Henry Nelson N36C engines may be available again

Rusty...If the freaking weather would cooperate I could get some more experience and stop this damned figure 9 habit

BTW I hate to say I am sending you this 20F degree crap tomorrow

I had Jeff Dawson kit up ( he normally sells pre made) several 1/2a high performance birds and three of his version of a fast combat planes that I modified extensively to train with...a lot of added weight but I can do a wing over directly into the dirt and only have to clean the engine and replace a prop (Kevlar cord, carbon TOW, and .02 oz fiberglass in critical areas)

hijacking my own thread

I had given up on finding any Nelson 36 or knock off FORA 36 (light weight and turn serious RPM) so with a lot of help acquired 5 Fox MK VIs and a few spare parts..... If a guy builds light enough these can compete with the Nelsons and FORAs but seriously lack any impact or mid air suitability

Certainly skill is needed but for a combat match to be worth the effort, both planes need to be close in speed..... I think Ken would agree that a match with Nelson and efficient plane and competent pilot vs a novice with under-powered plane is hard on both contestants

I left off CL flying over thirty years ago...most all these guys have been fun and competition flying for at least that long. There is no way for me to be competent in the short one year since I got the combat bug (especially when I have to teach myself and fly by myself)

For many of you who jumped from 1/2a cox to real (I know I am intending to be obtuse) C/L airplanes with Fox 35s on the nose...you might get interested in Graffiti combat as a fun diversion, extend your building skills, use some of your period proper engines and come home with your aircraft intact (gentleman rules)

Any way look it up

two or more in the circle can be a lot of fun and it certainly gets more folks interested in CL than just watching old men do the same pattern for 6 hours a day...not knocking stunt but after the first three contestants it gets a tad boring as a spectator...combat is great to watch all day long as it includes all the things we watch NASCAR for....crashes!

The Nelson .36 is one amazing engine as well as the Fora .36. You cram in 4 1/2 oz's of fuel in the bladder and by the time you get to the handle 2.5-3 oz's is already gone. My son Shawn and I had a combat match flying against Henry last year. He's a wonderful person to talk to and a very nice person. Ken

It's a beauty of an engine Fred! I wish the entry fee wasn't so steep. I think the most I have spent on an engine to date is $100.

I guess if your serious/competitive or both it's totally worth it.

I do hope you get your 50!

Thanks guys

Yes Ron the two I reserved will cost over $700 plus I need some spare parts....Wife not happy with me as she sees me cleaning dirt out of my inexpensive (relatively speaking) training engines
Hell I am too chicken right now to put one of the MK VIs on the nose. That will only happen when I get able to successfully burn a full load of fuel and land consistantly

We are up to 30 N36Cs spoken for. If I read my finger in the air correctly, getting to 40 is doable
BUT...the last 10 needed will be a challenge...especially at the price of these monsters

NOT that many combat fliers left and most of the "do it every year" guys already have a few of these engines or the FORA knock offs

Some will end up in collections I am sure

Most CL clubs that still support combat adopted speed limit rules and eventually stopped the unlimited FAST events. Bladder grabber has fewer and fewer entries every year. Last year there were only 13 for high performance 1/2a and FAST combat.... I am told in the late 80s to mid 90s it was normal to have 30~45 show up and require several circles to run non stop all day long for three days

Have you hit up all the other forums yet?

The word is out except on the MACA site where I don't seem to be bale to get permission to post for the last 6 months....  

I ran a (Dub) Jett Q500 engine when I was racing, it would run with most Nelsons, but a strong Nelson would out turn it 1000 rpm or better. Those were scary engines, turning about the same RPM as a Tee Dee, but with a 9" prop!

Henry Nelson will produce a new batch of 2014 N36Cs...yea!

Old post but what the hay >> One of these engine just sold for an amazing price of $ 3,225.00 NOS darn Fred want to make a dime LOL > https://www.ebay.com/itm/364243199251? Like I had said before one of the Nelson engine builder co. is up the road from me Aero Engines , https://www.aeroracingengines.com/Q500LS.html

I was watching that one. I'm not sure what made it so special?

i've been buying stuff from Curtis (the seller) for decades. way back to the old KAPA Newsletter days.
(Kits and Plans Antiquitous)

we are 'friends' on FaceBook

he even said "i had no idea. it was 2 guys who both really wanted it"


man, I try to sell my cox motors on eBay? and i get, $12.43 - if I am lucky.
which is why I dont list em anymore

$3k for an engine? Obviously purchased by someone who has money to burn.

(Not saying anything wrong with that, just wrong for me in my situation. )

My speed is Bernie's new Cox.049 Tee Dee

Last guy that bid had no history. Runner up only nitro engines. That's a couple of vintage RX-7's for me.

rsv1cox wrote:Last guy that bid had no history.  Runner up only nitro engines.  That's a couple of vintage RX-7's for me.  

I bought a couple engines from this seller before. Can't recall whether buy now or bid, probably some of both. Those were engines of value to me, needed some cleanup work or parts, but very few else wanted, since I won them with very little bidding.

It is possible that someone was playing a game, driving costs up but then having won, don't pay. I've seen some of these get re-posted for new bids, although I think that he can offer the engine to the second highest bidder if the first reneges. Of course my saying this is hypothetical in this case. Who knows, may be the winning bid will pay up. Perhaps a business owner now multimillionaire, who wants to reminisce about past circle victories?

That represents a year's worth of auto or house insurance.

he said its been paid for and shipped. and even he is shocked


I am 100% with Bob - thats at LEAST 1 RX7 project

cstatman wrote:he said its been paid for and shipped.   and even he is shocked. I am 100% with Bob -   thats at LEAST 1 RX7 project  

Or, a good down on a decent used touring motorcycle.

I own a few Nelson 36's. Biggest problem is that there are no cases available. Crack it or break it and it's game over. Henry is a bit difficult to get a hold of nowadays. I have one currently in need of a new piston liner. He will do the rebuild which costs about $275. This includes all moving parts. The EBAY listing is another example of complete foolishness. Obviously, a individual not connected to the hobby who has no direct ties to the sport itself. Henry made a few engines which were magnesium case versions. I believe these were about 1 1/2 ounces lighter than the standard. They do command a little more money. Certainly not the money seen in this auction.