And less than one year later
or a hobbist's gas engine RC plane.... Maybe they have it exposed like this during testing for convenience if they need to work on the engine? I'm sure it's not hard to add a cover around the engine.I think they can always improve the tail look a bit, always reminded me of something with a lawn-mower engine strapped to it.
A well designed cowling will not only reduce drag and heat signature but also improve the cooling air flow.A cover will not only improve the look but it'll help reduce the heat signature and possibly the noise level. But then they'll also need to solve the problem of getting enough airflow to cool the enclosed engine.