For the OTS Folks.....

[Skip Chernoff]

So I'm out at the field and Danny Banjock is bench running an Anderson Spitfire for some OTS biplanes he's working on this year. Well I'm working on some OTS stuff with a Spitfire as well. So as we're watching from the peanut gallery we all agree that the Spitfire has got to be one of the loudest most obnoxious sounding model airplane engines we've ever heard.

Once home, I pulled out an old flow thru muffler I used back in the day on my R/C Pattern planes.Could this fine muffler be adapted to the Spitfire? How might it work?

I called my life long pal (a master machinist) Peter Nuskey. I asked,Pete would you please make an adapter to fit this muffler to the Spitfire? Look at the pictures attached. He did a fine job. I'm hoping it will take some bark out of this beast......Cheers,PhillySkip
 

[Jim Kraft]

That is why they call them Spitfires. Fire makes noise. LOL. Those old flow through mufflers worked pretty good back in the day in R/C Pattern. Ran them on Enya and Webra 60's. Should reduce the noise. 

I modified a Fox 35 tongue muffler for my Super Cyclone. It helped. But I should have just drilled more holes and left them smaller I think.

[Skip Chernoff]

Great minds think alike! Today I'm going to cut into the bottom of my Super Duper Zilch to create access hatches for the ignition electrical stuff and wiring. The plane was originally built for glow. Can't wait to get this done and out to the field. I'm hoping the muffler doesn't rob too much power.......Skip

[FLOYD CARTER]

A muffler for the Anderson Spitfire is a good idea.  These engines were not intended to be used with a muffler.  I tried a tube muffler on an Orwick 64, but the muffler caused overheating, even after I removed the internal baffle.  Carefully monitor engine temperature using a muffler, and avoid any lean runs. 

These engines are noisy.  I always carry a set of ear muffs for my pit crew when flying ignition engines.

[Jim Kraft]

Would you speak up a little Floyd, and can't hear you.

[Dennis Toth]

Skip,
The adapter looks great. One thing to watch is the temperature if you run gasoline based fuel (it is also one of the things that make them so loud). You would be OK with low nitro glow fuel or if you use E85 as the base fuel.

Best,    DennisT

[Skip Chernoff]

I probably run it on alky and castor if my tank will let me get thru the pattern.

[Jim Kraft]

I have wondered about that. It looks like ethanol to air is between gasoline and methanol. Should work OK. Guess I am going to have to try it. The only thing I would worry about is the additives they add to it. I have been running stove fuel for that reason. E85 should run shorter than all gasoline, but longer than methanol. And it should mix fine with the Walmart Super Tech 2 stroke oil I use for lube.

Has anyone had any experience running it?

[FLOYD CARTER]

What do you think is in pump gasoline that would harm a model engine?  Cars have aluminum and plastic engine parts.  We were cautioned to avoid auto gas back when it had lead.  But no more lead.  A gallon of Coleman lasts a very long time, and naptha and oil will give the longest run per ounce of fuel.

(If you think you need more horsepower, get a bigger engine!)

[Jim Kraft]

Not saying it would Floyd. But I do know that at the tank farm for the oil company I use to work for, who ever came in to get gas or diesel we added their own additives. The only reason I could think of using E85 would be for run time. Stove fuel is hard to get the right amount in the tank for the old time pattern. Maybe I am the only one that has that problem. And those who are using methanol sometimes do not have room for a larger tank. If E85 would work it would just give us another option between methanol and gasoline. And still a reasonably inexpensive option at that.