Model Engine Collectors, Model Engine Collecting, Antique Model Engines, Early Model Engines, Antique Model Engine Collecting, Early Model Engine Collecting, Model Engines, Model Car Collectors, Model Car Collecting, Antique Model Car Collectors, Antique Model Car Collecting, Early Model Car Collectors, Early Model Car Collecting, Model Airplane Collectors, Model Airplane Collecting, Antique Model Airplane Collectors, Antique Model Airplane Collecting, Early Model Airplane Collectors, Early Model Airplane Collecting.
January 2012
Welcome to any new visitors to our site. Be sure to check out the prior edition of our swap sheet (by clicking the blue “prior edition” just to the left) and the Collectos Tab to see news of up-coming swap meets.
As I write this it is December 31; what a fine way to end the year! Happy New Year to all from MECA! As mentioned Swap meet season has started. Again we will have a Friday Night Collecto, April 13, in the main building at the Toledo Weak Signals RC Conference. We had a great turnout, lots of engines, and a great time last year. And Dick Kohl’s Collecto at the Perry, GA swap meet is coming up March 2 and 3. You really need to get to this one; it is huge! Watch the Collectos tab for details of these and other shows.
The big news flash (due to Mike Cook’s efforts) is MECA will have a booth at the WRAM Show, February 24, 25, and 26 at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, NJ. I invite you and especially MECA members to stop by the booth and say hello. MECA members who want to display or help out at the booth contact me. If the East Coasters can arrange it, we may have a Collecto somewhere Friday night.
Also, Jay Smith, editor of AMA’s Model Aviation magazine asked if I would like to do a feature article on engine history for MA. This is in regard to many comments on the article in AMA’s 75th Anniversary supplement. I of course said yes, and the article will be in February’s Model Aviation. If you want to see it and aren’t an AMA member, get one from a friend or at your local hobby shop.
Some time back, I got a call from Fred Collins (MECA 463) regarding the Fox .59 powered drones I wrote about in ECJ. Fred had actually been involved in trying to fly one. We have had several phone conversations since then and in October I finally got up to Fred’s home to meet him and his son, Neil. Fred is now 90 and it is fascinating to talk with him. Fred has been involved in model aviation since he was a kid; he had clippings of himself when he won a contest and was awarded a beautiful leather pilots jacket. He had tales about building housefly powered models that could be stored in a matchbox for later release in a classroom.
Fred was a member of the “Pittsburgh Flying Circuits”, AMA’s first chartered RC Club in 1959 (see attached). He flew radio with the greats like Harold “Pappy” Debolt and Maynard Hill. He talked about the way the reeds for the Schmidt reed bank were made from headphone diaphragms! Later he was a member of the “Greater Pittsburgh ARCS.” While an ARC, Fred was contacted by a Lt. Miller from the Army Reserves. They had some drones at their armory (Logan in Oakland, now demolished) and he wanted to try and fly them. These were the “RC Kittens” that had been covered in the December 1955 MAN. They were to be launched from a Jeep, but generally just fell out of the air. Fred confirmed they were just too heavy to fly with their heavy radios and batteries. Fred did talk Lt. Miller out of a couple of engines, one being #46 (the lowest number I’ve seen) and the other #225. Pictures are attached. Click on the image of the charter for a better look and use the back arrow to return to this page.
Fred Collins
AMA Charter
Fox .59 "Military"
Fred developed techniques for forming ABS plastic and had built his own RC planes from his own molds. He also marketed skis for model planes from molded ABS. All of this long before the ARF craze.
MECA members will know Fred as the maker of repro fuel tanks for antique engines. His show display board is still in the cellar, but alas, he no longer produces the tanks. During the visit, Fred pulled out the prototype Dynamic Models “Bulldog 15” that Tim Dannels had covered in ECJ #189 in Sept. 2008. Also an exquisite little .29 or .35 built by Bob Steele before he joined Joe Delong. Note this engine has twin exhausts and fore and aft bypass channels. What you can’t see are the twin baffles on top of the piston. And it turns out Fred lives “just up the hill” from 138 Knox Avenue, where Bob Gardner designed and built the Kopper King!
Steele .29 or .35
Steele .29 or .35
Steele .29 or .35
Fred's Tanks
Bulldog 15
I invite material from other collectors, questions, or comments.
Bill Mohrbacher, MECA President
GWMFOX35@COMCAST.NET
Fox Engines with Desaxe Cylinders
Tools
Fox 1948, No Offset
Fox 1957 CS Case, .040 Offset
Fox 1956 29R, .090 Offset
Akron Radio Control Society Swap Meet
Dealing at the MECA Tables
Harry Gabler Dealing with Bruce Pike
and Ray Galasco
Herb Fletcher (R) Explains why it is
Such a Deal
Jack Cylenica (R) Selling Parts
John Oliver and Wife
John Oliver's Shurikens
MECA Tables at Akron
Norm Schehl and Darrel Peugh
Racing Engines at Akron
Ray Galasco (L) and Darrel Peugh
International Engines
MECA Tent at AMA’s 75th Anniversary Celebration
Darrel Peugh & Fred Baldwin
Darrel Peugh's Engines
Bill Mohrbacher at the MECA Tent
Snorer Engines
SNORER 55 ABC Piston & Sleve
SNORER 55 Cylinder
SNORER 55 Crankcase
SNORER 55 U-Control
SNORER Girls
SNORER 55 Cutaway
MECA Tent at Brodak Meet
Bill Mohrbacher & Larry Scarinzi
Jack Cylenica and Engines
Doug Dahlke
Bill's Engines
Doug's Engines
Engines 1
Engines 2
Cox Designs
Four Cox Designs
Four Cox Designs
Old & New Cox Glow Heads
The Fox Project
Brown Junior Engines
Bill Brown's First Engine
Bill Brown's First Engine at EXPO 9
Brown B1892 Side Exhaust
Brown B1892 Side Exhaust
Brown B Horizontal Plug
Brown B Horizontal Plug
Brown C11470 FRV
Brown C11470 FRV
Brown Rear Intake
Brown Rear Intake
Perry, GA Region 8 Collecto
Dick Kohl
Paul Sanders & Bill Mohrbacher
Ron Valentine's Engines
Bob Watts
Bob Wilkinson
Charlie Reich
Ernie White
Jim Jauregui
Phil DiGrazia
Audrey & Bob Davis
Bob McClelland
Toledo, OH Region 9 Collecto
Bill Mohrbacher & Tim Dannels
Betty Dannels, Ginger & Larry Scarinzi
Paul Camilleri & Frank Anderson
Art Johnson
Betty Dannels
Bob Edelstein
Bob Watts & Dave Kauffman
Bunch, Kustom 51 (t), DEW (b)
Coolie Reynolds
Dave Keats
Jack Cylenica, Brother & Shawn Magrini
Jean Pailet
John Lorenz
Bill Mohrbacher's Booth Display
Tim Dannels
Mrs. Wehrly
MECA at the Whitehouse Inn
Woody Bartelt & Darrel Peugh
Jim Mayer
Darrel Peugh's Booth Display
Tim Dannels & Appetizer
If you are interested in becoming a member of this exciting organization, download a Membership Application by clicking on the form below and saving the PDF version to your computer. Print it, fill it out, and return it with your dues to John Lorenz at the address on the form. You may also use a Credit Card or PayPal for this remittance. Use the Back Button on your browser to return to the Home Page after downloading the form.
Post WANT ads, not just For Sale ads
Fifteen (15) day no questions asked return policy on mail deals
Six issues of the Swap Sheet and Bulletin
One free ad per issue
Honest member to member deals guaranteed
Authoritative source of engine history & information
No Ebay and Paypal fees
No government tracking of transactions
Two thirds of our members are not on the web. The access to them is only through MECA membership and they have the Good Stuff!
Assistance to heirs in disposing of MECA members’ collections
Source of missing parts for your engine
Locate repair or restoration services
Full 12 month membership from date of application
This is a listing of providers and the services they offer to the membership. I will update this list as new material comes in. Please notify me of any changes, errors, or omissions so that I can keep this list up to date. Send all adds to: Bill Bickel, 3121 W Cavedale Dr. Phoenix, AZ 85083-8637. DO NOT SEND ADS TO ANY OTHER PERSON. DEADLINE is ONE WEEK PRIOR to SWAP SHEET DEADLINE.
ANTIQUE REPRODUCTION MODEL AIRPLANE ENGINES: Woody's Model Engines 3706 N. 33rd St. Galesburg, MI 49053-9715 Tel/FAX: (269) 665-9693 Website: www.woodysengines.com/ Catalog: $15.00 anywhere is USA. Canada and Mexico $16.00 International $22.00.
REPRODUCTION ANTIQUE IGNITION MODEL ENGINE PARTS: Aero Electric 3706 N. 33rd St. Galesburg, MI 49053-9715 Tel/FAX: (269) 665-9693 E-mail: aeroelectric@charter.net Catalog: $15.00 anywhere is USA. Canada and Mexico $16.00 International $22.00.
ENGINE COLLECTOR'S JOURNAL INDEX: Bill Bickel 3121 W. Cavedale Dr. Phoenix, AZ 85082-8637 Tel: (623) 582-0211 E-mail: wbickel@msn.com
HELICOIL REPAIR of STRIPPED SPARK PLUG HOLES (¼-32 only), REPAIR 0F 4-40 & 6-32 HEAD and BACK COVER HOLES, GENERAL MACHINE WORK: C.F. Lee Mfg. Co. 10112 Woodward Ave. Sunland, CA 91040 Tel: (818) 526-9074
DIE-CUT GASKETS for ATWOOD, WASP, & WEN-MAC .049'S $5.00 / set ppd: Bill Schmidt 4647 Krueger Bel Aire, KS 67220 Tel: (316) 744-0378
EXPERT WELDING of ALUMINUM, MAGNESIUM and IRON, CRANKCASES, SPEED PANS, TIMER ARMS, Etc: ALLWELD/Scott Dinger 1367 Patricia Ave. Simi Valley, CA 93065 Tel: (805) 526-9074 E-mail: hyflo@dslextreme.com
ENGINE RESTORATION, REPAIR and CLEANING SERVICES, NICKEL PLATING, TUMBLE POLISHING: Walter Craig 3664 Smoketown Rd. Glenville, PA 17329 Tel: (717) 229-2840 E-mail: makenewagain@yahoo.com
MECOA's Model Engine Enthusiast Resource Site: Randy Linsalato P.O. Box 98 Sierra Madre, CA 91025 Tel: (800) 359-6972 Website: www.modelengine.org
ANDERSON'S BLUE BOOK: 1500 engine listings 1911-2005 The Collector's Bible with Pricing. Frank Anderson 817 9th Line, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada, L9S 3Y2 Website: www.andersonbluebook.com Tel/FAX: (705) 436-1970
MODEL ENGINE REFERENCE MATERIAL: American Model Engine Encyclopedia - Engine Collectors' Journal Tim Dannels P.O. Box 243, Buena Vista, CA 81211 Website: www.modelenginecollecting.com
DENNYMITES DRONES & MORE: Info on Sky Charger, Dennymite, Walter Righter, Reginald Denny, Dooling Brothers & much more. $60.00 + $6.00 P&H. Jim Dunkin P.O. Box 695, Grain Valley, MO 64029 E-mail: dunkin@discoverynet.com
Society of Antique Modelers (SAM)
National Free Flight Society (NFFS)
Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)
American Miniature Racing Car Association (AMRCA)
Woody's Model Engines (Woody Bartelt)
Aero Electric (Woody Bartelt)
Doctor Diesel (Eric Clutton)
MECOA (RJL Engines) (Randy Linsalato)
Miniature Engineering Museum
Toute sur le Modelisme - French Controline Club
Moyer Made Chevy V8
The Model Museum and Engine Collectors Journal
These links open sites that may be of interest to MECA Members. They cover a wide range of interests and activities.
Bill Bickel, MECA's Historian, has written a fascinating history of the organization. It features a photo of Bruce Underwood, the driving force behind the founding of MECA, and one of early MECA jewelry. It is a good read and give a feel for what things were like in the early days.
The Miniature Engineering Museum is an intriguing display of miniature and model engines of all types. The article has information about current and projected activities. It also contains links to the Museum and to the Internet Craftsmanship Museum.
All transactions occurring between MECA members are controlled by the By-laws of the organization. This ensures that any exchange is controlled and members may trust that the item they are purchasing or trading for is exactly as advertised. Buyers have 15 days in which to inspect their purchase. If not satisfied, the item may be returned for a full refund. If you would like more information on MECA and how it is governed, you may read the Constitution & By-laws in their entirety.
As a convenience, Appendix A of the Constitution & By-laws, covering engine condition classifications, is presented below. The use of these classifications helps to ensures honest exchanges.
Members may access the MECA Swap Sheet and Bulletin through the Members Only Area.
Your Username is just your last name, spelled exactly as on your membership card, including Sr, Jr, or III. Your membership number, with leading zeros and following letters, but no region, is your Password. For example, Username = smith jr and Password = 0170L. The Username is not case sensitive, so it is not necessary to capitalize the name.
