I remember getting this engine years ago, the receipt which I still have in the box suggests I bought it in 1989 from Bagnalls Models. Shortly after getting it I went off to University and gave up the hobby, as such I dont think it ever flew.

I retrieved it from a shed at my parents place some years ago now, noticing when I got it out of the box that it was very much seized up! Recently I’ve got the bug to go for my A certificate and plan on doing it with a Wot4, so I thought this little engine, if I could make it work again would be the perfect motor to stick up the front.

Of course there was the matter that it wouldn’t turn over to worry about, but why should a little thing like that stop me! I took the cylinder head and the rear crank case cover off and soaked it in a lot of WD40, after a few hours I put a prop on it and gave it a good shove, sure enough the thing turned over! It seemed free enough, without any resistance, so I mounted it on my test stand, set it quite rich and gave it a prime or 3. Amazingly enough, second flick after attaching the glow plug to the battery it fired! I let it run rich for a little while, then leaned it out and now it seems fine. You would never know it has sat seized up for so long.

Some pics of the first run

Video of the first run

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