Jetco Dolphin engine

[Juan Valentin]

      Would an OS.40FP be to much for a jetco dolphin? I have a kit that I want to build.What engine you guys suggest?Thanks.
                                                                                                                                               Juan

[Dave_Trible]

Juan it probably isn't too much but you would find yourself trying to limit the power.  You can with real low pitch and maybe a small Venturi but I think I'd try to find an older non-schnurle .29 or .35 for both power and weight.  This ship is a great airplane but was designed when an unmuffled Fox .35 was the natural choice for it.  Use something with a muffler and risk being pretty nose heavy.  I built a larger Formula S a few years ago with an FP .40 which worked out well but ran open with no muffler and the airplane wasn't light.  I think a Fox,  green head Torp or McCoy would be a better choice.  If it must be muffled then look at an OS .25 or Enya .25-.30.

Dave

[Bill Little]

Hi Juan,

The best flying Dolphin I have seen was Todd Lee's.  He had a Fox .35 in it, and IIRC he used a tongue muffler.  The Dolphin is a touch smaller than many other popular Classic designs.  I'm afraid the weight and power of the FP would probably not be the best set up.

If I ever get around to building one (I like them!), I will use an L&J Fox .35 I have or an OS .35S.

BIG Bear

[Larry Fernandez]

      Would an OS.40FP be to much for a jetco dolphin? I have a kit that I want to build.What engine you guys suggest?Thanks.
                                                                                                                                               Juan

I've got one framed up now that will have an FP .25.

Dave Fitz  flew one with a Veco .19 that kicked butt.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Ted Fancher]

I've got one framed up now that will have an FP .25.

Dave Fitz  flew one with a Veco .19 that kicked butt.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

Larry,

I knew David's dad Bill had a gorgeous monokoted Dolphin that he flew with the little Veco 19BB.  It was probably the best flying airplane I ever saw Bill fly.  It couldn't have been the one you saw David with 'cause it got caught in its own wake, did sort of a snap roll and rekitted itself.  Bill won a lot of Class A WAM stunt trophies with that little airplane.

I had one back in the mid '60s that had a Johnson .35 in it and, in retrospect, it was way more engine than the airplane needed.  I took it along with a modified oversized Ares to the 1967 Nats and there are pictures of both airplanes on my FB page along side Lew McFarland's Shark and his (I assume) original Dolphin.  I might try to dig that picture up and post it.

Ted

[Juan Valentin]

Hello
          Thanks fot the advice to all and the offer to post pics. I looked at the Enya ss30s and would like to know who carries the engine to look at the price. I like that its light and powerful, are they hard to break in?
                                                                                                                                       Juan

[Dave_Trible]

Check with Randy Smith first.  Or order straight from Enya on line.  These are fit VERY close.  It will need an hour plus on the bench with good oily fuel.  Run an easy two cycle on a pretty small light prop to keep the thing cool.  You'll likely use a 9" flight prop with that so I'd break it in on an 8-5,6 wood prop.  On my ss40 I'm still needing more bench time after about 1 1/2 hours.  Once done and with 50/50 oils I don't think I nor a couple generations after me will be able to wear it out.

Dave

[Steve Thomas]

I wouldn't use a 9" prop with an SS30 unless you want to fly fast.  A 9.5 x 6 is ok but still fairly brisk, and a 10.5 x 4.5 seems about perfect. 

My experience is that an hour's worth of 3-minute heat-cycling runs should be fine for break-in. Mine's got quite a lot of time on it now, but still starts and runs perfectly, with no detectable wear.  As Dave says, you'd have a hard time wearing one out.

[Randy Cuberly]

One caution.  I've had several Jetco kits over the years, and none of them had anything like 4-6 lb balsa in them.  Most of the Jetco kits tend to build very heavy unless a lot of wood is substituted.  I personally witnessed one Jetco Dolphin that was 59 oz with a Fox 35 that wasn't finished with a lot of paint!  This is a smallish airplane I think well under 500 squares.
No the 59 oz one didn't fly very well.
On the other hand built fairly light (I would try for under 40 oz, and it shouldn't be that hard with good wood), I would use the ubiquitous Fox35...It's probably one of the few airplanes I would really recommend that engine for.

Randy Cuberly

[Balsa Butcher]

Bob Brooks who does business as shtterman / The Control Line Store on E-Bay is another good source for Enya engines and parts. I have found him a reliable vendor with reasonable prices.

[Dennis Moritz]

Why not an LA25.

[wwwarbird]

One caution.  I've had several Jetco kits over the years, and none of them had anything like 4-6 lb balsa in them.  Most of the Jetco kits tend to build very heavy unless a lot of wood is substituted. 
Randy Cuberly

 Excellent point there Randy.

 Juan,

 Take a good look at the wood if yours is a Jetco kit version. I had an original Jetco Dolphin kit given to me years ago and I never bothered building it because all of the wood was super hard and very heavy. My kit sat on the shelf for years and then I ended up stealing the ribs out of it to build my original design "Old Fokker" model. I believe the rest of the wood went to the landfill, it was already well on it's way to being petrified.

[Juan Valentin]

  Well Guys the engine is going to be the Enya SS.30S. I called Randy and he didn`t have it available so I went to ebay and bought one from shatterman.Thanks for the replys.
                                                                                                                        Juan

[James C. Johnson]

The Dolphin is a great flying design... word of warning... they build heavy. I saw one at VSC in 2001 that weighed 48 oz... mine came in at 43 oz.. If you can get it down to 38-40 a Fox 29-35 will be perfect.. I used an OS Max S 35 with the Streamline Muffler.. covered with silkspan & dope... scored my first 40 point maneuver with it... P Walker gave me a 39 on my landing... this plane likes to fly a bit faster ..say 5 sec laps, I used 60 ft lines eye to eye.. and a Super M TF prop. I want build another but make it in the 600 sq/in range ... Also build it with a removable tank... and without the cowl.. the cowl is a PIA... I am still wondering how I could build this plane at 43 oz and build a Humungous at 42 oz... another great engine that no one runs is the Enya 29... it puts out as much or more than a Fox 35..  If you get the square venturi one run the #1 or 2 venturi.. I have run the #3 but used a piece of balsa to "constrict it" .. The McCoy RH 29-35 would be great but it too but likes 36-38 oz MAX... I have run a stock FP 25 and wasn't that happy with the runs... but that is just me.. 

Don't underestimate the Veco 19... oz for oz this is a kick butt engine, try to get one with the newer stock muffler ... just fly on shorter lines ...

Did I mention they build heavy....

[Allan Perret]

Brodak 25.

[STEPHEN DINERMAN]

the jetco dolphin is still being produced. i have a kit.it is all laser cut,the wood looks pretty good,it includes wheels and controle system.i will throw away the controle horns they are plastic; the kit is manufactured by shive specialties.the old pennvalley hobby shop.email
pvhchobby@Verizon,net,  steve

[Randy Cuberly]

the jetco dolphin is still being produced. i have a kit.it is all laser cut,the wood looks pretty good,it includes wheels and controle system.i will throw away the controle horns they are plastic; the kit is manufactured by shive specialties.the old pennvalley hobby shop.email
pvhchobby@Verizon,net,  steve

Yes but is that what Juan has or is it one of the old Jetco kits?

Juan?

Randy Cuberly