Fox 46 ABC BB or 45 BB?

[Frederick Fielder]

I need some advise from Fox users on which of the Fox engines (.45 or .46) would be best for control line planes.
Thanks.
Frederick

[Phil Bare]

Frederick, I personely would go with the Fox .45 BB CL.....But then, that is a matter of personel preferences being as how I do not care much for ABC engines no matter who they are made by....and I also think that the .45 BB CL will be more durable and user friendly......Just one opinion.........Phil, Modeler for a half a hundred years...

[Alan Hahn]

Frederick,
I may be wrong here, but I do not think these two engines are very popular at all in CL. I think they are pretty powerful, but to runn them in CL, you would either need to get them re-worked, or possibly try to run them in the low-pitch prop/high rpm mode. If you did that, you would probably be talking about putting them in a 60 size CL model.
Agian, I might be wrong here.

[john e. holliday]

I have the Fox 45 BB on the Jumbo I built last year.  Still looking for props to slow it down to 5.3 laps.  The engine starts easily for me and is easy to adjust.  It is heavier than some 45  size engines.  DOC Holliday

[Frederick Fielder]

Thanks Phil, Alan, and DOC Holliday for your advice.
Frederick

[L0U CRANE]

Frederick,

Both engines are in the older large case, right?

In the 1980's I campaigned their grand-daddy, the big-case 40 BB Schneurle. I found that tank position was critical, and unconventional... Once 'tank height' was settled, the engine ran just fine in low-2 cycle mode with muffler pressure. 11-4 or 12-4 props, 10% nitro fuel. 20-25% oil (I used all or mostly castor, but as a Dykes-ringed, BB engine it could probably do as well or better on today's standard 10/22(50/50) blends.)

Couple of other tricks made it a fuel-efficient and smoother running engine - which may not be needed for the recent 45/46 engines - and it lasted for 450-600 flights, with some left over: the plane broke, not the engine!

Yeah, they are heavier, and the mount pattern is unusual, but they are good, solid and durable engines. It just takes a while to dial in the tank height, prop, plug and fuel. Once you've got that, it's a set and forget, long-lasting situation.

If you have either one, make sure there's plenty of room to jack the tank around, and spend the time to nail where it should be. After those 5 to 10 flights (at most - OR use my patent pending wing wig-wag check for getting it right before first flight...), playing with prop and plug will only refine a fine set-up.

If you DON'T have either engine, it IS simpler to go 46LA-S of the equivalent, and probably less expensive. But, then, where's the challenge???

[Frederick Fielder]

Lou,
Thanks for the good advise. Presently I have a test stand designed for side mounted engines where the tank position can be changed by fractions until the proper location is determined.
Frederick