OS

OS Helicopter Engines

Ogawa Model Manufacturing Co Ltd of Osaka Japan.

Shigeo Ogawa (1917-1992)

Born in 1917 in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. Highly fond of tinkering with machines from childhood. Advances to an industrial school to learn actual technology where engineering fundamentals were acquired. Received a special award at a student science model fair, which becomes the start of model engine building. Received the FAI Paul Tissandier Diploma in 1984, the highest honor in the aviation world. Also widely known among fans in Japan as an avid live steam locomotive enthusiast.

1936 Established Ogawa Seisakusho in Tanabe Honmachi, Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, and started manufacturing and selling model engine TYPE-1.

1941 Established Ogawa Seiki Co., Ltd. in Kumata-cho, Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka

1954 Started production of model radio control equipment

Note that OS also made the Cougar range of radio equipment however, this was only until 1975 after which they concentrated on engine development.

1970

1970 advert - OS engine prices in Australia??

1971

OS Max-H60 - Engine test - Aug 1971

Note that in later years the designation 'H' would be used by most manufacturers as a generic code for the specific helicopter variant of an engine however, for this model in the OS range it is (as yet) not the case. Also known as the 'Gold head' engine and fitted with the latest 1971 revised carb; cross-flow scavenged with a power output of 1.08 Bhp at 14200 Rpm (5% nitro) silenced.

1972

1972 advert

OS Series 72 Carb - Review - 1972 - revised operation due to the 71 version infringing on helical barrel movement patent in Japan...???

1973

1973 advert

1974

Aug 1974 advert

OS Max-25RC - Engine test - Apr 1974

Developed from the 20 size engine to utilise the same castings and mounting thereby allowing a silencer to be used with out any loss of performance to the previous 20 when un-silenced. Fitted with the latest OS type 21 carb and with loop scavenging, power not quoted.

OS Max-H60F GR (Blackhead) - Quick look and preview test.

More powerful version of the 'Gold head' engine and called the 'black head' model (just to confuse with the Webra 'Black head'??). Still loop scavenged bit with a slightly larger carb than the '73' model giving a power output of 1.1 bhp @ 13500 Rpm (5% nitro) silenced; very respectable given that the OS silencer was considered one of the most noise reduction effective of the period.

1975

Nov 1975 advert

Complete revision of many engines incorporating Schnuerle scavenging as standard for the performance models with cross-flow porting kept for 'budget' models.

OS Max 60F - Engine overview of development of the cross-flow model - Feb 1975

OS Max 60F-SR - Engine review - Jul 1975. General comments and checks but no power figures.

OS Max 60F-SR - Engine test - Sep 1975

Full test and construction review. Engines came supplied with the OS-704 silencer and the type 74 carb giving a power output of 1.25 Bhp @ 15700 Rpm (5% nitro) silenced. This equated to a loss of 20% compared to un-silenced though it was reckoned the outlet pipe could be opened up a little to release more power without an real noticeable noise increase after all the silencer was designed for the lesser powerful engines.

1976

Feb & May 1976 adverts

OS Max 40F-SR comparison - Engine review comparison to the Webra Speed 40 - Jan 1976

OS Max 40F-SR - Engine test - May 1976

Full test of the high performance Schnuerle scavenged model; fitted with the latest OS-743 silencer and type 4B carb gave 0.87 Bhp @ 15300 Rpm (5% nitro) silenced.

1977

Sep 1977 advert

Introduction of the 25 Schnuerle scavenged FSR engine, the genesis of the OS range of small helicopter engines that was to become the defining model through its various incarnations (up to a 37!!!) over the next forty years.

OS 45FSR-H introduced to the Japanese and American market.

1978

May 1978 advert

OS 25FSR - Engine review - Jan 1978

Apart from bore and stroke the engine was completely redesigned over the plain bearing 25RC; supplied with the OS-762 silencer and type B automatic carb but no power figures quoted.

OS 45FSR-H - Engine review - Feb 1978. Bore and stroked version of the aero 40 FSR with quoted power as 1.3 Bhp @ 15000 (silencer ??) with a revised 4C carb for better mid range response and large heat sink head.

1980

Feb 1980 advert

Second helicopter engine, the OS 50FSR-H designed with the same principle as that for the 45H i.e. increased bore and stroke with the same layout to allow a direct replacement.

1981

OS 61FSR-H - Engine review of the latest OS helicopter engine variant - Nov 1981.

1982

OS 61FSR-H - Engine test - Sep 1982.

OS 28F-H quick look

OS 28F-H - Engine review - Nov 1982; OS now had helicopter engine variants covering the three major model size ranges.

1983

OS Max 50 FSR-H - Engine test - May 1983.

Very powerful helicopter specific engine at 1.26 BHP with silencer, oft fitted in lieu of an Aero 60 given its extremely good carburation which for a helicopter was paramount in achieving reliable flight.

1988

1988 - OS 7 series carb strip -

1988 OS 46 first look

1989 advert New releases.

1990 - OS32F-HX engine review -

1992 - OS 60B carb instructions

1994 - OS 20C carb instructions 3H and 20C carbs

OS Max 61 SXH & RXH manual - Ring engine version

OS Max28FSR-H Dykes piston ring (0.9 / 16K rpm) / Max32FSR-H Dykes ring and rear cone start / Max45FRS-H ringed(1.3 / 16K rpm) / Max50FSR-H dykes (1,45 / 15K rpm) / Max61VF-H rear exhaust ringed (1.7 / 16K rpm) / Max61VF-H ABC rear exhaust ABC piston/liner (1.7 / 16K rpm) / Max61FSR-H ringed (1.7 / 16K rpm) / Max61FSR-H ABC piston and liner (1.7 / 16K rpm) / Max 46HSF

1993 Became a member of Futaba Corporation Group.