They are hypothetically similar, but I have only seen one Stalker that seemed to run properly, and that was last October (a 51, I think). I have seen a large number of them that were virtually unusable, either from too little power, too much power (or at least gigantic venturis that made them useless for stunt) or inconsistency. I know that a some people have had very good results, but I sure haven't seen much of it until recently.
Brett
Brett, I respect your opinion, as do many others on the forum, but I feel I need to correct part of your statement made above.
You've actually seen a lot more Stalkers running good stunt runs, but likely didn't know that it was a Stalker making the run.
All of my planes, for the last 5 or so years, have been powered with Stalker engines.
My Legacy flown at the Regionals, and the Golden State, 5 or 6 years ago is powered with a Stalker .61RE.
My Vector 40 flown at the Regionals, and the Golden state, is powered with a Stalker .40RE.
My All American Eagle, flown for the last 3 years at VSC, the Regionals, and Golden State is also powered with a Stalker .40RE.
My Pathfinder L.E. , also flown last October, at the Golden State is also powered with a Stalker .51 RE as is Gordan's, which you flew.
Allen Resinger in Canada has been flying Stalkers for years now, as are others.
Most of the folks who have had problems with them, would also have similar problems with the Discovery Retro engines.
I get e-mails all the time asking me what I am doing to get the runs I do with mine. The answer is simple, but apparently difficult for some to accept. Start out with FAI fuel, 18% oil with no more than 5% of that oil being castor, use the recommended prop, which means a 6" pitch prop.
If after flying with that setup, you feel you need a little more poop, go up to 5% nitro. More than that, and you should think about lowering the compression.
One Stalker .40RE in particular that I'm familiar with, has been fiddled with so much so high nitro, and low pitch props could be used that it now runs and carries the classic ship it's mounted in OK but it isn't as relieable as it should be. My AAE powered with a stock version of the same engine, carries the plane as well, or perhaps better, and is dead reliable.
One thing that fools some folks is the quiet exhaust note. It fools some into thinking that there's a lack of power.
Gordan thought my planes were under powered until reccently, where he has finally publicly admitted that he was mistaken, and that these engines are underrated.
Now, my only reason for bringing this all to your attention, is that you, my friend, have a considerable amount of respect for your opinions, and well deserved it is, but on this subject, perhaps you weren't aware of all the stalkers you've seen running well, and didn't know it.
As noted by yourself, and others, there are several good rear exhaust engines now availble, but there are only a few non-schnuerle rear exhaust engines available.
Topic: Rear exhaust non-schneurle engines? (Read 1597 times)