Fox .15 baffle piston engine for practice and learning

I have one of these NIB. I am trying to figure out whether I'm better off in terms of time spent and learning achieved to peddle this thing off before I attempt to use it, or do I build a couple of models around it and go fly. Part of the question involves the engine, another part involves the available drawings for airplanes. I have one drawing. a Magician .15 enlarged ten percent that I made before I sold off the kit, and a group of Zilch drawings in various sizes that can be 'sized' easily enough.

I'd appreciate any comment, insight, and discussion our group can offer. I have a bunch of stuntable engines and for the upcoming season I have a shiny new Tutor to practice on and a Brodak Lavochkin to build, as well a a whole bunch of plans for .35/.40 sized airplanes.

The Sig Akromaster should be a good match. The kit is very reasonable,available and flys pretty well. The kit quality in the kit I had left something to be desired and perhaps could have been designed better. It is a very easy builder and offers a lot of flyability for the money and time. The Magician should be nice also. Brodak's Jr. Flite Streak would be a real winner also but more expensive.
That said, appropriate .35 size ships are usually going to be easier to fly well and make better stunt trainers before moving up to a full house stunter.

Peter, the engine is good. Not big and powerful, but good. A lot of people like the .15 size planes because they offer more pull and more power than the 1/2A, yet are a bit more forgiving when driven into the ground than the larger size planes.

We tought Matthew to fly on a couple of purpose built .20 size planes. We would go out and fly together--me with my .35, Matt with his .20. All went well until one day he decided to try my .35. He never went back to the .20.

As I say, they serve a purpose, but power is addictive.

Muffler is another question. As I recall, the only mufflers available for these were the over/under mounted things that were never too good. Since it is new in box, and you already have some larger size planes, you might get a fair price for it and be better off just selling it.

Unless...you really want a plane that size. Remember, some people still build 1/2 A size ships even though they have the big ones. They can be fun, too.

Peter --

This is pure prejudice and no logic. Planes like 1/2 A's make sense. Easy to build. Mostly slab wings. Fly on spider web lines. Fun.

The 35 and up makes sense. That is where most of the world is.

The 15 and 19 world is like kissing your sister. You have the complexity and personal time cost of the 35 world in building. At best, you have the performance of a good 1/2 A.

Personally, I would donate the engine to the Salvation Army and go one way or the other.

Personally, I like small engines, particularly 09-19 size. I've flown several 35 size (and one 40-size) stunt airplanes competitively. I've also flown 049, 09, 15, and 19 stunt airplanes competitively. All can be made to fly very well, but people don't expect the little airplanes to fly well. If I can post the same score with either an 09 airplane or a 40 airplane, it's more fun for me to do it with the 09.

Even so, my advice would be to let the Fox sit on the shelf until you get an overpowering urge to fool with it. It will just complicate your life when you need to consentrate on flying. It will have to have different props, different lines, etc.

Afraid I'm going to have to disagree with a lot that was said here:

Len: Don't forget that the last iteration of the baffle Fox in fact has the muffler ears and the over/under bosses. So it will take a muffer. But I'd say don't run it with one. They are fairly quiet, anyway.

Larry and Jim: I agree that the bigger, .35 oriented planes fly better, but you certainly can have a lot of fun with a sweet running .15. Last summer, I had a ball with a Streak Jr, and a Steel Fin/Center Plug Fox .15. Little bugger turns on a dime. And they do bounce better. Use 52 foot lines, natch. And use an 8-4 prop and at least 15% nitro, with 25% castor, majority castor. And I'd say that, in general, they are in fact somewhat less complex. Wings, for example. And you surely can throw a lot of them in the old beater Taurus wagon (used exclusively for CL flying, by the way. Just get some diesel smell inside and the wife will insist).

Also, don't forget that .09-.19 CL flying has been very popular at times in other nations, like England and Japan. One of the biggest secrets in CL lore is the wonderful line of full fuse, flapped stunters that Kimura put out in the 70s. Beautiful little ships, inspired by their larger US brethren, often.

Suitable Fox .15 models (some are currently produced, some you'll have to go to ebay)

Ringmaster Jr (not as good as Jr Streak, though)

Jr Streak

Akromaster

Nobler Jr

Various Vecos/Dumas/Aero Engineering, like the Papoose, Warrior, Squaw, etc

Ringmaster Flash Jr. (full fuse, Jr Ring wing)

Flying Clown

Jr Streak Trainer

Fox's own Stunt Runt (not very pretty, though)

Peter, which Fox do you have: Steel Fin with center plug? (This is a very good 4-2-4 motor). Steel Fin offset plug? Slant plug? Slant plug with muffler ears? Do any of the lugs have an XX on them?

Currell, I took a look at the engine: slant plug, over/under muffler ears, no "x's".

I will accept the engine on behalf of the Salvatoin Army. Send me a e-mail and then I'll send you the adress!