MODEL ENGINE DESIGNER AND MANUFACTURING PROFILES
Maloney 100
No. 56 in a series compiled by David R. Janson,
SAM #273, AMA #78416 and MECA #210-04.

 

Among the "near greats" of modelenginedom, was the late John Maloney of W_o_r_l_d Engines fame, and perhaps the earliest of quality European and Japanese model engine importers. His small company of 2 was based in Warren, MI where he recognized very early that there would be a growing market for the best of the foreign designed and manufactured engines and his first ad appeared in the Nov. 1954 MAN offering the British Mills and the Norwegian David Anderson diesels for sale. Maloney was a registered professional engineer "in charge of all engine repair". And in January 1955, after securing the franchise for the O.S. engine line, announced the new O.S. Max 1-35 and totally secured the basis for his becoming a millionaire when in Nov 1956 he brought the Super Tigre line into his stable of exclusive distribution engines.

A prolific advertiser and commenter about engines his growing business of necessity was moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in the first of two locations there. As the years progressed he sold O.S electronic R/C equipment, and his own "brand" ["Controlair" ed.] with O.S. components. Kits he added and many, many of the US and foreign lines of model paraphernalia until his business was enormous all through the 60s, 70s and 80s, prior to his death in the late 80s [1922—1987 ed.] . The O.S. and S.T. exclusive franchises are now a part of the huge Tower Hobbies Organization of Champaign, Ill. secured after some extensive legal maneuvering which is a story in itself, I understand.

A much pushed and favorite kit of Maloney's was his large sport flyer, called "Robinhood" a modern adaption of the old Curtis Robin cabin plane he designed and then wishing an engine to fly it with, went to great lengths to design a unique engine of "his" own, having his "MALONEY 100" manufactured and assembled in Korea.

No other information about the manufacturer is known to this writer. In a full page color advertisement in MAN, April, 1986 (black and white adjacent page) he brought the three year effort of his labors to public attention...with the memorable words "MALONEY 100, BURNS GAS - 99c/GAL! MODEL FITS IN CAR!". The wording was typical of Maloney's obfuscation advertising...different!

And so the engine statistics are: highly polished and pressure cast aluminum total engine,..both upper and lower case as well as the unique muffler,and the back case cover/radial engine mount. The upper case has the exhaust "stub" and the carburetor "stub" cast in. The lower case is split into two halves with beam mount "extensions" on each half. Upper and lower cases are held together, just as the bottom two halves are with four huge bolts. A large Japanese NGK M-6 spark plug, centered, graces the head between very tall, cast, head fins. The bulbous, awkward looking muffler is indeed unique, with tube stack holes all around to facilitate "aiming" them in any direction desired. Screw in "caps" close the unused holes. On the right side of the upper case a large Walbro carburetor extends, with a yellow plastic forward facing air ram and a spring loaded cutoff for choking. The cast radial mount serves as the base for attaching the black cased magneto box, to the back of the engine. Internally the steel cylinder liner is housed an aluminum single-ring piston with no baffle, and a cast both ends bushed piston rod. The large and carefully balanced crankshaft extends through the housing front to the large cast and machined aluminum prop drive washer, steel prop washer and nut. Altogether a rather unique and very well manufctured model engine.

Now, one must remember that in 1983 when John Maloney conceived the design and began to seriously plan for producing this engine the "weed cutter" engines were prevalent and few large and powerful engines on the market.

This is the only known model airplane engine manufactured in Korea. We do not know who what when and where, but it is excellently done. If one were to desire a glow engine, only remove the magneto and radial mount and install a glow plug and its ready. The muffler allows for any and all types of installation. The diaphragm fuel pump allows tank installation almost anywhere. Read the very small type under "BRASS TACKS" above and note the design lengths that John Maloney went to for this engine. And, of course, the fact that it was designed for magneto running in this day and age is unique as no other modern magneto equipped model engine comes to mind.

Interestingly enough, the design was changed to a 1.2 cid from the original 1.0 but no feedback on it is available. Regrettably, it did not sell in the quantities Maloney thought it would, in spite of his note on #9, Collectors, above where the first prototype run of 1000, all serial numberes are a special consideration to collectors. Introduced at $190 with the magneto installed, and at $170 without the magneto, in less than 2 years it was discounted to $105.00! No collector interest has been shown but what about all those special 1000 engines?

 

This page reprinted from "Model Engine Designer and Manufacturing Profiles" by permission of the author, Mr David R. Janson.

 


 

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