I was lucky enough to have Bodders stay at our house for a few days back in the 80s wonderful fellow with so many amazing stories my favourite was when he built and flew models for the Goodies
That popping sound from the diesel engine brought back some real childhood memories of my first control-line plane back in the '70s. I ordered a PAW 2.5 cc engine from England with savings from my paper route, and waited 3 months for it to arrive in Australia. It scared the hell out of me each time I started it, but it flew and had many memorable crashes. Thanks for doing this Cliff!
I can't remember if it was a popular conversion to fit a glow plug to a diesel head or a compression screw to a glow engine, pop into your time machine and give it a go and do let us know how you get on 👍
I had a Matador with an AM 15 fitted. It was my first and last radio control plane 55 years ago before I moved on to cars!. It was great fun to fly on single channel radio. Great to see you restoring one. I returned to the hobby last year and was thinking of building another Matador using modern radio.and the old AM15
Cliff this is what I'd call an epic project. Designed and build by a modeling legend, and Diesel no less. Great to see it run again. Very much looking forward to the rest of this one!
awesome to see a historic classic model be brought back to life! They were built to be flown for as long as possible so its great to see you continue this cliff. One day when my finances are more stable and I've got more free time I'd love to get into petrol and diesel models...but just electric for now!
I recently built a Matador,( from an Outerzone plan), the second that I have built. The first was around 1959 when I was a scruffy schoolboy, it was powered with a Frog 1.49 vibramatic diesel. It was my first rc model using a single channel ED tx and an ED Airtrol rx with a rubber powered escapement, all second hand, bought with pocket and paper round money . How that model dragged the rx ,3 batteries and the escapement into the air I don't know , but it did, until someone else at the field turned their tx on. Shortly after that I started work and never built another model until recently after my wife died and I needed something to do. The new Matador is electric powered and flies very well , probably because it is a little lighter.
We used to fix tissue-tears with balsa cement. Using a pin to hold the tissue in place, a small bead of balsa cement would be applied to the edges and as the cement dried it would shrink, pulling the edges together. If the tear was too bad we'd just cut the whole panel (back to the nearest supporting balsa) and dope a new square (or whatever shape) over the hole.
Many happy hours spent picking balsa cement off of fingers Bruce lol. I didn't want to cut out panels on this model due to its heritage so repairs were the way to go 👍
Good to see it being resurrected, I built a Matador as a last winter project. I converted it to a RC model, that is electric powered. Flies really good 👍👍👍
Fantastic! Bringing an old model back to life has a lot of magic in it. And those engines are sure attractive. I am nowhere near that but I often toy with the idea of getting one, putting it on a bench, and just start it up once in while. Not sure the neighbours would approve though...
Thanks Andrew, it's a straightforward task, I just hope it's successful and you could always take one on a mount to your flying field away from everyone 🤔👍
I was going to suggest a heat-gun or oven to free up that engine. It's the castor oil that gells over time and heat melts it sufficiently to allow the thing to move so that lubrication can get in. Diesel fuel is just a mix of castor, ether and kerosene with some ignition improver in the form of amyl nitrate (just a couple of percent). If that's a DC Sabre then you probably want to use an 8x4 prop and that should give you around 8K-10K RPMs. Also, don't use silicon fuel line... it'll swell up and go horrible -- plastic or Tygon are the only lines to use. (haven't watched to the end of the vid yet so you may have already worked this out).
It's currently turning a 10-4 Bruce, Mark Robinson on his video of running this engine used a 8x6 Master Airscrew prop and got about 750rpm, are you rpm figures correct? Thanks for the tip on the fuel line, I didn't know that, cheers 👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes I suspect that he got 7,500 RPM with an 8x6 a figure of 750 sounds exceedingly low and would produce a propwash speed of less than 4 miles per hour 🙂 At 7,500 RPM the propwash speed is around 40 mph.. Obviously a propwash speed of 4mph wouldn't get the model off the ground :-) 6-inch pitch x 7,500 RPM = 45,000 inches/minute x 60 = 2,700,000 inches/hour / 12 = 225,000 feet per hour / 5280 = 42 miles per hour.
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes The reason many free-flight models used over-sized propellors (for the motor) is in order to get maximum torque. As you probably know, freeflight models are usually trimmed to fly to the left under power and to the right on the glide. The torque of the motor creates the left-turn force when the motor is running and this over-rides the rudder trim that creates the right-hand turn on glide. Since you're going to fit RC you want to use a smaller (probably 8x4) prop so that the motor produces less torque (but more power due to the higher RPMs). This means that the trim won't change so much when the engine stops.
This was my first "radio controlled" model. Single channel rudder only. Rubber band escapement, click and hold for left, click twice and hold for right. "Radio affected" we called it!
The DC SABRE was a 1.5 cc diesl engine. they were bullet proof and were reasonably priced for youngsters coming into the hobby. i had two of them in a control line a26 invader great fun starting two crack on
Such a joy to see that running. Almost makes me wish I'd kept a couple of the old ones I had. I guess almost losing the end of my left thumb, 4 days in hospital and a stainless steel pin in too hold it together put me off a little. 😢
Cliff, is this the same Boddington, the brother of Dave Boddington, who built the full scale aircraft for the TV series Flambards? He sent me some digitized photos from the film set, the Elm Park Aerodrome and a few photos of the aircraft he (they) built. He also said that the Bleriot and the Blackburn Monoplane would both fly in ground effect on the aero converted VW engines they used. Sorry to hear of his brother's passing.
Good to see you messing about with a diesel there Cliff, seems to be running well, nice one! I would suggest not running from the fuel tin, wouldn't leave the lid off for longer than needed as the ether will evaporate from the fuel. Look forward to seeing it fly!
Thanks Mark, thanks for the Tip about the ether, I didn't know that. By the way when you were running your Sabre I think I mistakenly thought it was running about 750(ish) rpm, was that 7,500 rpm? 👍
Built one 1n1973 with a sabre 19 diesel and single Chanel regen rc. Then coverted to OS 25 engine and skylleader rc was good fun with rudder and elevator and throttle
An RC modeling friend here in the States has a PAW .19 RC carbed Diesel, (3.1 cc..?) in his scale Tiger Moth. Was my first exposure to setting up a Diesel and getting it warmed up, compression and mixture tweaked carefully and running. Very demanding amount of time getting just the right level of compression and WOT mixture settings so it wouldn't lose it's fire when throttled down. The Tiger Moth was normally built for approximately .30 glow engine, but that little diesel certainly spun a decent sized propeller and flew quite well with it. I think it was a 10"X5" which is in the older, crossflow .35 glow engine range. My experience with older IC model engines was converting a Fox Stunt .36 to a Fuji .29 RC carb, mounted in a Carl Goldberg Falcon 56 which the Fox being a true stunt engine when throttled back to about 2/3rds throttle would reliably four-stroke at cruise, but any loops or any G pulling maneuver would make it "break" into a two cycle like these CL Fox engines were famous for.
Well done cliff it really ran lovely. I quite like the dc Merlin which Is .75cc I’m restoring an old vic smeed paageboy lets see who can complete there plane first 😂 no but seriously I can’t wait to see how it turns out the matador is a great model.
I had McCoy .049 and .099 diesels as a kid, I think they would start at a high compression setting then back off to run and lean out needle valve to desired running. Burp, Burp!
Hi Paul, yes it is possible to throttle a diesel, usually the bigger capacity ones. Cost of fuel? Check out Model Shop Leeds, different sizes for different prices and mixes, but it's not cheap 👍
Another fascinating project! I have what maybe a daft question: How will you achieve control over the engine RPM? Can you finagle it so there will be a servo to operate as a throttle lever? Looking forward to seeing one of the master's models take to the air again. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
I wish Ben Buckle still produced kits( Collin). I really like vic smeed ,boddinton,bill dean , and Albert hatful designs...I think vic may hold a world record of aircraft and boat designs...can any one validate this???
Some big names there Ron, I don't know the answer to your question either. A lot of the designs are still available from other manufacturers of course, DB Sport and Scale for a lot of Boddo's designs in the UK, cheers
I was lucky enough to have Bodders stay at our house for a few days back in the 80s wonderful fellow with so many amazing stories my favourite was when he built and flew models for the Goodies
Hi Alexis, great story, the Goodies episode wasn't the one with the giant flying goose was it 🤔👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes no it was the last flight of the Dodo episode
@@alexisscott9573 Thanks Alexis I'll check it out I loved the Goodies 😁
Yep found it, featuring a DB Mannock biplane, I've got one that's how I know 😁 fb.watch/nsgayh366Z/ 👍
That popping sound from the diesel engine brought back some real childhood memories of my first control-line plane back in the '70s. I ordered a PAW 2.5 cc engine from England with savings from my paper route, and waited 3 months for it to arrive in Australia. It scared the hell out of me each time I started it, but it flew and had many memorable crashes. Thanks for doing this Cliff!
Hi Tim, my mate had the same engine, it was a beast compared to anything else to that point, cheers 👍😁
I had a Cox 0.49 on a kittie hawk string line. Bloody thing would never start! Thank heavens for electric flight!
I can't remember if it was a popular conversion to fit a glow plug to a diesel head or a compression screw to a glow engine, pop into your time machine and give it a go and do let us know how you get on 👍
True@@thebarronflights
Honesty I never heard of that@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes
I had a Matador with an AM 15 fitted. It was my first and last radio control plane 55 years ago before I moved on to cars!. It was great fun to fly on single channel radio. Great to see you restoring one. I returned to the hobby last year and was thinking of building another Matador using modern radio.and the old AM15
Hi Bob, what a great idea, you can download the plan from Outerzone🙂👍
Hi Cliff
I found Ben Buckle does a copy of the old Mercury kit for £87!
Bob
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes
Cliff this is what I'd call an epic project. Designed and build by a modeling legend, and Diesel no less. Great to see it run again. Very much looking forward to the rest of this one!
Thanks Adam, and to think it's been sitting in my loft all these years just waiting for my inspiration 👍
awesome to see a historic classic model be brought back to life! They were built to be flown for as long as possible so its great to see you continue this cliff. One day when my finances are more stable and I've got more free time I'd love to get into petrol and diesel models...but just electric for now!
Nothing wrong with electric Alex but always good to have aspirations 😁👍
I recently built a Matador,( from an Outerzone plan), the second that I have built. The first was around 1959 when I was a scruffy schoolboy, it was powered with a Frog 1.49 vibramatic diesel. It was my first rc model using a single channel ED tx and an ED Airtrol rx with a rubber powered escapement, all second hand, bought with pocket and paper round money . How that model dragged the rx ,3 batteries and the escapement into the air I don't know , but it did, until someone else at the field turned their tx on. Shortly after that I started work and never built another model until recently after my wife died and I needed something to do. The new Matador is electric powered and flies very well , probably because it is a little lighter.
Hi Mike, thanks for sharing your story, I hope building the Matador has given you some meaning back to your life 🙂
We used to fix tissue-tears with balsa cement. Using a pin to hold the tissue in place, a small bead of balsa cement would be applied to the edges and as the cement dried it would shrink, pulling the edges together. If the tear was too bad we'd just cut the whole panel (back to the nearest supporting balsa) and dope a new square (or whatever shape) over the hole.
Many happy hours spent picking balsa cement off of fingers Bruce lol. I didn't want to cut out panels on this model due to its heritage so repairs were the way to go 👍
Good to see it being resurrected, I built a Matador as a last winter project. I converted it to a RC model, that is electric powered. Flies really good 👍👍👍
Thanks Nigel, my only reservation is the power source that's why it's an exciting project as well 😁👍
Although I went to electric years ago, it's still a joy to see an old engine brought to life.
You're so right Stephen, it's my first diesel for 40 + years! 🙂👍
Fantastic! Bringing an old model back to life has a lot of magic in it. And those engines are sure attractive. I am nowhere near that but I often toy with the idea of getting one, putting it on a bench, and just start it up once in while. Not sure the neighbours would approve though...
Thanks Andrew, it's a straightforward task, I just hope it's successful and you could always take one on a mount to your flying field away from everyone 🤔👍
Love these rebuild/refurbish jobs.
Thanks David I do enjoy doing them 👍🙂
I was going to suggest a heat-gun or oven to free up that engine. It's the castor oil that gells over time and heat melts it sufficiently to allow the thing to move so that lubrication can get in. Diesel fuel is just a mix of castor, ether and kerosene with some ignition improver in the form of amyl nitrate (just a couple of percent). If that's a DC Sabre then you probably want to use an 8x4 prop and that should give you around 8K-10K RPMs. Also, don't use silicon fuel line... it'll swell up and go horrible -- plastic or Tygon are the only lines to use. (haven't watched to the end of the vid yet so you may have already worked this out).
It's currently turning a 10-4 Bruce, Mark Robinson on his video of running this engine used a 8x6 Master Airscrew prop and got about 750rpm, are you rpm figures correct? Thanks for the tip on the fuel line, I didn't know that, cheers 👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes I suspect that he got 7,500 RPM with an 8x6 a figure of 750 sounds exceedingly low and would produce a propwash speed of less than 4 miles per hour 🙂 At 7,500 RPM the propwash speed is around 40 mph.. Obviously a propwash speed of 4mph wouldn't get the model off the ground :-)
6-inch pitch x 7,500 RPM = 45,000 inches/minute x 60 = 2,700,000 inches/hour / 12 = 225,000 feet per hour / 5280 = 42 miles per hour.
@@xjet It was probably x10 on the read out that I missed, thanks for the answer 🤔👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes The reason many free-flight models used over-sized propellors (for the motor) is in order to get maximum torque. As you probably know, freeflight models are usually trimmed to fly to the left under power and to the right on the glide. The torque of the motor creates the left-turn force when the motor is running and this over-rides the rudder trim that creates the right-hand turn on glide. Since you're going to fit RC you want to use a smaller (probably 8x4) prop so that the motor produces less torque (but more power due to the higher RPMs). This means that the trim won't change so much when the engine stops.
This was my first "radio controlled" model. Single channel rudder only. Rubber band escapement, click and hold for left, click twice and hold for right. "Radio affected" we called it!
@@hefy2jefy Cutting edge technology back then 🙂 She's a lovely flyer on proportional rudder and elevator, thanks for commenting and watching 🙂
Follow along on this journey to get this free flight model back into the skies and radio controlled using the original diesel engine 👍🙂
Any chance you can set it up with a carburetor for throttling?
The DC SABRE was a 1.5 cc diesl engine. they were bullet proof and were reasonably priced for youngsters coming into the hobby. i had two of them in a control line a26 invader great fun starting two crack on
That must have sounded amazing Barry, cheers 👍
Such a joy to see that running. Almost makes me wish I'd kept a couple of the old ones I had. I guess almost losing the end of my left thumb, 4 days in hospital and a stainless steel pin in too hold it together put me off a little. 😢
A sad tale Bob, I'll keep the glove on 👍
Cliff, is this the same Boddington, the brother of Dave Boddington, who built the full scale aircraft for the TV series Flambards? He sent me some digitized photos from the film set, the Elm Park Aerodrome and a few photos of the aircraft he (they) built. He also said that the Bleriot and the Blackburn Monoplane would both fly in ground effect on the aero converted VW engines they used. Sorry to hear of his brother's passing.
I think Andrew Boddington is David's son, Flambards was a great series 👍
The heat gun sorted the engine out sometimes backing off the compression screw once running increases the rpm.
I'll play with it some more Mark before putting it back in, cheers 😁👍
Ah. The sound of a small diesel engine. Enjoy the aroma Cliff. I recon you will be like a kid in a sweet shop with this project.😂
Hi Robert, who knows where it will lead 🙂👍
Good to see you messing about with a diesel there Cliff, seems to be running well, nice one! I would suggest not running from the fuel tin, wouldn't leave the lid off for longer than needed as the ether will evaporate from the fuel. Look forward to seeing it fly!
Thanks Mark, thanks for the Tip about the ether, I didn't know that. By the way when you were running your Sabre I think I mistakenly thought it was running about 750(ish) rpm, was that 7,500 rpm? 👍
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes yes, it was running around 7500 rpm 😀
Cliff this is going to be really interesting watching the Master at work on the Matador, Jeff in LA USA
There's not much to do to it Jeff, it'll be an interesting project 👍
Built one 1n1973 with a sabre 19 diesel and single Chanel regen rc. Then coverted to OS 25 engine and skylleader rc was good fun with rudder and elevator and throttle
Hi Mike, great memory, hopefully mine is as much fun 🙂👍
Great stuff Cliff. Next time put a Tacho on the motor🤠👍🛩️
I agree Wouter, it would definitely help, thanks for watching 👍
Good stuff, Bubs.
Thanks! 🙂
An RC modeling friend here in the States has a PAW .19 RC carbed Diesel, (3.1 cc..?) in his scale Tiger Moth. Was my first exposure to setting up a Diesel and getting it warmed up, compression and mixture tweaked carefully and running. Very demanding amount of time getting just the right level of compression and WOT mixture settings so it wouldn't lose it's fire when throttled down.
The Tiger Moth was normally built for approximately .30 glow engine, but that little diesel certainly spun a decent sized propeller and flew quite well with it. I think it was a 10"X5" which is in the older, crossflow .35 glow engine range.
My experience with older IC model engines was converting a Fox Stunt .36 to a Fuji .29 RC carb, mounted in a Carl Goldberg Falcon 56 which the Fox being a true stunt engine when throttled back to about 2/3rds throttle would reliably four-stroke at cruise, but any loops or any G pulling maneuver would make it "break" into a two cycle like these CL Fox engines were famous for.
Fantastic memories there TF, thanks for sharing 🙂👍
Well done cliff it really ran lovely. I quite like the dc Merlin which Is .75cc I’m restoring an old vic smeed paageboy lets see who can complete there plane first 😂 no but seriously I can’t wait to see how it turns out the matador is a great model.
Sounds great Oliver, silly isn't it but I forgot about the Merlin halfway between the Dart and the Spitfire is your model rc?
@@CliffHarveyRCPlanes it wasn’t but I think I’m give it a rudder and elevator 👍
I had McCoy .049 and .099 diesels as a kid, I think they would start at a high compression setting then back off to run and lean out needle valve to desired running. Burp, Burp!
Cheers Gary 👍
So there is no throttle on a diesel? How much is the diesel fuel
Hi Paul, yes it is possible to throttle a diesel, usually the bigger capacity ones. Cost of fuel? Check out Model Shop Leeds, different sizes for different prices and mixes, but it's not cheap 👍
Another fascinating project! I have what maybe a daft question: How will you achieve control over the engine RPM? Can you finagle it so there will be a servo to operate as a throttle lever? Looking forward to seeing one of the master's models take to the air again. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Hi Andrew, there will be no throttle control, I don't imagine I'll have an excess of speed so not a daft question 🤔👍
Sabre, i have one , Spitfire has a blue barrel
Thanks Mike 👍
I wish Ben Buckle still produced kits( Collin). I really like vic smeed ,boddinton,bill dean , and Albert hatful designs...I think vic may hold a world record of aircraft and boat designs...can any one validate this???
Some big names there Ron, I don't know the answer to your question either. A lot of the designs are still available from other manufacturers of course, DB Sport and Scale for a lot of Boddo's designs in the UK, cheers
Wow. I have never witessed a diesel engine running. We do not have these up here.
Equal wow Gudjon, they've been around for 80 years, perhaps they don't do well in the cold! 😁👍
Gees that’s noisy. will be interesting to see her in the air after some Cliff TLC
It's not noise Chris it's singing 😁👍
Made friends with the neighbours? By the way, did you know that chickens have fingers?
They're digging up the roads around for gas at the moment Nick so no-one heard my little motor. Yes. 😁👍
I always used a chicken stick! 😀
What do your neighbour's think of it??
I'm lucky Stephen they're elderly which means they're hard of hearing 🤔👍