Hi Dan,
I have a Firebaby with an OK .049X on it and it flies great, just like the one I had as a kid .

My stash of engines has 3 Firecrackers in it. How about a trade for that Atwood Wasp you have?

I also have a Bonanza kit and could make tracings of that for you if you want and I too am looking for tracings of the Fire Bee. My goal was to get the Firecrackers along with a Fire Bee so that I could replicate the Sabre Dance hovering maneuver. A few years ago, Frank Macey sent me the instructions as to how to rig the Bee for the maneuver.

The rubber pneumatic throttle parts for the Firecracker are impossible to find  in usable condition. I was going to make some replicas but still haven't gotten to it.

Orv.

Hi Dennis,
The Firecracker indeed is a Spitfire .065 but specially made for Walker. The crankcase has Jim Walker embossed on the side opposite the exhaust. They were available with and without the throttle. Of course, to make the Fire Bee sabre dance, you need the throttle and it (the throttle) actually works quite well.

Orv.

Actually, that squeeze bulb system worked very well as long as there were no leaks in the system. It was sensitive and accurate enough to allow the Fire Bee to hover in a vertical attitude. Tail sliding and gaining altitude in this attitude was possible with lots of practice. You had to pressurize the line to go to high throttle, if you let go of the bulb, the engine would go to low speed. When you were ready to fly, you would leave the control handle at the center of the circle and bring the bulb and air line to the plane. You would put the bulb under one knee to squeeze it to open the throttle to start the engine. After the engine started and was adjusted, you would release the pressure and the engine would go to low speed. With some planning like chocking the nose wheel, the plane would sit there until you picked up the control handle and gave her a squeeze to take off. No stooge was needed. You could land, taxi and take off again. I can't wait until I get my system operational, should be fun.

Orv.

History and pictures of the FireBee

http://www.americanjuniorclassics.com/Firebee/firebee_gallery.html

         

I had alway wanted the Firebee, but by the time I got the money together I was into other bigger planes.