Babe Bee ID Question

Tee Bee Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:48 pm

Does anyone know when these were made? I've never come across any in this particular blister pack before and am thinking they may be 50s vintage? I aquired them with some other various old glow engines this weekend from a local old-timer.

ticomareado Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:09 pm

I believe these examples are the first version with new style glow head, cylinder and single piece piston. (i.e. non-Space Bug Jr. top end.)

So I'm going to say 1957 to 1959.

Tee Bee Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:24 pm

Awesome! Thanks.

balogh Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:13 am

Check the printed text on the backside...a Litho mark with the year of printing maybe there in the bottom corner. Congrats this is really vintage stuff of my age. Very Happy

Mark Boesen Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:27 am

All Babe Bees had the 'new' large diameter ('56) glowhead. It's interesting as the tanks have the Thimble-Drome lettering on them, but are still in the first version package, also the backplates look like the ('58) brass type. The package was changed sometime in '59, so i'll guess late '58'ish? Thanks for posting!

Early Babe Bee ('56-'57) note light color back plate and absence of lettering on tank.

'59 package

ticomareado Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:00 am

I was hoping that you were going to weigh in. The photos are very helpful. I think I got it al bass-ackwards about the cylinders/glow heads as it was Space Bug Juniors that got Baby Bee big thread top ends in their final iterations.

In any case, it seems that our pal from Texas has a real rarity provided the factory seal on package is intact enough to preclude engine switching.

roddie Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:48 am

Those are treasures Troy! I just noticed that it looks like the packaging has a printed outline of the engines' back-plate to use as a mounting-template..?? Mark's photos show that too.

Tee Bee Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:18 am

Yes. They have the mounting templates printed on them. I hadn't noticed that until you mentioned it. These are pretty cool. Can't wait to rip them open and fly them. Just kidding! I've already got enough old battle-weary reedies to fly more 1/2A planes than I'll ever build. I guess they will remain in dormancy until my kids/grandkids dump them at an estate sale some day. :/

balogh Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:03 am

Troy,

are these BB-s mounted with No 1 cylinders (that may be stamped below the exhaust ports)? Not that it matters in them being treasures..I also have a NIB (already ripped open, the original Santa Ana air immediately inhaled from below the bubble) blister pack BB born in the early 1960-s that came with a No 2 cylinder i.e. single bypass port unlike the No 1 with double bypass, adding more power...

Tee Bee Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:49 pm

I looked theough the bubble with a flashlight but was unable to see any recognizable number stamps on the cylinders.

Mark Boesen Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:38 pm

The early Babe Bees wouldn't 'bee' stamped.
All Babe Bees were single port, the 'p40' dual port cylinder was the first cylinder stamped (c. '59) followed by the '1' (dual port) seen on the later Space Hopper and RR-1.
Without hitting the books, i can't say exactly when the '2' stamping (single port) showed up, i'd guess early 60's ('61?) with the intro of the Tee Dees, hopefully Mud will tell us more.
The spring starter groove on case was intro'd in '62.

Tee Bee Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:10 am

Good info here. Thanks guys! It lets me appreciate these gems that much more.

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