Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Hello Everyone,

I thought I'd post a few photos of my Cox Collection. I hope they bring back memories for some and educate others about these wonderful Cox aircraft.

Cessna Centurion - Front Right (produced in 1977)
Cessna Skylane - Front Middle (produced in 1984
Piper Archer - Front Left (produced in 1979)
Sky Rally Ultralight - Back Left (produced in 1984)
PT-19 - Back Right (produced in 1986)

Piper Cub Trainer .020 (produced in 1979)

*Still need the Sportavia, Turbo Arrow III, Fairchild 24, Piper Dakota and Phoenix Hang Glider to fill the gaps. The search continues!

I spent many years staring at the Cox fold out catalogs when I was a teenager and dreaming of day when I would own all of these models. I'm slowly getting there! I learned how to fl y with the Centurion and I'm still flying one today. These models always bring a smile to my face and I hope they do the same for you!

All the best,
Tony Accurso
Edwards AFB, CAi

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Tony,

I flew a Cessna Centurion for a grandfather and his grandson once. This must have been it the late 70s. It flew great but the AA battery pack fell apart and it did a spiral dive at warp speed right into a housing project. It managed to crash in the only spot of grass around and very little damage was done to the plane. Too bad Estes doesn't make those anymore.

For those who don't know Tony.......he works on the X planes at Edwards AFB for a living.

Thanks for posting your pictures.
Lynn

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Don't forget the EZ Bee... I know a lot of people wrote those off, but I owned three of them and loved them. It'd freak out the other guys at the flying field when I would hand launch one, then turn around and talk to them while the plane just flew off on auto-pilot. I think my best flight time for an EZBee was just over an hour. That big wing really catches the thermals.

I also had the Eagle single channel glider.

As a side note, I had the Sky Rallye and crashed it. The only thing worth saving was the wing. One Saturday afternoon a few years later I was bored and decided to build a new plane to fly the next day. I was eating a can of Pringles, and noticed that the can colors matched the Sky Rallye wing, so I made a Pringles can plane using the wing. That was 9 years ago, and as far as I know, the plane is still hanging in the window of my old friend's hobby shop. Draws a lot of business in for him.

Mark

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Hi Lynn,

I had to remove the Cox Cadet Radio that was in my Centurion and upgrade to a Futaba system. The Centurion is a joy to fly now! The future is uncertain when it comes to what Estes / Cox will produce in the future. I don't think we'll see them produce some of these great airplanes again. The reason is because the entry level electric R/C airplane has really taken over the beginner market. Most people what instant, out of the box, trouble free, easy flying with no fuss! Sure would be nice to see of few re-released one day!

By the way, the November issue of Airpower Magazine is now out and my interview and photos from the film "The Right Stuff are in the issue. If you get a moment, check it out!

All the best,
Tony Accurso

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Hi batjac,

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

You're right! I can't forget the EZ-Bee! I've never flown one but have heard only good things about the model. I will add the EZ-Bee and the Eagle Glider to the collection.

Great story on the Pringles plane. Did you ever fly it? The Sky Rally is a great looking and flying airplane. The surprise is that it flys pretty fast and the landings required plenty of airspeed and a gentle flair and landing. The aluminum tube frame is delicate and will bend and or break on hard landings. Fortunately, the hobby shops carry the tubing required for replacement. I just remove the slow moving Cox Cadet Radio gear and replaced it with Futaba micro equipment. I hope to fly it this weekend with the new gear.

Best always,
Tony

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

:eek: Heres a little history on the EZ-Bee...

I worked at Cox in Customer Service in 1984. I got tired of seeing the piles of returned Centurians from J.C.Penny, Sears, and the other major chains we sold to.

I built the first EZ-Bee prototype on my lunch break using an Eagle II wing, Sportavia horizontal tail, and a Centurian fuselage. The model used rudder only control with a kick-up elevator, inspired by Kevin Kline, a fellow employee. After work I went to Mile Square Park for the test flight. It was very windy, but after launch the model climbed rock steady to about 400 feet. When the engine quit, it sat still for an instant then began an almost vertical dive! By pulsing the rudder back and fourth I was able to get the thing out of the dive and made a fair landing. It took 3/8" of incidence in the wing to get the model to glide well.

The original name picked for it was "The R/C Sure Flier". John Elliot and I brain stormed the EZ-Bee name and convinved Bill Selzer the president at the time that our name had more sales appeal.

The demand was so great in 1984 Cox set up two assembly lines, side by side and ran 2 shifts to meet the orders. Pace sold the model with engine and radio, for $44.00! A starter kit cost an additional $9.95. If memory serves me we sold 3.8 million dollars worth of EZ-Bees the first year.

Here in Southern California the school yards and vacant lots were filled with them! I once stopped by Anaheim Stadium and there were at least a dozen people there with them, trying to get the "modelers" to teach them to fly. I would offer to help. First I checked the model to be sure it was set up okay. Then start the engine, pull out the transmitter antenna and set the transmitter on the ground. Then with the dad or child beside me I would launch the model and watch it begin a gentle climb to the left. Only then would we go back and pick up the transmitter! At one point we had 7 in the air at once!

There was a lot of bad press in the model magazines. Many felt the model flew better with elevator control. It did, but thousands flew quite well with just rudder only and the kick up elevator. In fact some of our testing was done by handing the model to a "modeler" and not telling them it had no elevator. Most were astounded after landing the model and seeing there was no separtate elevator control!


In the years that followed, the model was modified into many forms. electric, and even free flight with a camera! The return rate was smaller in percentage, but larger in volume because we sold so many!

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Hi Randy,

Thank you so much for sharing the EZ-Bee history! You were a part of a wonderful time in Cox history. I only wish I could have been there with you. I was only 14 years old in 84.

How long were you there and what other models were you involved with?

I look forward to talking with you more about Cox History and your work there! Thank you for your time!

Best Regards,
Tony Accurso

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Tony,

Yes, the Pringles plane flew quite well. I flew it all the next day (Sunday) after I'd spent the previous afternoon building it. Everyone at the field loved it, and the friend with the hobby shop asked if he could display it when I wasn't flying it. As I already had enough airplanes to keep me busy, I pulled the radio gear and handed the plane to him. Like I said, as far as I know it's still hanging in his shop.

Mark

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

"By the way, the November issue of Airpower Magazine is now out and my interview and photos from the film "The Right Stuff are in the issue. If you get a moment, check it out! "

I will have to get a copy.
thanks, Lynn

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Another one you could add to the list would be the electric Cox Canario (AKA, Nitto Kitty). For those who don't know what it looks like, it was a small, cub yellow electric motor glider with a geared pusher 280 mounted in a plastic red pod above the wing. I had one of these new when I was a kid back in 1987, and it flew like crap with heavy Airtronics R/C gear and seperate reciever battery. This summer, I purchased a NIB Canario on Ebay, and built it with the newest featherweight FMA radio gear. I abandoned the stock metal control rods for elevator and rudder in favor of a Dubro park flyer pull-pull system, and went with a 7.2 NiMh battery from the Horizon Firebird XL for the onboard battery. The original had a 6V NiCad and a big heavy switch harness for the motor. No motor control like with the ESC I installed. The extra power burned up the original Mabuchi 280 motor, so I purchased a 280 for the hummingbird helicopter which bolted directly into the power pod. In addition, I chucked the heavy rubber model type prop for a GWS prop of similar size. This shed tremendous amounts of weight off the original. It flys MUCH better than than the one I had in 87; the rate of climb is truly remarkable compared to what I remember about the first one. Next step- ailerons and LiPoly battery. Technology is great!

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

its not the same having a bunch of arf rtf as it is having your on scratch built 1/2a airplanes.arf and rtf planes are boring:D

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I am trying to locate a Cox Cessna Skylane fuselage to complete one that I have. Anyone have one?

Kevin

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Aren't you missing the Sportavia???

I thought that outside of the US the Ceturion and Skylane were marketed by Peerless/Kyosho.

Could be worng tho.

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I purchased what I believe to be a Cox phoenix. No engine, paperwork, and half a pilot. It is a collection of 3/8" aluminum tubes assembled to look like a powered hang glider. Moving the leading edge rods warps the wing tips. Do you know what size engine it takes and where the CG is supposed to be set? Do you have any information on it or do you know where to get it.

Thanks,

Jeff

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

You are missing quite a few from the list! There is an RTF Lazy Bee, Fairchild 24, Electric Sundance, Hurricane glider, Flyboy electric, Turbo Centurion .020 powered, R/C flyer, Lectra,RC commander, R/C Sky Bird, and R/C Sky Bird electric, Silhouette, Ridge Hawk, Thermal Hawk, Spyder, and three ARF balsa models, the Katydid, Scorpion and Mantis (the Katydid and Mantis are sold under different names by Norvel)

Good luck in tracking al those down! :)

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I am trying to get an old sportavia flying again, well actually for this one it would be the first time. The nose was broken off of it about 20 years ago and it was left sitting until I recently asked for it and decided to try and fly it. It has been a huge heartache finding parts for it. I am updating parts that I can't get anymore and since I am trying to get into RC planes, I decided to buy a new radio that came with servos that I replaced in this plane. Anyway, I finally have everything I need and now I can't figure out how to put the receiver and battery pack in with the servos and keep it balanced so the weight isn't to far forward. There a foam insert that appears to hold the receiver and battery pack but due to its age and condition I don't know how well it will work. Does anyone have an owners manual for this plane that I could get over the net? I have already tried the company and they told me they don't have anything for planes this old. Thanks in advance for the help.

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Hi, I have a Sportavia and a Turbo Arrow III. Learned to fly on a sportavia 27 years ago. I swore if I ever found another NIB I would buy it. Well I got lucky about 2 years ago..... Found a NIB turbo arrow also. This was my second model after my father and myself clipped the wings on the sportavia and put a TD 0.51 with a 1 oz tank in it. Flew great untill a tired wing gave up. Those were the days. How can I help you with the manual.

Scott

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I was trying to determine the exact placing of the battery pack and receiver in the plane. I was pretty sure the owner's manual said something about it but I can't remember what it was. Any chance you don't want the manual any more? If so could I get it from you? If you want to keep it the info about placing the pieces inside would be helpful. The only thing I currently have is a partial picture that is on the box and it isn't very useful. Thanks again for your help.
Steve

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

Hi,

I just acquired a Cox Centurian that has never been flown but has been sitting in a guys attic for years !!!.. the plane is dusty/dirty but....I can clean that up.. but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to smooth out the old stickers (decals) for the windows and lettering and cowling?.... Obviously with the foam fuse/wing you can't heat it too much.. but wondered if anyone had done any "restoration" on these old Cox decals.

Thanks for any help...

Deadstik.....[8D]

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I just ripped apart a brand new E-z bee....... well it was old but in new box :(........ it had only 2 buttons(left and right) tried to convert it to electric but it was too heavy... dang

Recent Cox R/C EZ Bee stories
 

I recently acquired a brand new Cox R/C EZ BEE Sport-- the single-channel, rudder-only trainer that Cox made years ago. I took the model to the field yesterday and got the expected grumpy and puzzled looks from the other modelers. I had a rough early morning with 2 fly-away flights-- we were lucky to find the EZ Bee in the high grass. I also had a few lawn dart launches and crashes before I got the elevator adjusted and my launch technique down.

Then, the fun started. I fired up the Babe Bee and launched the model into a nice, steady climb out. I'm amazed at how easy it was to control the ship with the little rudder pulses. There was even a perfect runway landing that brought cheers out of the some of the .40-size warbird guys. I felt like I was in a time capsule-- I imagine this is what RC was like in the 60's, eh?

RE: Recent Cox R/C EZ Bee stories
 

Coincidently I just last night finished up my Cox Thermal Hawk/Spyder , will test it out later in the week,,and you know if I can fly it,, I'll be lettin ya'll know about it..:D
Rog
I put a Golden bee on it, may go with a tee dee .049 with throttle ring next

RE: Recent Cox R/C EZ Bee stories
 

So, is anyone else out there still doing some nostalgia modeling with these old Cox ARFs? We talk a lot about Cox engines on this forum, but these models, I think, need to be kept alive, too.

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I really like the Piper Archer! Where can you find one now? id love to have one


matt

RE: Cox R/C Aircraft Collection
 

I think you'll have to spend time at the auction sites. Otherwise, it would be great if someone could produce some CAD drawings of these out-of-production models. I feel a little bad cracking open NIP Cox stuff from years ago, but it might as well live on.