ETA 29

[paul timms]

I have one question regarding this Team race motor. Was there ever a copy made at any time. Is there any information if there was Yours Paul T

[brokenenglish]

Yes, there was at least one Russian copy. Google "Russian Eta 29" and you'll get some answers.

Edited By brokenenglish on 30/07/2019 06:37:11

[Peter Miller]

Ah! A lovely engine. Brings back a happy memory of the 1966 RAF German Champs

[brokenenglish]

For the youngsters, who don't know what an Eta 29 is, and for the more senior gentlemen, many of whom regard the engine with great affection, here are three "significant" examples. Here's the first Eta 29

:

Edited By brokenenglish on 30/07/2019 09:27:46

Edited By brokenenglish on 30/07/2019 09:30:37

[brokenenglish]

and a "mid-production" example:

Edited By brokenenglish on 30/07/2019 09:31:22

[brokenenglish]

and finally the last model made:

[Wilco Wingco]

Ah fond remembers.

[Stuphedd]

Fond memories

3/4 HP on a Stant 8x8 My fingers still show the scars of starting the beast (S) after 70 years !!!

cheers

[paul timms]

Great to read your replies. I had an ETA 29 back in time and it was taken from my office draw , It was a very sad day when it went, It was near new with only one race completed, Now to the real reason for the original post I have a new one but it could be a copy,The head is a different shade .of grey .I will have it early next Week and will know more then.The motor is brand new. so who knows. I will post a photo when I get my hands on it. I will try to get some top photos like Broken English has posted I have a good chance with my CANON 7D yours Paul T

[brokenenglish]

Paul, a quick check would simply be the Eta serial number. This will immediately identify an original in relation to any copy, which probably won't have a s/n.

Edited By brokenenglish on 31/07/2019 07:56:59

[Peter Miller]

Posted by Stuphedd on 30/07/2019 12:03:42:

Fond memories

3/4 HP on a Stant 8x8 My fingers still show the scars of starting the beast (S) after 70 years !!!

cheers

That point does remind me of an engine that I liked even better. The Super Tigre G21/29.

I used that engine for a speed model and you could hand start that easily on 20% nitro and a 7X10 wood propeller without any trouble.or injury

[brokenenglish]

Not many people, especially collectors, realise that Ken Bedford's Eta actually pre-dated American racing glow 29s.
It preceded the Dooling by one year and was concurrent with the first McCoy 29s, which were really just a glow continuation of the spark ignition McCoys.

Peter, do you still have your ST G21/29?
If not, here's an early one (late fifties).
I understand why you might prefer the ST. This one is very powerful and quite gentle to operate, but there's just something about the Eta that makes it irresistible for me.

Edited By brokenenglish on 31/07/2019 08:51:10

[paul timms]

How far is this Russian motor away from the original motor. I remember how smart the English motor was in speed and economy . I was around 16 years when I operated this motor as a kid AS to the Russian motor there is no information that will come up on line I have tried. Yours Paul t

[brokenenglish]

Paul, my Google must work better than yours. I found a couple of references.
Try this link, scroll down and you'll find info and photos:

**LINK**

[Peter Miller]

Posted by brokenenglish on 31/07/2019 08:47:43:

Not many people, especially collectors, realise that Ken Bedford's Eta actually pre-dated American racing glow 29s.
It preceded the Dooling by one year and was concurrent with the first McCoy 29s, which were really just a glow continuation of the spark ignition McCoys.

Peter, do you still have your ST G21/29?
If not, here's an early one (late fifties).
I understand why you might prefer the ST. This one is very powerful and quite gentle to operate, but there's just something about the Eta that makes it irresistible for me.

 

Edited By brokenenglish on 31/07/2019 08:51:10

I had my ST G21 29 in 1966. IT was the later disc valve version.

Another RAF club member "bought" it but got posted before he paid for it.

I do agree that the Eta 29 was really something special. I used one in a Rat Racer in Germany in 65 or 66. It won!!.

The carb had had a chip out if it which was repaired with Araldite carefully built up an shaped. 

The win was mentioned in the Eta advert later.

Edited By Peter Miller on 31/07/2019 12:21:31

[Stuphedd]

Not quite what you expect a 29 to be towing around the sky , but my album says it was 1957 , so a mad teenager then

[Peter Miller]

In ghose day we used anything that we had for any type of model

[PatMc]

Here's my Eta 29 Mk V alongside a DC Wildcat III. Same capacity, about 40% weight difference & about 100% power difference.

IIRC the Mk 1 versions of both were produced in 1948. Mind you the Wildcat was superior to the diesel Eta 5 which was also in production at the time.

[brokenenglish]

Pat, respectfully (as always!), the Eta 29 shown in your photos is a Mk III, with a later Mk prop nut on it.

[PatMc]

BE, it's actually virtually only the crankcase & (probably) the front housing that's Mk III .
It was a tired ex-Class B TR engine when I was given it. I sent it to Eta for a refurb & asked advice on how best to use it as a c/l stunt engine.
Got a nice reply back from Ken Bedford explaining the disadvantages of the design for what I had in mind but that he'd raised the head slightly anyway (can't remember if it was an extra gasket or extra thick gasket) to reduce the compression. He listed the parts he'd renewed & also pointed out that reverting the gasket to a standard thickness would restore it to Mk V standard, if I ever wanted to use it in TR.
At the time I didn't know how to identify the Mk's via the serial number but there is a "V" stamped elsewhere on the crankcase which I assumed denoted the Mk. I'm not sure if that "V" was there before or after the refurb. As you probably know TR engines were often upgraded piecemeal by their owners & sometimes their manufacturers.

 

Edited By PatMc on 01/08/2019 20:54:58

[brokenenglish]

OK, I was just looking at the crankcase and front housing, plus the s/n of course. It's obviously not possible to "identify" the internals!

Also, an original Mk V case doesn't look anything like that. It's very like the Mk VI, with a large V-shape transfer port.

However, I still think an engine should be identified by its main original components, and not by various mods that may have been incorporated!

Issue closed. They're all super engines!

[paul timms]

How are all the ETA collecters going with all that is going on in the world. Stay safe Yours Paul Timms

[brokenenglish]

Posted by paul timms on 03/12/2020 06:07:06:

How are all the ETA collecters going with all that is going on in the world. Stay safe Yours Paul Timms

Mine are all OK.

[Geoff Parkes]

Fond memories i had a 29 and a15, for the 15 i built a team racer , if i remember it was a russian model aeromodeler plan with swept back wings ?, in my inexperience i sanded the wing the wrong way round, so i used the wing swept forward with a MCKoy glow engine for rat racing, was fast and flew well until i got my feet tangled in someone else lines on the floor, it was terrible stunter and soon demolished itself on the ground, my memories of the 15, you warmed it up on a large prop and then used the smaller flight prop, again if i remember there was a guy Dick Edmonds? who used to "tune" ETA 15s i sent my motor off to him , when it was returned i could not wait to try this tuned motor, bad news it was slower than standard- happy days, racing motors, no silencers and no jobs worth trying to stop you enjoying yoursalf

[paul timms]

I have just aquired an ETA 29 Just cannot pass the days quicker till it arrives in the post. Let you all know the full story after it arrives,With all old motors there is always a story. of topic point here in Victoria Australia we are at day 35 with no virous , How good is that Yours Paul Timms