Cox .049 Baby Bee

Cox model engines  were in production for more than 50 years between 1945 and 2006 by L.M. Cox Manufacturing Co. Inc. who later became "Cox Hobbies Inc." and then "Cox Products" before being sold to Estes Industries when it became Cox Models. On February 7, 2009 Estes Industries stopped producing Cox engines.

Millions of engines were produced and they became the most common 1/2A Class  0.049 cubic inch engine in the world and probably still are today. Although the production of the engines ceased some years ago now, engines made as far back as the 1950s are still sold "as new" and in abundance world wide.

Cox developed the Babe Bee 049 in 1956, it was designed by William (Bill) Selzer, and featured an extruded aluminum crankcase, not cast like all the others, this engine sold for just $3.95 and stamped the final nail in the coffin of many competitors whose engines were selling for substantially more. The Babe Bee was a high quality high precision engine which started easily and was very reliable, unlike some of the competition.

The 1956 Babe Bee 049 (Cat#350 - Manufactured Nov 1956-Jan 1996) is commonly referred to as the classic Babe Bee, it was the first engine Cox produced with an extruded machined anodized bar stock aluminum crankcase. This crankcase was machine made and was much cheaper and faster to make than the cast aluminum crankcase of the earlier models. This engine was also supplied in thousands of RTF (Ready to Fly) airplanes sold in department stores worldwide. It has an integrated 5cc fuel tank. Max output power was recorded around 0.057 bhp (42 watts) @ 13,500 rpm on 15% nitro.

Specifications:-


Displacement  0.049 Cubic Inches (0.803 cm³)


Cylinder and Porting

                   Exhausts  Bypass   Ports  Bypass    Boosters           SPI          Tapered Grind     No. Stamp on cyl

Babe Bee

Open

1

0

Yes

No

2

Design Development History:-

The early engines that were produced before 1957 had a light alloy piston rod which is retained in its socket by a slotted steel retaining cup which in turn is held in place by a steel circlip located in a shallow groove in the interior piston wall. This arrangement (known as a three piece piston) was abandoned as of 1957 in favour of a hardened steel rod which was swaged into a bearing cup formed integrally in the piston interior. The advantage of this latter set-up was that it simplified assembly and the bearing could be re-set to take up play using a suitable "reset" tool to re-swage the cup. The Bee engines had 2 types of crankshaft produced. and they are both interchangeable.


Variant Model Features:-

1. All Bees with the exception of the Killer Bee and Venom had the same crankshaft that was only good for about 20,000 rpm before theconrod pin would break off;
2.  Early engines—Space Bug, Thermal Hopper, Strato Bug—circular twin copper reeds:
3. Bee Engines—star shaped single beryllium copper reed held in place by a circlip reed retainer;
4. Later Bees, Killer Bees, Venom—oval shaped stainless steel reed which is held in place by a plastic reed retainer;
5. Later variants of the star and oval reeds were made of Mylar and Teflon. Some say Mylar is the best while others prefer the stainless steel and then others prefer the Teflon. Claims are that Mylar and Teflon are lighter and make the engine easier to start and go faster, but they do not last as long as the stainless ones.

After Market Throttle

Muffler

Click on the object below to see a short video clip of the RC modified version of the Sure Start version of the Baby Bee starting and running on low nitro fuel with a rich NV setting.

Do you have a video clip that you are willing to share; a vintage engine to trade or want to purchase one of our vintage runners?
If the answer is yes, go to our trading post for a visit and have a look around.
To go to the Trading Post site right click on this LINK it will open in a new window.

STAB Ignition Engine

STAB Ignition Engines were produced in various displacements from 1.25 to 10 CC's. While the manufacturing quality was excellent the compression ratio was far too low for it to be used in high performance applications such as powering model aircraft. Consequently the company's greatest success with their STAB engines was attained when they were used as a marine engine and fitted with a water cooling jacket.


Production of the line ceased in the late 1950's although the company in still in business they no longer produce these model engines.


For more information on the complete line of STAB engines, go to This collectors page


The feature Engine of this page was designed and manufactured in France Circa 1940's. 


Specifications:-


Type 2 Stroke Gas Ignition;
Displacement Capacity 10 cc

To view a short clip of the starting and running of this fine old engine click on the object below.

MICRON 60 (10 CC)

This was the complete line of Micro engines at the time of their demise in 1979.

 The Micron brand had been in production since the mid 1940's in France by Andre Gladieux, 8 Rue Victor Gelez, Paris XI.

The 10CC/.60CI Micron 4 cylinder made in France in the 70's. This beauty was very expensive even in it's day. The 60 was actually a double twin with 4, 2.5 CC cylinders.

The Micron 4 cylinder 


Specifications:-


Displacement !0CC/0.60CI
Engine Type   2 Stroke, Glow
Engine Design  Double Twin
Speed Range 3,000 - 15,000 RPM
Maximum Power  0.90 @ 14,000 HP  


To View a short video clip demonstrating the starting and running this vintage classic just click on the object below.











FOUR cylinder 2 stroke double twin model engine RC

"

'via Blog this'

Enya 19 MK V Glow Engine

The Enya 19 IV was Designed and manufactured in Japan in the mid 1960's this engine was considered by those who ran them as being "one tough engine". I remember mine with fondness as it never let me down, easy starting and smooth running. It was the only engine that successfully powered my then new P. E. Norman Designed Fokker Dr 1 Triplane with galloping ghost control system to a beautifully controlled flight.

The Enya 19 IV  featured  a "square " 2 stroke design.


Specifications:-
bore/stroke 16mm X 16mm and available only in plain bearing;
0.24 HP at 11,750 RPM


The Enya 19-V Model 4005 was introduced in 1970 featured an "over square design.


Specifications:-
bore/stroke 16.5mm X 15mm which was available in a twin ball-race model;
0.28 HP at nearly 13,000 RPM with muffler



Click on the Object below to see the starting and running of this fine old engine.

The Brown Junior 60 Ignition Engine

Above are the patent drawing issued for Bill Brown's Engine

The engine Bill constructed in his Dad's workshop for his school design project in 1930

Below: My Recent Ebay Purchase

Brown Junior D Model or B Model?

How do I tell the difference?

 Equipped with an adjustable choke

Specifications:
Displacement 0.601 Cubic Inches;
Bore 7/8 inches;
Stroke 1 inch;
Horse power 1/5;
Weight 8 ounces;
Propeller 14 inches;
Speed 6200 R.P.M.


Running my recent Ebay purchase:-
After taking the time to gather the pieces and wire up a power transistor ignition circuit, I was disappointed to discover that the sparkplug was smashed and a full ignition run was out of the question. I did have an old champion glow plug laying around so I installed it and gave the old girl a run anyway just to listen to that long stroke sound.
 

This summer (2015) I was able to locate another old spark plug and attempt to realize a lifelong quest, by running the Brown Jr. on full ignition.
The video below demonstrates how we made out.

The Brown "B" was produced by Junior Morors Corp in 1934 at Philadelpelphia, PA. and for years this engine captured many flying contests and held manyrecords for model airplanes.

One notable achievement is an award to "Wm. L. Brown Jr., for Gasoline Powered Flight, 2 Hrs. 35 Min., 35-1/5 sec., May 28, 1934." where a Junior powered model was tracked on a cross country flight and returned to the originating point by a full size chase plane. This unbelievable accomplishment captured the attention of the modeling world which assured the success of brand for many years.   


Click the Play Button of the object below to view a short video showing the original Model "B" engines being assembled and flown back in 1934 as well as a modern scaled down replica running on full ignition.

The following information is from Collect Air Vintage Model Engines.

This engine is the Brown D, manufactured by Junior Motors from 1938 through 1942. The configuration of this engine, along with the placement of the serial number, 15032 D, shown on top of the lug, suggests that it was built in 1939 which was the peak year for production of the "D" engine (16,600 built) although the "bump" timer arm presumably didn't come out until a year or two later. The "D" is equipped with piston rings.

So now it appears that my new purchase from an EBAY seller is actually a D model and not a B model as advertised. 

Latest Old Brown Junior

Factory Data Sheet.
http://www.collectair.com/File0053.PDF

The internal components of a disassembled engine

My new question is: how does one know how to locate the cam on the crankshaft when there are 4 different choices and only 1 is the correct one for running?

Ray's Engine Running Nicely (see comments below) 

We always welcome your comments on our posts and appreciate a thumbs-up.

Irvine 20 ABC Diesel and Dykes Ringed Glow Versions

Click the link Below to Browse the Diesel Book

Diesel Book

Irvine 20 ABC Diesel 

Circa  1987

Design History:-

Designed and manufactured as a dieselized version of a nitro glow engine in England in the mid 1980's

Design Features:-

Front through the shaft induction; ABC piston/cylinder technology; advanced design carburetor and bolt on muffler without pressurization tap.

Specifications:-

Displacement 2.5 cc

Observations:-

"This is the latest and, perhaps, the most significant example of the diesel-ization of an existing glow plug engine, in that it was initiated and developed by the engine's manufacturer. Ever since they began producing their own motors in 1977, Irvine Engines have specialized in glow engines (the sole departure being their production of the Mills 75 replica) and the fact that Ron Irvine decided to press ahead with the production of this diesel version of the well-liked and very successful Irvine 20 series, obviously indicates considerable faith in its capabilities.
The Irvine 20 has not been extensively redesigned for diesel operation. It has a new crankshaft; otherwise, dieselization is confined to the cylinder head assembly, plus small modifications to the carburettor and silencer".

After describing the reduced-choke carburetor, the author continues....

"The reason for having this much reduced choke area is to enable the engine to be operated without the assistance of an exhaust pressurised fuel system, which is the reason why the diesel version of the silencer has the usual pressure nipple replaced by a screw-in plug.
Why no exhaust pressure feed ? Simple! Exhaust gases condense to form a certain amount of H2O when they come into contact with the cool fuel in the tank. A little water in the fuel does not matter in a glow engine; it is miscible with methanol-based fuel and a small amount can be tolerated...Diesel fuel, on the other hand, is petroleum based (usually kerosene, occasionally DERV). Ergo, the water remains separated and, having a higher specific gravity than that of the fuel, settles in the bottom of the tank, where it may be sucked up by the clunk weight. Not even diesels like running on water. Result: malfunction of one kind or another...".

The author was Peter G.F. Chinn.


Although it is generally regarded as a fine engine it is not my favorite by far. Looking for a practical RC Diesel to power a Kitty-Wake sport float plane, I settled upon the Irvine 20 ABC diesel to do the job. After a short ground run I made a very bad decision and decided to opt for a first flight. As I recall the flight did not last very long, nor did the poor Kitty Wake. The Irvine suddenly quit and I was faced with the worst of all situations for an RC flyer; a down wind dead-stick landing on a new model. Needless to say the landing didn't go well, ripping away the floats on impact.

 Irvine 20 Glow Engine

That Irvine it's self never ran again. All attempts to start it proved unsuccessful and the reason was obvious. There was almost no compression, the once tight engine had gone from lots of compression to none in the matter of a few short minutes (unbelievable!). The engine was thrown into a corner and forgotten for a number of years, until one day I got around to disassembling it for a close examination. What I found was the engine had eaten it's self. The piston and sleeve were severely scored, with deep vertical groves running full length in each. All attempts to find replacement parts (matching piston and sleeve) proved to be impossible so, I thought if I could find a used Irvine 20 engine for parts that would be the answer (not!). The other used Irvine 20's that I managed to find were ringed engines, with marginal compression and I knew from the beginning that they would never start as a diesel.


Watch the video below showing my attempts to start and run these engines.





MAKE YOUR OWN MODEL DIESEL FUEL- 
Browse book at;
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CIVP03Q

Browse below to see how an Irvine 20 Diesel can be rebuilt
Buy your own copy Here

Mk XIII Wen Mac 049

The Mk XIII Wen Mac 049 was designed and manufactured in The United States in the mid 1950's by Atwood. The same talented engine designer who created other great engines such as the Cox Tee Dee and Medallion series. The Mk III was introduced in 1959 and featured a wind-up recoil starter.

]

WEN MAC MARK XIII
Datei:Rojo WEN MAC MARK XIII "HOTSHOT" 1.jpg WEN MAC MARK XIII "HOTSHOT"
Motorenart:	Glühzündung
Kraftstoff:	Methanol/Öl
Taktklasse:	2T
Daten
Zylinderzahl:	1
Hubraum:	0,817 cm³
Bohrung:	10,67 mm
Hub:	9,14 mm
Gewicht & Abmessungen
Sonstige Angaben
Modelljahr	1964
Hersteller
Wen Mac Corp., Culver City, California, USA
Vertrieb
Wen Mac Corp., Culver City, California, USA

Observations:-
The engine was marketed under various brand names over the years including McCoy. It was almost exclusively produced for a line of ready to fly plastic control line model airplanes. The engine was produced to very high quality and machine tolerances.

Engines were picked at random, for a quality control check. Part of the quality check included running several engines for 8 hours a day for as long as 30 days. Piston tolerances were 15 millionths of inch for size, roundness and taper

The engine is now qualified for use in the old time 1/2A Nostalgia FF flying events consequently, the good ones are getting harder and harder to find.

The engine featured in the video clip is not mine, but I have owned a couple in the past; which were mounted as outboard engines on a Ju 52. During the early 1960's these engines were so numerous that American Hobby Center in New York City, was selling them for the fabulously low price of $5.95.

The glow heads were prone to burn out and replacements were always hard to find. People learned to pull  the steel contact out and drill and tap the old head for a 1/4 - 32 short glow plug which worked fine. These little engines will really turn up the revs when run on high nitro (to 30%), but you will see in the video clip that they do quite well on 5% fuel.

Click the object below for a demonstration video on starting and running the little Wen Mac.



Special thanks to EBay Seller Dadretread, and RC Network (Germany) for material shown in this page.