Forster 29 drive washer

I've had a Forster 29 since 1957 but never ran it for lack of a drive washer. It needs one with a flat in it to match the flat ground on the crankshaft. The hole would look like a "D" in the washer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Model Engine Company of America in Los Angeles sells reproduciotns of the Forster 29/35 and others.

Looks like lots of neat old stuff, but new!

They may have spares available...

626-359-0016

www.mecoa.com

I think they prefer you try the e-mail rather than phone.

Lots of luck.

N4222,

Did you find a prop washer?

I am curious to know if MECOA had what you needed...after going back to their site, it sounded like they may have redsigned certain parts of the Forster 29/35, but I do not know...just forwarding info I have seen on web sites.

The drive washer has been ordered from mecoa. Thanks for the help. It will be interesting to run this old motor after carting it all over the country all these years.

Dale,

I am really tickled you will get the part to let you run this old gem.

I just connected to get a glow plug for a K&B 020 Infant....I have had this little sucker since 1964...never ran due to a weak plug...I hope...just got a plug from Bob Langelious...he is building replicas in Russia of the 020...just did a run of glow plugs...I found Bob through "Veco Joe", aka. Joe Wagner...of AMA engine column fame...I got his address through Larry Renger...aka. "Designman"...

Stick together folks, we can resolve everything!!!

Thanks to all...Dale, how was the experience of dealing with MECOA?

I am thinking of buying one of the vintage enginer they have.

Pete

Joe Wagner is a really pleasant gentlemen to talk to on the phone. You talk to his wife, Julia I believe is her name, and she tells him what you said/asked. He reads her lips. Then he responds by telling you direct. It's what happens to all of us who ruined our hearing with motors in the past. i'm looking forward to running this motor- more than once it has almost been donated to De Hill to become part of one of his fabulous trophies that he builds. That may happen yet!

I got this with a load of OS stuff - I was told it was for a Forster.

It's 7/8 dia tapering to 9/16 at rear and 1/4+ deep!

Maybe a Forster 99? I got the thrust washer from mecoa and unfortunately its not the right one. It is for a newer motor. My 29 is the typical rear intake/ignition converted to glow plug. It has a flat ground on the shaft so the thrust washer has a hole in it that looks like a "D".

Well your welcome to this one!

This one has a flat in the hole!

Have you tried the thrust washer from a OS 25/35/40 FP? It has the right shape, if it fits.

You might try Woody Bartelt - he has lots of parts for the older engines. [email protected]

Dale,

Sorry to hear the MECOA washer did not fit.

I was a little concerned as the MECOA site mentions some different Forster 29/35 configurations, I do not remember the details.

If one of the guys finds the correct thrust washer for you, please post your success on the regular forum...It would be a kick to hear the old Forster 29 finally ran...would be interesting for a lot a guys I think, especially as an ignition engine.

Lots of luck

The OS thrust washers turn out to be too large in diameter. Our DMAA prez, Don "Hutchins" has undertaken the project and is going to fabricate a washer for it. This old Forster 29 has a VERY small diameter crankshaft. If Don can't fix it, well, we'll just have to let De Hill turn it into a trophy for the VSC! Thanks, all.

Hi Dale!

Posted my washer to you about an hour ago!

Tkkhank you! kI'll report back any news upon reciept. Best regards,

Don, the little old watchmaker has fabricated a drive washer from 1/8" hard aluminum and the engine is ready to run. Made a broach to punch out the "D" shaped hole so now can produce as many as anybody would want!

I want to see this one run myself, have preconcieved notions about how it will perform.

So De Hill doesn't have to make a trophy out of it!....yet. I thought a "broach" was something grandmothers wore around their neck. But if anyone can take something like that and make a thrust washer- well, that's just awesome. The first time I saw one of these run was on a Trixter profile sorta' like the one Jim Lee flies. Very underpowered. But we'll put it on something and give 'er a go. Maybe Don wants to put it on his AT-6. His "Texan" profile is going to make headlines! Thanks all

Drat!

Quite a few folks have helped me out in reaching "closure" on this old Forster 29. This may well occur tomorrow (Sat 15th)as we will attempt to fire it up at the FTW RC field, weather permitting. I will post the results, and thanks to all who have expressed interest. Best regards,

Dale,

I am really stoked hearing you may crank up the ol' Forster 29 after all these years...!

Any ideas about what to put it in...some version of a Zilch?

Puh-lease use 29% all castor...or whatever is the corect stuff...I guess you know all about that.

I am watching my mail box for a NEW glow plug/head gasket for my 1949 K&B 020 Infant...found in the trash about 1963...has never run more than 5 secs...hope a new glow plug and head gasket will set it free...!

Have an old Paul Del Gatto free flight model called the "Skyliner" that would be just right for what I suspect is an anemic little noise maker!

I will recieve my glow plug from Bob Lagelious...found him courtesy of Joe Wagner...got HIS e-mail from Larry "Design Man" Renger...!!

Thanks to Leonard for this great forum!

A foot-locker containing my modeling gear was lost on my return from Japan in 1959-in it was a K&B infant. it never ran more than a few pops. I recall the metal prop. On my to run the Forster. It and a few other things were not lost in the move as I carried them along with me. Best regards,

Success!! Oh, man- it is wonderful! Amazing how a small event such as running this motor can bring such satisfaction. I got out to the Ft. Worth flying field to be met by a frenzied gang who had been patiently waiting for me. As Don Hutchinson had fabricated the broach to punch the "D" holoe in the drive washer, he had the motor with him and was eager to fire it up. He had it on his test stand with a TopFlite 9x6 ready to go. In went the Fox 29% and the flippin' commenced. It's a rear rotor with a long venturi so the priming was a little weak but a little shot in the exhaust and it started with a deep throaty roar! Suddenly tachymeters appeared from all quadrants as onlookers had bet on the revs the old beast would turn. DMAA Prez Don Hutchinson has the particulars and will follow with a post. Care to hazard a guess? Hint- it's closer to 10K than it is to 6K. Tony- your washer arrived today but it is actually too small in diameter and too thick, also. With a little work it will be made usable. Thankyou. And thanks to all for their interest, once again. Best regards,

A most satisfactory test run. It started quite easily and loped along about 9000 in the 2/4 mode, tweaked it up to 10,200 briefly so this little beauty does have the ponies! I was guessing that it would turn about 8,500 based on having seen these engines in the 40's. A pleasant surprise, now happy camper Dale has to build an old time model for it.

Congratulations...!

Dale, this is is SOOOO neat to hear that an Forster engine, packed up, moved around, packed again, moved again!...since the late 50's finally ran...and ran WELL...!!!!

To think it will find its way into ANY model, much less a vintage period piece is really terrific.

Thanks to Dale for not throwing it away...and all the SS reader/responders, and Leonard for the forum...that it will live on!

Sounds corny, but I love this old stuff!

In 1957, as AirForce brats, a friend and I were told we could have anything discovered in the lockers at the Tachie Hobby Shop if we could get them open. The shop had been unused for a couple years and was being cleaned out. I was flabbergasted, to say the least! We got speed pans, kits, dope, glue, all kinds of stuff that GIs returning to the ZI had left behind. One of my treasures was this Forster 29. It has traveled from Tachikawa AFB to Texas to Colorado-N.J.-Virginia and back to Texas over the course of almost 50 years. And this weekend it finally ran! Darn well, too! With the rear rotor/needle valve, the guys at FTW suggest the Sterling Yak as an OTS candidate for it. I just happen to have that kit.(It will perform at the VSC next year.) This little story is just beginning!. I'm sure I heard that motor speaking to me as we began flipping- "....Well it's about time!!!". Thanks again, PS- it never was much to look at, but I cleaned it up with "Demon Clean" and it came out beautifully.

Dale-

Researched some old Stunt News and found out that both the Sterling Mustang and the Yak kits were reviewed in MAN in Oct. of '52 so both legal for OTS. If you find a need for a custom shaped Yak tank I will fix you up when ready.

I think anyone reading that last post can see why DMAA is so successful with Prez. Don at the helm. Thanks, pal!

Glad it arrived - on the subject of drive washers any idea what this one belongs to - it has 2 flats!