sale.


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For all you weirdos:
A few years back I found a Model Airplane engine display in the Smithsonian Air and Space building in DC.
it was small, but packed with neat stuff...a vertical multi-sided display case, near the area where multiple early engines are displayed on a wall. I cannot verify that it is still there...last few times I have been down there were in the tourist season with lines around the block.

 

They have some neat engine stuff in the Udvar-Hazy as well.

 

I still have all my old engines from my youth. Couple of 4 strokes too, .20 & .45. An old 5cmm CO2 Gasparin. Just neat to fiddle with.



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