Thanks everyone. Was the Gipsy Major an original engine on the Stampe as an alternate to the Renault, or did they just get habitually re-engineed due to difficulty in maintaining the Renault?
Stampe, when you say "horribly expensive" to maintain, could you give me a ballpark (?) - I am used to Yaks, which are themselves not cheap, so anything less than a 52 or 50 is at least a start.
Thanks
PS: I know that the Pitts' are storming but am pondering whether some gentle open cockpit meandering would be a nice way to wile away warm summer days... I have been inspired by Victor Smith's book, Open Cockpit vover Africa, which I commend to anyone who wants to know how the pioneering routes across Africa were opened up in the 30's. A fascinating read. The guy made 21 forced landings through engine failure in his 46 year flying career and did not damage a single aeroplane as a consequence. One of those landings, described in his book, was in the dead of night. Not over the Alps then.