ML Midge (oz13675)

About this Plan

ML Midge. Model aircraft diesel engine. Capacity 0.049 cu in.

Note this engine plan was also published in AMI, in April and June of 1997.

For the full ML Midge story see: http://modelenginenews.org/cardfile/midge

Quote: "The Midge is a little square looking engine. I built it before the series in the mag was finished. You probably will not like it until you have built it and run it. It is my favourite little engine, despite my liking for the little Sparey! There are two sizes, either 0.8cc or 0.5cc. Mine is 0.8cc. The designer was a young chap called Mark Lubbuck. It was his first ever design, and his first ever home build. And it is a winner, and very simple to make.

I got the April 1997 issue of Aviation Modeller International in which part one of the construction was featured, and started work on the engine. I discovered some errors around the pitch of the head bolts I think, but it went ok. In the next months issue of the mag there was no follow-up article so I found out who the designer was and made contact with him. He said that in transfering from his sketches to CAD drawings for the mag, some errors had been made and he would send me his own sketches. As a result and rather stupidly, I did not buy the second part of the feature, but I think it may have been in June of that year. My engine was in the air before the second part was published.

If you make one, have a think about lowering the exhaust hole in the case by a little bit, as you will find with the dims given, it will just break out into the top edge of the case. But don't alter the position of the port in the liner. Just accept that they don't line up, but don't tell anbody! And do not make any of the ports any bigger, they make for a sweet running and very flexible engine. And when end-milling the transfer ports, don't go too deep or the thin bit of cylinder wall that is left will collapse inwards..."

Also see 'Bulding the ML Midge' at: http://modelenginenews.org/midge/index.html

For build thread by Ed Holly see:
https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/thread...

For build thread by steve-de24 see: https://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php?to...

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Note photos [main pic, 003, 004] show ML Midge built by Ed Holly.

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