Good morning Mark. You have a very early ED Baby there. The later Baby engine had conventional open ports on the cylinder head, but as you can see yours has drilled ports. In the past I had two ED Babys not the most powerful of the point fives but a great little free flight motor. I wish I had kept mine.
Hi Mark I really enjoy your super channel, and you are a brilliant builder. About half a lifetime ago a friend at school lent me a battered ED Baby that I just couldn't revive. Recently I found one on eBay, and It has filled all my senses. There is something so special about a small British diesel engine.To hold in my hand such a desirable artefact of my youth. It's cool, smooth, certain, weighty feel..... a precious sight to behold. The smell of the etherised fuel it sucks in and dribbles, the exhaust it exhales, and the glory of it alive, chortling and burbling away and responding gladly as you crank up the compression and lean it out a little, resonating and running and tugging as only an old engine can.The 1960s recaptured alive. I have built three of Vic Smeed's wonderful flying models in the past and am currently making a Poppet from an Outer Zone plan, which I think is the natural home to cradle a Baby in.
Oh, that brings back memories! Although my Dad had a DC Merlin, he only ever bench ran it so the 'Baby' was my first ever model aircraft engine. In 1962 it cost me 30 Shillings, £1.50 in today's money, from the model shop on Barring Rd near Grove Park, South London. That may not sound much but back then it had to be saved up for! It saw duty in an RTP car then a 12" flying wing C/L model flown in Greenwich Park when the 'Parkies' weren't looking! In 1964 it was installed in a small hovercraft an made many a trip across the ponds on Blackheath. I joined the RAF at that point and it travelled the world with me in a selection of FF models. I think it's probably been 50 years since it last flew and, yes, I still have it!. It's a later one than your, Mark, it has th conventional open ports, not the ring of holes.
I'm in the U.S. and have been 'aspiring' to return to the hobby after a 20+ year absence. Back then Diesels in the U.S. were a very fringe pursuit, though I see more interest in them now. The irony is that, as far as I can tell, there is NO source for the fuel here. The most dedicated have been mixing their own, which is easy enough, but the only way to get diethyl ether is by purchasing cans of engine starter fluid and carefully emptying out the contents from the cans after cooling them down in a freezer. That's a lot of work compared to glow engines.
Sweet, I had a heavy leather glove that I added extra padding on the back of my flipping fingers after my PAW .35 smacked me good. E.D.'s are nice, I have run across a few over the years and have a 3.49 Hunter replica that runs well.
What a smooth running engine! I mess about with glow engines, so I understand leaning out the mixture increases rpm, but I can't understand what adjusting the compression does with a diesel, it seems to do the same? Could you make a video showing please ?!
Hi thanks for the comment. With diesel's as there is no glow or spark plug they rely on high temperature created in the cylinder by the compression of the fuel gasses as the piston goes up. If the compression is not high enough combustion is not complete and the engine misses, so there is an ideal compression for correct ignition.
Good morning Mark. You have a very early ED Baby there. The later Baby engine had conventional open ports on the cylinder head, but as you can see yours has drilled ports. In the past I had two ED Babys not the most powerful of the point fives but a great little free flight motor. I wish I had kept mine.
Hi Terry, thank you very much for the information, didn't know about the ports. Yes, ED certainly did produce excellent engine
Hi Mark
I really enjoy your super channel, and you are a brilliant builder. About half a lifetime ago a friend at school lent me a battered ED Baby that I just couldn't revive.
Recently I found one on eBay, and It has filled all my senses. There is something so special about a small British diesel engine.To hold in my hand such a desirable artefact of my youth. It's cool, smooth, certain, weighty feel..... a precious sight to behold.
The smell of the etherised fuel it sucks in and dribbles, the exhaust it exhales, and the glory of it alive, chortling and burbling away and responding gladly as you crank up the compression and lean it out a little, resonating and running and tugging as only an old engine can.The 1960s recaptured alive.
I have built three of Vic Smeed's wonderful flying models in the past and am currently making a Poppet from an Outer Zone plan, which I think is the natural home to cradle a Baby in.
Thank you very much for the heart felt comment, always good to hear the experience of others, really pleased you enjoy the channel 😀
Nice too see old engine's running again bring's back so many happy time's when life was so simple thankyou mark.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment
Oh, that brings back memories! Although my Dad had a DC Merlin, he only ever bench ran it so the 'Baby' was my first ever model aircraft engine. In 1962 it cost me 30 Shillings, £1.50 in today's money, from the model shop on Barring Rd near Grove Park, South London. That may not sound much but back then it had to be saved up for! It saw duty in an RTP car then a 12" flying wing C/L model flown in Greenwich Park when the 'Parkies' weren't looking! In 1964 it was installed in a small hovercraft an made many a trip across the ponds on Blackheath. I joined the RAF at that point and it travelled the world with me in a selection of FF models. I think it's probably been 50 years since it last flew and, yes, I still have it!. It's a later one than your, Mark, it has th conventional open ports, not the ring of holes.
Thanks for the comment, appreciated
A very nice example you have there Mark.
Thank you 😀
I'm in the U.S. and have been 'aspiring' to return to the hobby after a 20+ year absence. Back then Diesels in the U.S. were a very fringe pursuit, though I see more interest in them now. The irony is that, as far as I can tell, there is NO source for the fuel here. The most dedicated have been mixing their own, which is easy enough, but the only way to get diethyl ether is by purchasing cans of engine starter fluid and carefully emptying out the contents from the cans after cooling them down in a freezer. That's a lot of work compared to glow engines.
Sweet, I had a heavy leather glove that I added extra padding on the back of my flipping fingers after my PAW .35 smacked me good. E.D.'s are nice, I have run across a few over the years and have a 3.49 Hunter replica that runs well.
Thanks for the comment, appreciated, great idea with the glove 🧤
Great little early 'porthole' Baby. The age can be worked out by the letters and numbers on the front of the crankcase
Thanks very much, greatly appreciated
great video mark keep em coming
More to come! Thanks for the comment 😀
What a smooth running engine! I mess about with glow engines, so I understand leaning out the mixture increases rpm, but I can't understand what adjusting the compression does with a diesel, it seems to do the same? Could you make a video showing please ?!
Hi thanks for the comment. With diesel's as there is no glow or spark plug they rely on high temperature created in the cylinder by the compression of the fuel gasses as the piston goes up. If the compression is not high enough combustion is not complete and the engine misses, so there is an ideal compression for correct ignition.
Hi Mark, I just got an Irvine 40 MKIV but I'm stuck on which glow plug to use - I'm looking at an OS 8 right now - would that be ok?
Yes, that should be fine 😀
Needs a little plane to sit in 😊
Hahaha, yes absolutely! 👍