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Author Topic: Arden 09 glow flat hex head  (Read 10751 times)

Offline David Norrid

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Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« on: August 06, 2024, 04:01:35 PM »
I recently got this Arden engine in a parts lot. After cleaning and freeing it up I got it to run on 5%nitro with 28% castor oil. I can’t find anything like it on the internet. I want to build a plane of its same vintage but I don’t know when it was made. Can anyone help. The back plate has 09 in the casting and Arden on the engine itself. Any help or history would be appreciated. Maybe the head is homemade. That’s the odd part

Offline Dan McEntee

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2024, 10:50:02 PM »
   And it has an Arden glow plug in it!!! Did you use that plug to run it? Those were the first glow plugs invented by Ray Arden ( I think that was his name!!?) Most guys do not want to run theirs on a model because of the magnesium cases. They get very brittle with ageNot very common, and a collectors piece.
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee
AMA 28784
EAA  1038824
AMA 480405 (American Motorcyclist Association)

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2024, 06:22:33 PM »
Here is the way I look at it. I am a builder by trade so it’s different. I’m not a collector. I bring things back to life. I am sure there is a perfect one in Muncie that people can see. It was made to fly. If it can fly in 2024 I am sure Ray Arden is in heaven with a big smile on his face. It will only fly once and live on the plane. Back to the question, which is why I posted here. Got any suggestion for the airplane for this guy???

Offline Dan McEntee

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2024, 07:38:26 PM »
   Did you happen to tach the run that you did on a test stand? I imagine that it's not a huge power house by today's standards but better than the small ignition engines of the time, maybe even the O&R engines that are larger. You want a control line design or a free flight model?  for C/L , look at any of the designs for .15 power, and build those lighter or reduced in size a bit. The Ringmaster Jr, Flite Streak Jr., SIG Akromaster, to name a few. Brodak has some smaller models in the Clown series and some older Sterling profiles also.  Some of the smaller Veco and Joe Wagner designs that are near 30" in span and could be built light might be candidates. For free flight, Midwest made an .049 powered version of the Sniffer that is a classic, cool looking old bird. Lots of old PaaLoad event models that are in that size range and sport landing gear for an R.O.G. take off would be fun also. Surf and search the Outerzone plans site for an almost endless choice in either. I don't recall any kits that were specifically for the .09 size engines, so you just have to fell your way through some of these.

   If you get to the AMA museum, you'll probably notice that the samples from the Arden line that they have may not look better than yours does. Magnesium does not age like aluminum does and gets dark. even when brand new they are kind of dull looking, not very attractive. There may have been other brands that produced engines in magnesium, but I'm not familiar with them. That makes it hard to compare them to anything else.

  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee
AMA 28784
EAA  1038824
AMA 480405 (American Motorcyclist Association)

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2024, 07:19:02 AM »
Thanks. I will start the search on outerzone for a control line plane.  When I tested the engine all I had was a 7 x 6 prop to put on it which is pretty steep for that engine. It was turning around 6500 rpm with 5% nitro and 28% castor oil.   It is very loud but I live in the sticks so it doesn’t matter. Thanks

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2024, 07:21:16 AM »
My next project is for a Forster 29 I got in a junk lot. I know it will start. Lots of compression.

Offline Dan McEntee

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2024, 08:41:27 AM »
Thanks. I will start the search on outerzone for a control line plane.  When I tested the engine all I had was a 7 x 6 prop to put on it which is pretty steep for that engine. It was turning around 6500 rpm with 5% nitro and 28% castor oil.   It is very loud but I live in the sticks so it doesn’t matter. Thanks


       For a prop, I wouldn't go much more than 5" pitch, and 7 to 8 inch diameter. When you get to the Forster, they are pretty similar to a Fox .29, maybe a bit less power. It will inform the neighbors in the next county that it is running also!!

     Have fun,
    Dan McEntee
AMA 28784
EAA  1038824
AMA 480405 (American Motorcyclist Association)

Offline Robert Zambelli

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2024, 05:30:33 PM »
David: I have quite a few Arden engine but I've never seen that head configuration.

They did indeed make a number of configurations as seen in the photo.

From top left clockwise:
1) .099 with tank, spark ignition
2) .099 glow, no tank
3) .099 glow with tank
(All .099s are plain bearing)
4) .199 missing tank, spark ignition, ball bearing.
All these are magnesium but somewhere I have one cast in aluminum.

I plan to build another Wee Duper Zilch and power it with engine number 2.

Bob Z.



Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2024, 03:16:10 AM »
That is cool.  The second engine is almost the same.  Yours has that little tube on the venturi which mine could have had and someone removed it.  Mine ran fine without it.  Mine has that funny head as you mentioned and I did lots of research and found alot of pictures but never saw a head like mine.  Thats why I was thinking it was maybe home made as it is fairly crude being a big hex "nut" with a hole in the middle.  Although its not an old design, I decided to build a buster like sig made.  I wanted a solid wood wing and that airplane fits the 09.  I will post when I get it done.  My work is nothing like some of these guys can do but I am not a patient man and when it gets down to the end finishing I just seem to want the model off my work table.  You should post yours too.  Thanks for your input.

Offline Robert Zambelli

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2024, 06:31:31 AM »
David - let's see some photos of your Forster 29.

They made a number of versions of it.
I can post some photos of mine if you wish.

Bob Z.

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2024, 07:10:05 AM »
Here is the Forster 29 and what spare parts I have. I looked it up and I think it was made sometime between 1940 and 45. I think I am missing the cover on the front of the engine where the crank goes out the front but I don’t think it was needed and the last owner must have removed it. It has one of the mount holes broke off but I can drill another hole just behind it. I haven’t bench tested it but maybe I will this weekend. The last picture is the finished buster with the Arden 09. I also had an old Dawson brass tank I been waiting to put on something.

Offline Robert Zambelli

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2024, 03:07:08 PM »
David - from what I can see, you have a very early version of the Forster 29.

The slant cut intake and tank are the indicators. Only available in spark ignition.
The second version had no tank. Both versions had teardrop shaped exhaust stack.

After that came the slanted intake - no tank, initially spark ignition and finally glow. Rectangular exhaust stack.

Finally, the front intake, both .29 and .31 - as far as I know, all glow. All with serial numbers stamped on the front of the exhaust stack.

They also made a .79 and .99, both spark.

I will post photos soon.

Bob Z.

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2024, 05:10:30 PM »
I have decided to build this model for the Forster. It’s about 5 or so years newer than the engine but based on the factory tank that was mounted to the engine it was a FF engine.  Do any of you all have experience with this design. It had two magazine article supplements on OZ so it must have been somewhat popular. I have removed the factory tank and put it in safe keeping and plan on mounting a 2 oz tank. Short flight but I think about right for a 70+ year old engine.

Offline Robert Zambelli

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2024, 07:49:03 AM »
That combination should work well.
The Forster engines were a bit down on power compared to other 29s of the same period but they're still fine engines.
See if you can find a timer and coil so that you can run it on spark ignition.
Quite reliable when properly set up and you can run it on gasoline - you'll need approximately one third the amount of fuel.
But, with spark ignition, glow fuel works just fine.

Bob Z.

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #14 on: August 29, 2024, 07:12:43 AM »
Hi Bob.  I took your advice and went down the rabbit hole on the spark ignition.  My engine was missing the points so I went searching.  I got lucky and found this forster 29 on ebay for parts and they said it was locked up.  After a night in solvent it freed right up and has good compression.  I think it has not been disassembled and shows to be all original where as the other engine I had may have parts from different years.  The back plate has no reinforcing ribs which should make it a 1940 model.  I am going to us the "new" engine.   I read an article on adrians model engine website and found I could get the condenser and coil from Larry Davidson.  That is on order as well as an extra spark plug.  Thanks for the idea of the spark ignition.  I am really looking forward to testing the engine and flying it on The Defender Airplane.

Offline David Norrid

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Re: Arden 09 glow flat hex head
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2024, 10:26:46 AM »
I finished the forster 29 spark ignition project last weekend.  I got it running saturday on the bench.  I would post video but its too big.  Anyway, here are a couple pictures of the finished model.  I got the plans from outer zone.  The name of the plane is defender.  Its from the 40s as well so it makes the finished product somewhat period correct.  I had to make some modifications to fit the forster engine with the tank in the back and also have a place to put the battery, coil, and solid state ignition.  Looking forward to flying it.


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