jeff2wings Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 So over the last couple of years I have been buying the odd Merco or nine ! And this is my most recent purchase . as you can see it's a mid 70's 49 marine engine with the plastic bodied carb of dubious reputation,it is in good condition just needs a strip&clean and converting to aero spec,I had a propdriver to hand so just need to make a finned jacket . found a large lump of alli and made a much smaller one and there you go,just needs a clean and new bearings . future projects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 What was the thinking behind the twin plugs? My first glow motor of any size was an old Merco 35 that had been well abused by its previous owner. Merco had a factory in Walthamstow, NE London back in the early 80s and they fixed the motor up for me by stripping the engine and giving the liner a hone while I waited. No charge either - just a nice chap running the place on his own IIRC who wanted to help me out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 I passed my A Cerificate with a Merco 35 in a Telemaster 66 so I've always had a soft spot for them. I had a Merco 61 in a Senior Telemaster which I restored from a basket case. I liked the metal carburettors. I had another Merco 35 in a Super 60. It was alright at my club's flying field where we had a well-mown patch and a tarmac runway but at the Cocklebarrow vintage event it struggled to get the Super 60 into the air due to the less than billiard table-smooth patch! The lads gave me a cheer once it eventually struggled into the air! Bizzarely enough it was quite fast in flight. I replaced the Merco with an OS fourstroke. I don't think I've got any Mercos anymore. Won't go out of my way to buy another. Edited By David Davis on 28/01/2018 06:02:51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 A review ( in Aeromodeller by Peter Chinn I think) called Merco 49 or 61 " the Rolls Royce of model engines" or something similar. Of course RR changed hands too so may not be the same as they used to be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff2wings Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 Ever heard of Loctite Percy ? The idea for the twin plugs was to improve combustion efficiency with a faster flame front ,this twin plug ignition was used by race car and aero engine makers pre-war i.e Wright Cyclone R 1820,however I don't think it will have much effect on an engine of this size and Peter Chinn did comment at the time of it's introduction ,it was more to do with fashion as other makers were using them.As a point of interest Saito use twin plug heads on their large multi-cylinder glow engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff2wings Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 Anyway, here's my next project,a conversion to spark ignition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Putley 1 Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Hello, Percy. Yes, until the schnuerle ported motors came along the .61 was the top motor. As you say, they could certainly swing a large prop. I had a twin plug, fitted with Kavan carb, installed in a vintage Mercury IV. To achieve high static thrust for what was a very slow flying aircraft I propped it with a Punctillo 18x4 propellor. At tick over you could virtually count the blades. I had a .35 fitted in a super 60. Nice enough motor, but gutless and very thirsty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Shortly after I started flying RC (using diesel engines) I wanted a bigger motor for my next model but was recently married with a new son so cash was tight. My friend Paul, who was a bit of a wheeler dealer said I know where there is a cheap Merco .35 for sale are you interested, naturally I said yes dependent on price. Next Sunday he turned up at the field with a really grubby Merco .35. How much? I asked - thirty bob (£1.50) said Paul, for that money I could not refuse. I used that motor regularly for two years or so before I got an HP40. Shortly after I started using the HP Paul came up to me and said "Do you want to sell the Merco?" "How much says "I - "Thirty bob" says Paul! - that's what I call economy modelling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuphedd Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 In the mid 60s my old boss , strangely, we worked for Rolls-Royce ,( Bristol Siddley then ) but we did not make Mercos ( previous reference them being the RRof engines ) , he used the Mercos for lots of "research" into flame front speed , by measuring the time it took for the flame to go between the two plugs, ( on a twin head ) He converted many to ignition units of which I believe some of the old timers still use (SAM types ) The Military also used Merco 61s and Puntillio in Hinckley sold surplus new 61s at a very reasonable price ! I got at least 5, now all well used , Look up the early American Nats results and you will see that the engine of choice was the Merco !! How times have changed ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 I wonder if Punctillio still have any tucked away somewhere . I would be beating their door down to find out if I lived nearby. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON CRAGG Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 The Army used to have a team called the "MATS(A) team that flew Merco .61 powered models as targets on range days. Everything from small arms to main armament was usually fired at them. They were given a transit (ish) vehicle and filled it with engines (no exhausts), 13x6 blue plastic props, hundreds of idle bar glow plugs, VERY heavy models with a parachute built in to the cockpit, Skyleader radio gear (nice push/pull servos), fuel (straight + petrol mix!), plus all the other gubbins to support them. There were several teams. They travelled the World!. Even flying from ships when we had a navy. How do I know all this? I used to organise range days in BAOR many moons ago, and as a keen modeller the swaps and bartering that could be done would make your eyes water!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 I have a soft spot for the Merco engines. I acquired a box of Merco parts new and used with a few complete engines mixed in at an auction some years back. I built a few really nice engines from that lot and until quite recently still had some bits left. Last year I was given a Merco 49 that has been mullered at some time and the crankcase is ruined and has big gouge marks on cylinder base. I'm looking for a decent 49 case if anyone has one going cheap please PM me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff2wings Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 Sorry E.D. can't help with that,need a case for a 61 myself ,can you not repair by welding ?? So got a new addition for the Merco collection a Mk II from 19 65/66 and a bit more on the spark conversion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff2wings Posted February 11, 2018 Author Share Posted February 11, 2018 So finished the re-worked "retro" sparky ,just needs a good clean and bearings,think I need to buy them in bulk ! Will run it on glow first to bed it in then try it petrol,well that is after I build an overly intricate and unnecessarily complicated test stand that is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Posted by jeff2wings on 10/02/2018 21:22:50: Sorry E.D. can't help with that,need a case for a 61 myself ,can you not repair by welding ?? Thanks for looking. Yes welding might be an option. I have loads of other jobs to get n with so will wait a while in case I come across one. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Nicol Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Posted by SIMON CRAGG on 30/01/2018 01:40:00: The Army used to have a team called the "MATS(A) team that flew Merco .61 powered models as targets on range days. Everything from small arms to main armament was usually fired at them. They were given a transit (ish) vehicle and filled it with engines (no exhausts), 13x6 blue plastic props, hundreds of idle bar glow plugs, VERY heavy models with a parachute built in to the cockpit, Skyleader radio gear (nice push/pull servos), fuel (straight + petrol mix!), plus all the other gubbins to support them. There were several teams. They travelled the World!. Even flying from ships when we had a navy. How do I know all this? I used to organise range days in BAOR many moons ago, and as a keen modeller the swaps and bartering that could be done would make your eyes water!. I actually had two brand new MATS, and a handful of merco 61s . Mate and myself used to fly in Fallingbostel, and we had an expedition to the MATS team in Dortmund one day, A contribution was made to their "tea" fund and we were allowed access into the container unsupervised I actually used the skyleader servos for years ( I had so many of them, and the engine mounts and props , something like 20 spinners even a couple of receivers, but they were 37.5 mhz so no use) , I still find the odd servo in the garage , which always go on Ebay . I had 4 mercos , so did my mate . The planes flew well I even had undercarriage fitted and a third servo working a bodged rudder. I actually threw them 10 years ago (I had them for about 20 years before ) but the damp in the old garage got under the veneer on the wings and it all lifted, after my demob I built a RCMW solo , a great trainer which I flew many years and eventually sold to a chap at RAF Lyneham where my Daughter and her then husband were serving I have been trying all day to find any photos of these MATS(A) but rarer than rocking horse poop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J V R Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Jeff2wings PM sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff2wings Posted March 17, 2018 Author Share Posted March 17, 2018 Well I have finished the 49,think it looks o.k. (to what it looked like ) onto the 61's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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