Just throwing this question out here - thought it the best place to post... Has anyone put together a complete flying example of a Cox control-line airplane from parts scavenged along the way and was it worth it? I'm talking about something other than the ubiquitous PT-19 Trainer.

I see Cox International inventory has a few Cox C/L airplane parts and it looked like you could get at least a couple subjects completed based on parts available albeit at a ten-fold price increase based on 1970's dollars.

H,

The rest of the department store ARFs were heavier and did not fly as well (if you could call it that) as the PT-19.

COX did put out a decent flier or two in the late 1970's - Me109 (and a Chipmunk ?). These had much larger, lighter wings - thin sheet foam. The wings were molded open, looked like a VERY wide "W". They folded on the leading edge. The trailing edges glued together, and the root airfoil formed on a fillet molded into the fuselage, and a glue-in tip set the airfoil. Body had a stub spar a few inches long to support the wings.

Symmetrical airfoil. Capable of stunt pattern maneuvers, in good conditions.

Much later, they tried a solid foam wing 'sorta F-8', sorta ARF. Could fly a few maneuvers in good conditions. Didn't seem to catch on.

To your question: No idea if anyone tried to piece together any of these series from spare or salvaged parts. Other than nostalgia, I wonder why anyone would be interested to try that.

I should've been more clear in my opening post; I'm more interested in scale-like flight, not aerobatics (stunting) with them.

If you mean weren't capable of stunting, I would agree. But, disagree in that I thought they all flew well in capable hands. I destroyed the Me-109 Stunter and F-8 trying loops. Probably a common beginner mistake I made is to pull "full up"... the top of the loop is already too low... On the back side of the loop there is no more "up" left and the airplane figure "9's" into the ground. The F-8 does not have a solid wing; it has a hollow wing like the -109/Chipmunk/Hyper Viper - although one piece.

All I want to do is unravel Dacron lines, start up, perform a smooth take-off, go around in circles basically straight and level with an occasional climb and dive and execute a graceful landing a couple times, wind up the lines, clean-up, and go home. I don't need to perform the whole AMA Stunt Pattern in front of a judging committee. I had the PT-19, the Miss America (P-51), two Stukas, the Art Scholl Pitts, the Corsair, the Fokker Dr1 Triplane, an F-8 Crusader and Me-109 Stunter along with Testors Fly'ems -51,-109, and Zero. I still have a Testors BD-5 with a broken left wing tab. At least all those I had - flew reasonably well. Others I witnessed flying but never tried that I thought flew well were the Super Sports and Rivets - both rather large airplanes for .049s. Granted, I didn't fly all the Cox products ever produced but I never encountered any poorly flying ones in my experience.

I liked the Stuka's flying characteristics so much, I asked my father for another after the first exploded in straight and level flight from a stripped out forward fuselage half retention screw. I believe the loose front end allowed ram air pressure to "blow apart" the fuse halves - black, red, and clear parts seemed to rain down everywhere while the still running engine took a moon-shot. That airplane made the prettiest landings of any C/L airplane I can remember and in that regard, flew better than the PT-19. The only mods I did was to paint the Stuka's pilot and gunner, strapped them into their seats with a single rubber band, and tape the sliding canopies shut otherwise they'd open in flight.

BTW, the F-8 Crusader looks to be one that could be completed after purchasing all the parts sans engine and backplate on Cox International's site for about $100. Another is the Sopwith Camel.

Find Minnesota Models or Black Hawk modes and use ANY Shur Start or Tanked new old skool engine and you will be pleased with the flight and performance...another is Skalliwag..AKA select hobbies may many different 1/2a designs that fly perfectly with most of the available ExModel engines or Cox International engines

Do Not forget Brodak or their .049s as well as Norvel and their .049 and .061 versions

To have fun and fly 1/2a either CL or RC is very easy these days..... much better then wehn I was 12 years old.....

Hobby king has a few convertible laser cut kits and good small engines also for cheap.... In fact I use most of their miniature stuff for 1/2a RC birds....be sure to look at the USA warehouses before ordering from Hong kong

H,
I've meant to mention, but may not have, so here goes (?again?)...

The traditional Dacron flying lines are too thick and too stretchy - control is not sure and confident.

Dacron lines are much too thick - air drag makes all lines sag aft while the model flies. They can pick up weight and bulk from getting wet with oil or fuel and dirt, making it worse. Weight, diameter and stretch make controls very mushy.

Solid (single strand) 0.008" music wire is still available, and is low stretch, and amply strong . It is expensive, sensitive to kinks, hard to 'make-up' secure line sets, and not easily found.

There are new fishing lines nowadays, made of extremely strong material, that are much thinner than Dacron, dental floss or button thread. Spiderwire is one brand name. they are slicker and seem unaffected by fuel and oil. Good sports or fishing stores should have others, too.

Cost may seem higher than Dacron line, but it comes in ample lengths to make up many sets of lines. The good features allow you to fly a bit longer lines that Dacron, etc., so can reduce the dizzy problem while keeping solid control.

The do require some new techniques, easily learned: Special knots are necessary to prevent slipping or un-knotting - a simple "Palomar Knot' should be ample, but better knots are also diagrammed on the packaging.

They are so strong and thin that the packaging URGES you NOT to try breaking the line by wrapping it around your fingers. It will cut you badly. There's also a caution to NOT pull to tight when rolling it up on a spool. It can crush plastic spools or spindles. If you wrap up the lines around the ends of the handle, keep that in mind.

They can be bent tightly in knots, but knots almost always reduce breaking strength to about half of the rated strength. Less important for 1/2A flight... 15 lb or 20-25 lb test rating is definitely adequate. Another good thing for 1/2A use - making up a set of lines that as one continuous piece makes it easier to set your handle to 'neutral.' The typical COX flat handle adjuster, a few turns around the little thimble at the back, should serve well, perhaps with a Lark's Head knot included.