Dave Slagles Nat's engine flying again

[Ara Dedekian]

         I've been slowly restoring the spark ignition engines that were given to me by Dave Slagle. They came in a box of bits and pieces that he'd kept since his Walker Cup days. The Super Cyclone below was somewhat intact and according to the best of Dave's recollections, was used in his 1946,47 or 48 wins, but couldn't remember which year or the plane it was mounted in. I got help in sorting and assembling the correct parts from the Ignition Engine section over on the RC Groups forum. One of the Super Cyclones in the batch was apparently a prototype with a split case that none of the collectors had seen before. Dave used to get prototypes from Atwood, Anderson, etc. to try out.

         It's been flown once so far, straight and level, and worked like a brand new engine. The Taurus has a uniflow 3-1/2oz tank which gave an 8 minute 45 sec run. The ignition system is Floyd's transistorized circuit with a 3.7 volt LiPo. We were grounded the day the picture was taken by 20 mph winds so I haven't tried any basic maneuvers yet.

         Kind of exciting; for me anyway,

         Ara

[Dan McEntee]

  Oh yeah! That is kind of exciting!!   I did not know for sure that he flew the same airplane for all three NATS, but one of them at least was the Checklaroma, was it not. I'll have to see if I can find anything on it.  Great work Ara!
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Dane Martin]

Wow! What an engine. Beautiful model you got it in there, too. Very exciting, regardless of any maneuvering. I'd watch it go around all day!

[Jim Kraft]

The Taurus is probably my most fun plane. It started with a Fox 59, then an Anderson Spitfire. In between it has been flown with an Atwood 63, a Super Cyclone, and it has an Orwick in it now.

You did a really nice job on it and I am glad to see someone else getting into ignition. There seems to be only a handful of us left.

[gene poremba]

 Great story! Good job Ara. Nice to see the interest in the old time equipment.....Gene

[FLOYD CARTER]

Here's another vote for the venerable TAURUS.  Mine sports the Anderson Spitfire.

[FLOYD CARTER]

No. No end in sight.

I'm just 86.  I figure another 20 good years to finish everything I have planned.

[Dennis Leonhardi]

Floyd is there no end to the cool planes you've built.

 


Dennis

[Ara Dedekian]

      Quadcopters are good for some things?

      Ara

[FLOYD CARTER]

Ara.  Just reminded me.  I probably watched your "Slagle" Super Cyke run.  Dave and his parents were frequent visitors to our flying field in South Gate, CA  (L.A. County).
About 1948 (probably), the Slagle clan would show up, and Davie flew his stunter.  Don't remember which plane, but it was a Super Cyke for sure.  In 1948 I was 14, and struggling to learn some basic C/L maneuvers.  I think Slagle was a bit younger.