Author Topic: AP Wasp rumor (Read 3514 times)

Larry Renger · « **on:** June 16, 2009, 09:11:42 AM »

There is a rumor going around that the AP Wasp will be discontinued. Anyone have hard information either way? This would be a major bummer in my book!

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2009, 04:04:50 PM »

SURELY not...we need a reliable source of 1/2A engines. Besides E-bay.

"Tell me it ain't so, Joe!"

Robert McHam · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2009, 05:38:14 PM »

One of the big online hitters that carried AP engines no longer does. That would be Tower Hobbies. Go to Tower and search.
Hobby People seems to be the only large online outlet. You can still find them online but fewer places stock them. I have a feeling the 09 Hornet by AP is not far behind.
Global Hobbies is (was?) the distributor for these engines. http://ap.globalhobby.com/ The page does not even mention the Wasp.
I will not support any rumor but I can find little to deny it.

Robert

Bill Adair · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2009, 06:03:01 PM »

Look under Quick Links, Product listing, and all the AP engines are listed.

http://www.globalhobby.com/public/products/eng2s01.asp

The rumor may be true, but at least they are still listed by Global.

Bill

john e. holliday · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2009, 08:54:01 AM »

What is wrong with the little Brodak .049 & .061? As soon as the fuel tank is mounted I will be flying a Baby Flite Streak with the .049. DOC Holliday

Larry Renger · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2009, 10:05:05 AM »

The head design is what is wrong with the Brodak engines. When you shell out $25 for the Nelson head they are fine. But at $60 or so for the engine and $25 for a decent head, you are out rather a bit more than the $50 for an AP Wasp. Yes, I am designing what will likely be a $25 retrofit venturi system for the AP, but if you seal and lock the stock carb it works fine. (See above for the fixes) And the Wasp is on sale frequently for as little as $30! Hmm, $55 for sale and venturi, vs $85, let me think.....

Finally, the Wasp is a screamer AND features a bronze bushed crankcase. I have flown extensively with the Brodak .049, but not the .061, I admit. My money is on the Wasp, and will be devistated if it fades away.

Robert McHam · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2009, 11:28:56 AM »

Bill, thanks for the additional info on Global's site.

For now, There are plenty of the Wasps still around and aren't hard to find. Get all you want!

As for the Brodak engine, Seems if they know about the lame head design, they could go with a Nelson style head for future engines thus making it much more of a powerhouse and more desirable!

I think If I were to take on the task of a bringing new engine to market, I would go with a head that would interchange with the Cox head. There are plenty of choices for replacements now and very good ones at that. The Merlin plugs have really caught my attention and though I have not tried one yet, I have heard much good about them.

Financially, this could be a massive burden for a redesign for the Brodak engine but in the long run from what they would gain by doing this outweighs , in my opinion, trying to sell a product that that they know could be better.

Robert

Bob Furr · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2009, 12:45:20 PM »

Robert,
One more plus with an engine that could take a glow head that fits the Cox motors would be one more manufacturer for all of us to go to when we need a new glow head for our old motors...
Bob Furr

Robert McHam · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2009, 04:54:11 PM »

I sort of just came off the wall with that statement but mean what I said.
Bob, that is another good was reason for doing so.

The guy in Canada that bought up a lot of the old Cox inventory has been talking about gearing up production for a number of the Cox parts including the glow heads. There is another mfg. that is already producing a new glow plug replacement that works like the Norvel and the plug is a high compression relpacement for the Cox engines. Called Merlin, I am about to buy some of these and try them myself. Website is here: http://www.merlinglowplugs.biz/

All, of this will work together for replacement glow plugs for the already existing Norvel, Cox, AP engines. I think that the Brodak engine could benefit by using a like head.

Robert

john e. holliday · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2009, 07:27:10 AM »

I have been using the Galbreath heads and the Mecoa heads on my Cox engines. The Galbreath head uses Nelson plugs which last a very long time, even in Mouse racing. The Mecoa heads are great for sport flying as they use the regular glow plugs. You have to get head for either long reach or short reach. Make sure you have head shims to adjust the compression. DOC Holliday

Bill Adair · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2009, 02:12:56 PM »

Robert,

My understanding, is that the original Brodak .049 does take a Cox, Galbreath, and Norvel head. The Brodak MK II .049 does not.

Bill

Bill Barber · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2009, 03:23:58 PM »

The Brodak Mk 1 uses a regular glow plug , it does not use Cox style glow head . I have two of them and have switched
to a Nelson head with his larger glow plug , power is much improved .
Bill

Bill Adair · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2009, 08:33:18 PM »

Bill,

That's right, but any .049/.061 cylinder that takes the Galbreath head/Nelson plug combination should also accept a Cox glow head, a Norvel head, and (as I recently found out from Larry Renger) an AP Wasp head. Include Merlin in that group as well.

That's one standardization we can attribute to the Russian designers of Norvel engines. They wisely adopted the Cox head threads, in an otherwise metric engine.

I'm not sure why the Brodak MK II .049 designers chose to deviate, because they got it right with the MK I, but didn't follow through with the MK II.

Bill

Bill Barber · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2009, 08:54:56 PM »

Bill ,the Brodak Mk 1 does not take the Galbreath head it takes the Nelson head, which is completely different .
I know because I have Galbreath heads on my mouse motors , they are not interchangeable . I wish they were .
Bill Barber

Bill Adair · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2009, 09:31:39 PM »

Bill,

Learn something new every day, but then I forget most of it before the day is over.

Bill

Bill Barber · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2009, 10:21:15 PM »

Bill, I found one good thing about my alzheimer's , I keep meeting new people .

Bill

George · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2009, 05:53:50 AM »

Merlin lists a Globee type plug with the flat element. Anyone know if this is the 1/4"x32 version or the one for the Cox head adapter?

George

Larry Renger · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2009, 08:52:33 AM »

Neither the Mk1 or Mk2 can take a good head directly. The Mk 1 has two possible fixes. The cheap one is to drill out the plug hole with an "R" drill and use it as a clamp for a Norvel style glowhead. The better solution, as mentioned above is to get the Nelson head for the engine. I know of NO fixes possible for the Mk2 as the head screws on and fits down into the cylinder. Perhaps it could be welded up and re-drilled for Turbo or Nelson plugs.

Bill Barber · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2009, 10:32:02 AM »

Larry , we never did substantiate your rumor about the wasp being discontinued .
Bill

Larry Renger · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2009, 11:28:29 AM »

True. I need to call Mike G.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2009, 07:50:07 AM »

The early Glo-Bees that I still have a couple of were for use in the standard glo plug hole of Super Tigres, K&B's and Fox's. DOC Holliday

Joey Mathison 9806 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 21, 2009, 07:43:53 AM »

Quote from: George Bain on June 19, 2009, 05:53:50 AM

Merlin lists a Globee type plug with the flat element. Anyone know if this is the 1/4"x32 version or the one for the Cox head adapter?

George

merlin plugs of the flat coil that i have are the 1/4- 32 std. also a flat coil glow bee style in turbo. and now he is making nelson replacements.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #22 on:** June 22, 2009, 04:47:41 PM »

I checked in with Mark, the manager at my local Hobby People, and he went on his computer at the store. Apparantly they mark items in inventory that are to be discontinued, and the Wasp is not so marked. There are 40 of them in the warehouse, currently, so get 'em while they're hot!

Robert McHam · « **Reply #23 on:** June 22, 2009, 06:19:17 PM »

Larry, that is good news to hear.

Robert

Larry Renger · « **Reply #24 on:** June 30, 2009, 11:26:27 PM »

Since I haven't been able to find my card for Mike Greenshields, Eric Rule called the headquarters and enquired about Wasp status. We are green, dudes. They are just placing an order for another batch of engines!

jim gilmore · « **Reply #25 on:** June 30, 2009, 11:41:56 PM »

Green ? Ok so they plan to keep making the ap wasp you mean.. sorry if I'm a little dense...

Pinecone · « **Reply #26 on:** July 09, 2009, 04:39:35 PM »

The Merlin adaptor is for their insert. They were giving them away if you bought several plugs at Toledo. I picked up some plugs and the adaptor.

K&B (MECOA) is making Standard compression Cox glow heads. The site says High Compression coming soon, last time I looked.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #27 on:** July 09, 2009, 11:45:32 PM »

Tell us more about this Merlin adapter for turbo plugs. What does it fit? I don't recall seeing it on their website.

I now have both the MECOA (marketed as K&B) and the Merlin versions of the Norvel style glowhead. Once I finish carb testing, I'll do some head testing. Anyone have a good source for fresh head gaskets? I re-use what I have, but they really should be replaced frequently whenever you remove the head.

Robert McHam · « **Reply #28 on:** July 10, 2009, 01:37:23 AM »

Larry, the Merlin is like the AP and Norvel. It is an insert.
They also sell a clamp ring for use on the Cox engines.

The insert is a drop in replacement for Norvel and AP .061. At half the price of the AP insert.

2019 is the plug insert $4.95
2019A gets you 3 inserts plus a clamp ring $14.95
2020 is the clamp ring only A mere $3.00

Robert

Pinecone · « **Reply #29 on:** July 10, 2009, 11:25:22 AM »

I fixed the previous post.

I bought some Merlin Turbo plugs for some Valentine heads I have.

Merlin also now makes an insert like the Norvel buttons. And the clamp ring to use them on any engine that uses the Cox thread. It sounds like the same deal, buy 3 inserts and they will give you the adapter ring free.

Robert McHam · « **Reply #30 on:** July 11, 2009, 11:06:16 PM »

I thought I had these images stored somewhere...

Robert