Hello,
I picked up a nice Veco 61, it didn't have a venturi or R/C carb, but came complete with its original silencer. I was checking it over and found made in Germany on the crank case. I did a little digging and found that the engine was made by HB of Germany (H Bernhardt?). I did some more digging and found that they also made the Veco 19. The castings were I believe slightly different, so it wasn't a case of importing castings.
I found a reference to a Veco Europe series 61, in an Aeromodeller Motor Mart  article. Interesting, because it claimed that the 61 was only made in Europe! Obviously, at a later date, the 61 was made in the USA and this became the K&B 61.
Does anyone know about this Veco / HB tie up and did HB design the Veco 61 ? Could it be that Veco were trying to second souce their engines and was their relationship with K&B strained at this period? I believe that Gil Henry could be a trifle awkward at times!
Does anyone know the story behind this German sourcing of Veco engines? If so, I for one would be fascinated to hear it. I have an HB 61 lurking around somewhere, maybe that the Veco 61 was a badge engineered HB? I must find the HB and compare it with the Veco, from what I can remember, the two engines looked very much alike.

Regards,

Andrew.

Hello Brian,
Many Thanks for the Veco61 review. The mention of K&B makes one quite intrigued as to why Veco were negotiating with two different companies at almost the same time. The thing that surprises me is that the two Veco 61s are not the same. I would be interested to obtain A K&B produced Veco and see what differences there were. I also have an HB 61, I am not sure when this was produced, but I suspect it was a later engine than the Veco.
  All in all a very strange tie up of a famous engine company that didn't make engines and an engine company that was to say the least, obscure! If anyone knows any of the backstage wheeler dealing, I would be fascinated to know!

Andrew.

was a write up on the euro Veco 19 , at the time , in Aeromodelor ( Peter Chin ? ) Think it mayve stated the castings were imported & machined in Europe , internals mnfg'd there . Perhaps - would have to find it to check .
mayve been where the perry Carbs first turned up .