Lionel or MTH 55 or 50 Airplane Accessory

Not much difference, just color. I'm pretty sure the #50 was just silver and the #55 is red and silver. I do not own an MTH, but I do own an original (which can be bought for the same price, just about, as the reproduction).

 

You need a circle twice the length of the rod that the plane is on, so probably about 6 feet would do it.

 

It's probably one of the most elaborate toys I've seen, if you examine what goes into making it work. If you did not know this, the motor does not rotate the plane, but drives the propeller. The propeller actually moves air to move the airplane, so it is quite an interesting toy.

Thanks for the great info! Are they reliable(both originals and MTH versions)? How hard are they to work on? I know they are often missing the propeller, is that hard to install? Does that 6 feet diameter have to be on the ground, or just air space around the tower?

On You Tube look up SGMA Dulles. My MTH airplane is in it. The pad has a 59" diameter. At 90 degrees to the layout the plane sticks out more. Very easy to get a wing in the eye. 6 feet square will keep your face safe.

 

I have a broken one that I will sell cheap. I broke it a SGMA Monroeville. My fault because I crashed it on track that went over the landing pad several times. Problem is the plane is in Philadelphia. Contact me if you are interested. $350 plus freight.

 

 

Watch my video of SGMA at the 2013 Trainfest, it shows the airplane starting at about 17 seconds into the video.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3airHCHokRM

 

 

John.

Thanks for the video link and info guys. It helps a lot.

 

As for the one that is for sale, I think I will pass, since I don't know how to work on them.

Michael,

 

The MTH airplane tower you see operating in John's video of SGMA at Trainfest 2013 is mine.  As for its reliability, once you know how to properly adjust for the airplane's weight, it will run forever.  For example, at Trainfest 2012 I did not know how to properly adjust the spring tension holding up the weight of the plane at the end of the arm.  As a result, I couldn't get it to fly at all at Trainfest 2012.  However, by the time of Trainfest 2013 a year later I had learned how to properly adjust the spring and I had the plane flying without stop on both days of the show from the moment we powered up the SGMA layout until we powered down at the closing of the show on both days.  Very impressive performance!

 

Bob    

 

Thanks for the information guys! I am really considering getting one.

 

When power is shut off, where does the plane go? I mean, does it fall to the ground, or hang in the air. Inside that 6 ft circle, how much ground clearance does the plane need?

Here's a photo of my prewar Lionel airplane. The plane stays in the air when not in use. I don't have a landing pad, and wouldn't use one on the layout because there is no space for it. I fly the airplane in circles when guests come over. The propeller is often missing on original planes,  but suitable replacements can be found at a shop that sells remote control airplanes.

Perfect! That's exactly what I would need it to do! I want to put it near my airport, and their would be no room to land it. Thanks!

 

That has not been my experience. 

 

There are two control sticks which operate my MTH airplane.  One is used to control power to the propeller and the other to apply lift to the arm, which is attached to the airplane.  Use of these two sticks in conjuction with proper adustment of the "spring tension", allows you to takeoff, fly, and land the airplane.  

 

The instructions which came with my MTH set take you through a series of steps to properly adjust the tension of the spring attached to the arm.  In general what you are doing is adjusting the spring's tension so as to counter the weight of the airplane at the end of the arm.  You start the process by releasing the tension on the spring.  You then lift the plane at the end of the arm so that the arm is in a horizontal position.  You then increase spring tension in steps by adjusting a nut to which the spring is attached.  After increasing tension, you let go of the plane and watch what happens.  Depending on whether it drops instantly to the mat or stays in the air, you increase or decrease the spring's tension until the plane gently floats back down to the mat.  When it does, by applying power and lift to the plane using the control sticks, you can then fly the plane off the mat and around the tower at the end of the arm.  Decrease power and lift and you can land the plane.  

 

At Trainfest 2013 I taped back the propeller power control stick so that full power was applied to the prop whenever the layout was powered up.  I then adjusted the spring tension so that when the layout was powered up and the propeller started to spin, the airplane would takeoff on its own power and fly around the tower.  At the end of each day when we shutdown electrical power to the layout, the propeller stopped spinning and the airplane gently landed. 

 

Base on the above, I believe whether or not the plane will remain on the mat, takeoff/fly/land, or remain in the air permanently is all a matter of making adjustments to the spring's tension.  Too little tension, and the plane remains on the mat.  Too much, and the plane remains in the air.  Adusted just right, the plane will takeoff, fly and land using the two control sticks.  

 

Obviously, since you don't have space for the mat on your layout, you will want to adjust the spring tension so that the plane is always in the air at the end of the arm.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Bob

 

That makes a lot of sense, thanks!

I have the MTH one as well.  I modified the pylon so it operates without the control levers.  A small spring clamp near the tension spring on the arm to keep it elevated and a small wood shim to prevent the plane nose (or tail) from pivoting up or down.  The on/off control was modified inside the pylon mechanism.  I run my plane at about 8 volts and it is just enough power to move it slowly around, and it will run for many hours this way.  It glides nicely without spinning in circles too fast.  The whirring sound the propeller makes sounds really neat!

 

I had it operating on my in-store layout for about 5 years and ran it about  22 or so hours a week.  I have replaced the rubber drive belt once, which I found to be a tad expensive for a wearable part.  Other than that, I am very happy with my plane.

 

I saw an original Lionel at the Bouckville NY Antique show last summer for $400.00.  The plane wasn't in good shape, but the rest in really good condition.  I almost bought it but I forcefully walked away.

Car Guy Michael,

I'm a car guy too, and a Michael too, and I have collected Lionel trains and planes for over 20 years.

I am obsessed with this AWESOME accessory and have close to a dozen #50 & # 55 airplanes and several controllers.  I'm also an expert at repair if you need any help or spare parts.

Personally I'd rather own the original than the reissue.

I make mine fly over my table and they never land when I turn them off.
I use an electrical switch to turn mine on and off and bypass the joystick controller.
They are near impossible to find so I buy them when I find them.

I'm new to the forum so I don't know I to contact a member directly.
Happy to talk Airplanes all day long if you let me know how we contact each other!

 

PLEASE SCOLL DOWN TO SEE ALL MY PICTURES.  FOR SOME REASON MANY DUPLICATED BU THERE ARE ONES AT THE END THAT DID NOT DUPLICATE.

Mike

 

Sorry but I’ve never found a source for the drive cones and since I just let my planes fly around my layout I never had a real need to replace them.

The MTH prop seems to be an identical copy of the original and a ince choice to keep you plane in the sky.

I’ve owned about a dozen #55’s in my lifetime and I’ve only had 3 with original useable props and I have those 3 on my layout.

I have other parts if you need, just not those.

Mike