This is Forest Edwards’ first homemade model airplane engine, built in California in 1981. He utilized the cylinder heads and cams from three Saito FA-30 single cylinder model airplane engines to produce this radial. All other components were machined from bar stock. It burns methanol with castor oil mixed in, but the exposed rocker arms required manual lubrication before operation. Its performance was good with smooth running characteristics throughout the full operating range of speeds. The engine is 8″-long, 8″-wide, 9″-high, and weighs 1 lb. 12 oz.
Before completing this engine Edwards had already produced several drawings and begun to fabricate a much larger 5-cylinder radial that he would machine entirely from bar stock. Over the next 12 years he produced 30 five-cylinder, spark ignition radial engines.