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Can anyone here remember the year when the Super Tigre X-15 was first sold.
Thanks,
George
The original X-15 (rear induction/rear exhaust) was announced in 1972, and although successful in a number of speed (F2A) contests about that time, did not appear (in the UK at least) until early 1974.
It came in 2 mks, both purely speed engines – the first had a crankcase casting based on an adapted G15 die, and it had a blanked off front intake boss. A later version was produced from an adapted G15RV die, which of course, didn’t have the blanked front intake boss. Peter Chinn reviewed this latter version in May 1974 Aeromodeller. Both types pop up on eBay from time to time, and usually command a decent price. I don’t believe an up-piped version was ever released. Despite early successes in F2A Speed, it could never de-throne the Rossi. Interestingly, Rossi released a rear induction engine, to satisfy demand from C/L Speed fliers, and it, too, couldn’t displace it’s front induction brother. Nor could the Kosmic K15, or the rather mediocre K&B 15 Schneurle. I believe the only decent competitor to the Rossi (other than AD 15 or Nelson or Soviet specials) was the Cox Conquest.In 1977 a non-piped, side exhaust, front induction X-15 was released. I actually bought one in 1979 – it was no good, really – well, not compared to a Rossi. In the mid/late 80’s a mk.2 front induction version appeared, the X-15 TST. I’ve never handled one, but they did seem to go a bit better than the one I have. They also appear from time to time on eBay. The TST seems to come up more often, I think.
JohnThanks GOS and John for your replys. I have Two X-15’s, one I bought in I think it was 1978 and another which is NIB that I bought in 1982.
George
One assumes George, that they are the front induction version(s).
I wouldn’t count myself a collector, but if a rear valve X-15 came up at the right price, I might have to………..
I don’t know why, but I love rear valve engines.
John
These are “first run” (front intake boss) rear induction, rear exhaust. I have the pipe adapter and a stock pipe.
Post a picture, George, these are cool engines, and you certainly don’t seem them very often!
Did you acquire them from a ‘Collector’ point of view, or do you intend running/flying them in something?
One interesting feature of the rear valve X-15 was the ‘button’ glow plug – basically an unthreaded plug held in the head by a separate gland nut. It produced a smooth combustion chamber shape (like the insert type head used in Rossi’s and Cox Conquests). Pity it never caught on, really.
John
p.s. I think my Dad was on the waiting list for one with World Engines, but presumably cancelled at some point, as he never did get one. He did get a Kosmic K-15 (which I have) which he tuned up to almost be the equal of a Mk.2 Rossi. It too, is a cool engine.John, a few pictures as requested… I bought them to use as engines for control line speed planes. I never got around to building the planes because I was in the military and never around anywhere I could fly speed safely.
George
More Pictures
I was right, those are cool engines, thanks George!
I see one of the spinners is cut, did you run them?I have only run the one with the cut spinner. I have a hand full of rev-up 6-7 props which were the prop of the day in the 70’s and one 6-8. I also have the button heads which came with the engines originally as well as the ones you see in the pictures. It was next to impossible to get the button head glow plugs even when the engines were new.
George
One assumes George, that you were running piped? How did it go?
I thought I’d join in the pictures of cool engines; this is my Dad Kosmic K15 – with numerous mods. It would turn our f/f prop. (7.25 x 3.125) at 25,200 – where a mk.2 Rossi would get about 25,500 (un-piped, of course).
I used this engine in my 2nd F1C for a couple of years.
Love those rear valve engines!!
John
Actually John, I have only run it on the pipe a couple of times. I don’t have a tach, so not sure of the RPM. I was really thinking about using one on an Excelsior FAI ship for the “nostalgia” FAI event if it becomes reality. Both engines are stock configurations and timing. It seems to run quite well without the pipe, I’ll need to get it close to a tach to see what the difference is.
George
Good news, George, that you’re going to put one in the air.
I am very enthused by the Nostalgia FAI concept, and maybe we should move this over to the Nostalgia FAI thread in the Nostalgia Gas section.
I am not familiar with the Excelsior design – whose model is it?If you’ve started building, post some pictures!
JohnJohn, the Excelsior design is by Dave Rounsaville out of New York. The design dates back to the late 60’s and was published in Flying Models in 1972. It utilized the “bird cage” wing construction that Dick Mathis used on an “A” sized plane called the Headhunter as well as his 1/2A Bountyhunter design.
George
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