Got a question for ya'

[Bootlegger]

 H I posted this question on SSW and wanted to see what would show up here.
 How many of ya'll have had a glow engine start without the battery ?
 Just choke the engine and flip a couple times to distribute the fuel and have the thing start up ? It sure will get your attention...!!

[steve pagano]

what?  is that possible ? 
i would imagine it is if you're flying in the rain,you go to prime the engine and get struck by lightning!!

[Ralph Wenzel (d)]

Wrong Gil,
As I responded on SSW, it was a common occurrence for folks using an ST C.35 Combat Engine with 40% Ro-Go fuel and a Fireball Cold plug. Really exciting the first few times it happened.

[Lee Thiel]

Had it happen a few times on my old rat racers.  Hot engine, hot fuel, quick pit stops I guess.
Lee TGD

[Bill Little]

I have seen it.  Most recently it was one of the Barrys at a contest.  Inverted PAs have been known to do it.

Bill <><

[Peter Nevai]

Had a OS 40fsr that did it a couple times.

[minnesotamodeler]

I saw a ST combat engine do it in the air! Pilot "slapped" the plane in, and as he was gliding around and his pit men were running toward the plane, the engine spontaneously burst back into life and the fight went on!

--Ray

[Tom Niebuhr]

Gil,
It is a pretty common occurance.

Even worse, I have seen people at airports "strighten out" the prop on full size airplanes after they tie the airplane down.. This can be ,and has been, fatal. It has happened inspite of warnings by all aircraft and engine manufacturers. Thankfully is doesn't happen too often..

Whether it be a model or full size, always treat the prop like it is alive!

[Dennis Vander Kuur]

I was pitting for Joe Owen at the Rockford, Illinois contest in 2003. He was prepping his OS .40FP twister for his first official flight. Before signaling the judges, he choked the engine a few turns and then flipped it a couple times (without the glow battery attached), on the second flip it took off running full bore! Good thing I had a firm grip on it. It sure suprised the heck out of both Joe and I. The judges yelled at him that he was supposed to signal them before starting the engine. Joe killed the engine, signaled the judges, restarted the engine, and put in a decent flight.
DennisV

[James Lee]

I had an old Fox light off at VSC on a practice flight with the Hotter n That years ago...   Engine was cool, Choke and flip,flip start....   It is a bit startling!!
And a few years ago the 46 SF in my Pampa plane lit off while flipping after choking....   Worst one was one of the guys in the club who hooked up the battery to his Fast Goodyear with a Rossi 15 and had it spontaneosly light off with out touching the prop...   hit him in the leg...  Several stitches...
Treat them with respect!!  I am now in the habit of ALWAYS having my glove on when flipping the prop.  One never know, do one...   
Jim

[50+AirYears]

It has happened to a couple members of an RC club I belong to.  It's not surprising when you consider that the principal means of ignition in a glow engine is a catalyctic reaction between the platinum in the glow plug element and the methanol in the fuel.  A tight engine with good compression can produce enough heat as the piston approaches top dead center under the correct circumstances without any power being applied to the plug.