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The Turnigy TR-26HP-S is a budget-friendly, 26cc single-cylinder two-stroke gasoline engine designed for mid-sized RC model airplanes. Marketed primarily by HobbyKing under their house brand, Turnigy, the engine was introduced during the rapid surge of affordable Chinese petrol engines in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
It gained a reputation as a highly accessible gateway engine for pilots transitioning from glow fuel to petrol power.
The Evolution from HP to HP-S
The engine went through a notable internal structural revision during its production run:
• The Original TR-26HP: The first generation was a basic, lightweight 26cc engine. While it kept costs low, it faced stiff competition from other budget brands and was often cited by RC hobbyists as slightly underpowered compared to its advertised factory ratings.
• The Upgrade to “HP-S”: Turnigy revised the platform to create the TR-26HP-S. The core upgrade was changing the internal fuel induction layout to a rotary valve intake system paired with a rear-mounted carburetor and advanced cylinder porting. This modification significantly increased air-fuel efficiency, allowing the “S” variant to pump out notably more power than the legacy version within the exact same footprint.
Due to its OEM lineage, the engine shares various architectural characteristics, structural castings, and cylinder components with legacy RCG 26 and RCGF engines, utilizing universally standard components like Walbro membrane carburetors and standard electronic ignition modules.