Al, some questions...

I'll start saying I sm slways in bewildered awe with Your Mustangs.

Pray, tell me:

HOW is the glide of a 60 oz ship with 550 sq oz?

What is that homemade engine of yours?

Would a smaller (400 sq oz, 45 oz) mustang fky ok?

Thanks!

Ion,

All of my airplanes take about a a lap from engine cut to stopped. This is very artificial because I fly off a stooge and use various tactics to make it stop near the stooge. I don't think my airplanes glide much different from anyone else's. Wing loading really hasn't much to do with glide angle. Its more a matter of drag. A Learjet glides better than a C-172. A 727 glides farther from altitude than a Learjet even though it has a higher wing loading.

My homemade engine was built in a much modifies Como 40 case. the biggest modification to the case was the rod clearance cut which reduced the case thickness below the engine mounting lugs to about .005 to clear a full length homemade 60 rod. It was possible to dent the bottom of the thinned case with a finger nail. The case was also grooved and an "O" ring was installed behind the front bearing. Also the case was welded up with a lot of extra aluminum and larger head fins were machined for better cooling. The sleeve was ST 60 with slightly altered timming. The piston was a modified ST 60 part with circlips for wrist pin retention. The rings were custom made and pinned. The crank was my design and machined and heat treated for me. it had a large counterbalance and the counterbalance was drilled and carried tungsten plugs for more balancing weight. The head was custom and retained a combustion chamber "button" for experiments with chamber shape. I finished the engine by sandblasting the case and engraving it with "Rabe 10". A great deal of trial and error went into each element of its design. I probably flew more than a hundred flights adjusting the tungsten weights to minimize vibration. It was a true 60 which fit ST 46 mounts and ran well but was too late to add much to my competition career.

I have no idea about the airworthiness of the suggested smaller airplane.