Gilbert Thunderheads .07 & .11

Adrian wrote:

The Gilbert glow-plug engines of the early 1960’s, are almost universally ignored by present-day model engine enthusiasts and collectors. It’s only the more eccentric aficionados like me who take any interest.

Shh......Let's keep it like that.

Look what's heading my way.

Oldenginerod wrote:Thanks Mark.  Very interesting read.  I've been a Gilbert fan for years and it's nice to have someone like Adrian give them a positive wrap.  Having only run and not flown any of mine, I can only say that they are equally as enjoyable to run as any other engine I have.
We're still waiting on a flight report on any of the Gilbert ATFs.  Hopefuly they'll live up to my expectations.

I knew that Kim had flown a pair on his Lazy Bee, but couldn't find it. Then I came to the end of Adrain's article:

The attached image of two Gilbert 11's in flight in an R/C model was extracted from a 2014 YouTube video. This guy has the right idea - use 'em!!

I had an inquiry about using the KTK-16 turbo head on the Gilbert .11. (The email address submitted bounced so whoever asked won't get a reply, hopefully they're here.) Essentially as the article says, the head fits the Gilbert, but compression ratio in inline with the TD head and too much for the Gilbert in typical use. I didn't really consider a need for standard head in the .15 size, but would if I had enough inquiries.

Greg

I was unpacking some more, and moving stuff from small boxes into some storage boxes I got at Harbor Freight a couple of days ago. One delightful surprise was that I consolidated my glow heads, and found that I have 11 Gilbert heads for the .11 and .07 engines. I think I may have a couple more stashed somewhere else. I'm set for life even if half of them are no good.

The Prepared for the Apocalypse Mark

Adrain wrote:

Polk thus acquired an extremely large inventory of completed engines and unassembled components, running well into the multiple tens of thousands. These engines were subsequently sold by Polk in a variety of packaging, both boxes and plastic bags. The price was $5.00 a crack. In all cases, the engines sold by Polk included their own Polk instruction sheet and guarantee. In addition, they were apparently all accompanied by a combination wrench, a nylon fuel tank and a spare glow head. Bill Effinger recalled assembling a large number of examples of the Gilbert 7 model for Polk using components acquired in the sale



About a month ago a boxed .7 appeared on ebay BIN, I picked it up.  Last week a .11 went on ebay auction, no bidders so I picked that one up too.  Considerably more than five bucks.  

So far, my Gilbert "collection" can sit in a shoe-box shared with some special Cox engines.  If you don't count my other Gilbert engines and airplanes that-is.

Bill Shive of Penn Valley Hobby Shop bought the remaining stock from Polk Hobbies. There were literally barrels of them. They were by the back door in wooden kegs and inside the shop. Every year they would attend the Lebanon r/c flea market. Penn Valley had a entire aisle dedicated and sure enough those wooden barrels would make a appearance filled to the top with Gilbert engines. We did buy a Wing Thing and actually flew it. It did work.

I bought a few things from Bill Shive, kits, engine and a dozen Tornado 7x2 Plastikote wood props. This was from his on-line E-Bay store. I guess they had closed their store and were now liquidating the remaining inventory.

Through the years from the 1980's, bought a few kits and things when they had their store. I heard he passed away a couple years ago, his wife preceded him, quite a character, very amiable, always thought positive of his store.

Adrian's test on 15% nitro allowed the Gilbert Thunderhead engines to shine. I always thought they were a tad weak, but he shows propped right, they will perform. The .07 has about the power of the Medallion .049. The .11 seems to keep up well with the other legacy cross scavenged .09 engines of the time. (Enya .09-III is actually a .10 in displacement.)


I gather that probably an APC 7x3 or Cox 6x4, may be a Masters 6x4 would be the right ticket, because once unloaded in the air they will approach the peak RPM horsepower at 14,000 RPM.


Appears that the APC 7x5, may be an APC 8x3 or Masters 7x4 might unload close to the maximum RPM in the air.

Their performance is better than I thought they would be, really decent engines.

Well much to my Wife's horror, I just scored my first engine purchase in more than a year.  This one was local, so exchange rates and high postage weren't factored in.  Another Gilbert 7.  I can blame you guys for opening up on the Gisbert discussions again.
Not sure why I had to have this one as I already have about a dozen 7s & 11s, but, this one took my fancy if it's as nice as the description states.  The head's supposed to be good.  We'll see.

Oldenginerod wrote:Well much to my Wife's horror, I just scored my first engine purchase in more than a year.  This one was local, so exchange rates and high postage weren't factored in.  Another Gilbert 7.  I can blame you guys for opening up on the Gisbert discussions again.
Not sure why I had to have this one as I already have about a dozen 7s & 11s, but, this one took my fancy if it's as nice as the description states.  The head's supposed to be good.  We'll see.

Like potato chips Rod, you can't stop at just one.

"Well much to my Wife's horror,"

i used to tell my now ex (amicable) --- "at least its not some young blonde girl"

She would laugh and agree.
motorcycles, cars, airplane motors, all cheaper than some floozy, and I probably wouldnt have a heart attack

Oldenginerod wrote:Well much to my Wife's horror, I just scored my first engine purchase in more than a year.

Mírate, doblando la ropa y anoche lavando los platos; ¿Por qué parte de "No, no estás comprando otro avión" no entiendes?

Rod, you may be treading on dangerous territory!

Oldenginerod wrote:This one was local, so exchange rates and high postage weren't factored in.  Another Gilbert 7.  I can blame you guys for opening up on the Gilbert discussions again.

Relajando después de ganarlo una discusión con la esposa.

Oldenginerod wrote:Not sure why I had to have this one as I already have about a dozen 7s & 11s, but, this one took my fancy if it's as nice as the description states.  The head's supposed to be good.  We'll see.

I can't boast, I have my small cache of Gilbert's too, 3 .074's and 2 .11's. and time spent in the doghouse.