Other Classic Model Aero Engines Photo Gallery by John Lichnerowicz at pbase.com

Other Classic Model Aero Engines

A gallery of (mainly) Speed Engines

	This is not a TWA 15 points out John Gibbs but an A.F.Lee .15	My Lee .15 in the company of two others
Derek Giles Mills Replica	Ralph Gould TWA / HP Bugl Bell Induction	Carter Nipper	Ray Gibbs Viper 2,5 cc Glow
Ray Gibbs	Feb 1956 Model Aircraft magazine	Ray Gibbs (2nd from left) at RAF Benson 1960	Ray Gibbs talking to Ken Bedford
Ray Gibbs Viper 2,5 cc Diesel	Mk 1 & Mk 2 Rivers courtesy of Martin Radcliffe	Pink Lady with TWA .15. Jim Nightingale (USA) placed 2nd with this model at the 1970 World Champs with 238.4 kph

			Rossi 15

Suoer Tigre G15
	K&B 15 "Wart"		Kostin 15
			MDS 15
	HGK 15
Oliver Tiger Mk 4 and JO 19		Cox TD 049
K&B 40s with "P F Chinn" stamped on one lug
Harvey Westland 15 (New Zealand)
	Rossi 15 (Kostin)
		Russian speed engine with needle roller big end
K&B 15 Series 61
	Rossi 15
	Super Tigre G15		Super Tigre G15

comment |

Keith Howlett		05-Mar-2013 14:32
I met Ray "Gadget" Gibbs when he had a model shop on the parade at Wanstead opposite the lake. There was a club based at the shop which I think he might have formed called the Dope Peddlers, the badge was a skull on a black background with crossed syringes. I was not a very proficient modeller but flew speed models with Dooling engines. I remember Ron Checksfield and Fred Carter. I was jut a nuisance kid but they were always helpful. They certainly inspired me to go on to learn to tune engines. I still have a Vlatvan glow plug engine given to me by the Czech team at one event. Dave looks well in the photo with a nice house, so I guess he did OK in life.

John		31-May-2011 18:04
Hi I have an original, unused and boxed .75 cc Mills diesel for sale. It was purchased in '59 and the ref number is 84637 [possibly 84687 hard to tell]. The model kit is a Keil Kraft Phantom Mite [also available boxed and unused].

freeflighter		06-Jun-2010 00:09
I have an original TWA .15 that is absolutely beautiful. Tight, good compression. What is the market for one of these? Thanks!

Phil Carr		17-Jun-2009 23:21
I've just come back to aeromodelling after a long lay off,and can add some information re Ralph Goulds TWA engine. It was constructed along the lines of the original (1966)TWA's with a machined from solid crankcase. The rear drum valve was copied by Ralph after examining in detail the late Gordon Farnswoths original HP 2.5cc proto-type engines. Gorden obtained the engines after talking to Paul Bugl at an International prior to the 66 worlds. I went with Gordon when he first ran both of his HP's just prior to the '66 trials at Swinderby. They were giving him 128/130mph consistently (guick enough to have got him in the team). The down side was the lack of lubrication to the drum valve spiggot (only about 2 or 3 M/M diameter if memory serves me right) that seized the engines solid if they were run the least bit lean. I believe that Ralph had the same problem with his.

Colin Stevens		26-Jun-2008 14:16
I first met Ray Gibbs as a fellow member of the Bluebird MAC, an informal group of young modellers based in a shed behind the shoe repairer’s at Hainault in about 1948. The club’s name was inspired by the name on a tin of toffees, and we were both aged about 14 at that time. Ray was known to us by his famous nickname “Gadget” as early as that, but it might have followed him from school. Ray was very progressive, and that didn’t seem to go down too well with the club’s leader, so sadly Ray parted with us and I didn’t see him again until the late 1960’s. Subsequently I lost contact with him, so I’m delighted to know he’s still around. Ray once took me over to Fred Carter’s workshop in East London, and I then realised that Fred was one of the modellers that gave me so much help at Fairlop in my earliest attempts at power modelling. Fred was frequently accompanied by a taller and thinner modeller, and I’ve always wondered if he might have been Ron Checksfield. Regards Colin Stevens Chichester & District MAC

Ian Mander		08-Dec-2007 00:21
John ,the engine that is not captioned is a TWA type built flight lieutenant Ralph Gould around 1968. It is basically a TWA but with the addition of a Bugl designed HP 15 bell valve intake system. It is intended to run with a full tuned pipe. The HP company produced engines into the late eighties but the engine production was a diversification from thier production of ammunition which was started in the late eighteen hundreds and by the sixtieswas in decline

John Lichnerowicz		04-Dec-2007 19:24
The images which I have marked "(C) Dave Smith 2007" were kindly provided by Dave

Dave Smith		09-Nov-2007 09:23
Hi, My name is Dave Smith, I have been flying successfully control line speed, modern and vintage speed for many years now. It is a well known fact within the speed circles that Ray Gibbs is my cousin. The picture mentioned is one of Fred Carters CCS 2,5cc engines. Ray gave me a Carter McCoy 19 which I have flown in Vintage speed using a replica of Rays 1956 World Champs winning Nipper (in fact I hold the British vintage 19 speed record at 129.68 mph and have also flown the model in Portugal at Julio Isidro's superb meetings where I recorded 140 mph for a Portugese vintage record. I have had a few articles published in variouse model publications depicting me and Ray wirh our vintage speed projects etc.. Regards Dave Smith

mike jupp		07-Sep-2007 20:34
Hi there, came across this page and for what it's worth thought i would add a bit. I was the secretary and treasurer of the Wanstead MAC for many years and we flew on Wanstead Flats where Ray Gibbs often practiced in the 50/60's. i actually own the Carter Dooling 29 that set the world record of 152mph. Ray parted with it and sold it to Pete Drewell and his friend Ron Lucas who used it for “B” control line team events. When Ron later mentioned they were considering selling it I expressed an interest and bought it, and still have it to this day some 40 odd years later!

Christopher Norris		05-Apr-2007 20:53
I think the book referred to by Chris Clark is Ron Moulton's 'Model Aero Engine Encyclopaedia' which has a chapter on Fred Carter and his various projects. Among them were the 'Nipper' 2.5 (which was used by Ray Gibbs to set a world speed record in the late 50s) and the CCS (Carter-Chacksfield Special), which I think is the engine illustrated here. He also built a number of Dooling-based 29 (5 c.c.) glow motors for competition use, one of which (amazingly) I bought on Ebay a couple of years back. There was a real (and well-deserved) mystique around these engines since they were finely engineered and capable of out-performing just about any competition at the time, including the Russian and other Eastern-bloc state-sponsored outfits like MVVS and Moki. Nowadays of course they wouldn't come close to the fantastic figures (rpm and bhp) achieved by the latest tuned-pipe designs and materials technology. But they would still no doubt put up a more than decent performance in any vintage speed event. All the same I have not yet been tempted to risk my Carter 5 - there is a duty of care with such precious objects (or that's my excuse).

P.P.A. van der Meer		06-Oct-2006 13:27
@ John F S: So you have an original Mills 0,75? Nice, they (and the Indian versions and replica's) are still widely used for free flight sportsmodels. There are still enough of them about, so if it's not 'new in box', build a Cardinal or Tomboy and use the Mills to power it! I have three original 0.75's, two Indian Aurora's and an Irvine replica, as well as one 0,4cc and two 0,25cc Russian Replica's. With exception of one 0,25 all run well. PP van der Meer, the Netherlands

John Burrell		22-Aug-2006 14:29
Fred Carter was always in the Aeromodeller news in the 1950's, his engines were all called 'Carter Specials' and broke many records. They frequently disintegrated as well, Fred aleays pushed them to the limits, and often beyond.

John F S		12-Aug-2006 12:14
Does anyone have an original Mills .75 diesel aero engine? I do! any information please?

Chris_Clark		01-Jan-2006 20:24
Hi John, You asked if anyone knew anything about the Carter Nipper. Not an expert, but remember reading in a 1960s book about one Fred Carter, engine tuner of great reputation. He specialised on adapting existing McCoy, Eta, Dooling designs usually of 0.29 - 0.35 Cu In, always rear rotary, and the article I read dealt with an engine he made that has similar characteristics, profiled exhaust, possibly custom crank case. So if anything new here, I think I still have a copy of the book. Chris Clark

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