Creek find

Love that story, complete with pictures.

I'm thinking probably fuel but maybe a combination. Great recovery and restoration. I had a fly-away that I often think of, a Space Bug Junior many years ago. I hope whomever found it gave it some love as you did and put it to good use.

Great story. I've never found an engine, and
you did well by this one. I especially like the
muffler exhaust port. She cleaned up nicely.
Bob

Cool find! Aside from the crud in the tank, it actually doesn't look that bad before the cleaning. Not a lot of rust on it. Usually when you see these "lost and found" engines and they are a corroded and rust covered mess. It couldn't have been out there too long.

I'll post finding the engine in our club's news letter (on line).
Maybe it will get back to the original owner?

Hopefully it belongs to one of our newer members and really would like it back?
At least every year, we loose one or two planes in the grove of trees for some reason?

I use a tracker (Pyxis -- GPS model Tracker) after I lost one plane in there 3 years ago (Astro Viking).
http://starlink-flitetech.com/pyxis.php

Since purchasing the Pyxis, I have lost one plane (in 2019), but was able to find it in less than 30 minutes in that grove.
Plane had minor damage from hitting the trees and was flying again the next weekend.

Oldenginerod wrote:Good job!  How did you get the backplate so clean without the finish coming off?  Just needs a bit of re-blueing of the cylinder and it'll be like brand new.  Lucky find.  I'm surprised it wasn't rustier.  Says something for the resilience of Castor oil.

I initially used Krud Kutter cleaner/degreaser to clean up the engine.
I used hot water, rubber gloves, Krud Kutter in the hot water (50/50 mix) and an old nylon tooth brush.
Then cleaned all of the parts then in my sonic cleaner with 10% solution of Master Stages Cleaner 2020.

I did reblued the cylinder after I wire brushed the rust off it. That is why it looks a little brown.
I just didn't clean between the fins too well. Maybe work on that a little more?

sosam117 wrote:I'll post finding the engine in our club's news letter (on line).
Maybe it will get back to the original owner.

That's a stand up gesture. My hat's off to you. Well done sir.
Bob

I was raised that if I find something, it is really not mine to keep.
The person who lost it may need it more than I?

I have plenty of Cox engines and "if" this was his flier's only Cox engine, I'll give it back to him.
Like me, if someone found my lost plane (with my name in it), I would like to get it back?

I'll let you guys know and update you.

Nice find! Probably being immersed in the mud has helped to preserve the engine. No oxygen present => no corrosion. Could have been there for a long time, but still nice of you to first clean it up and then post it on the newsletter to see if someone has lost it

Did you find your glider?

Update:

The original owner called me after seeing the ad in the clubs (on-line) news letter of a found Cox .049 engine.
We made a date to meet up at the flying field and I would give him his engine back.

Glen said that he purchased the E-Z Bee (ready to fly) at a swap meet for $75.00 in May 2019.
Radio installed, motor, transmitter, starter kit.
Plane had some little damage but was in o.k. shape for a beginner plane.
Flew it most of the summer, teaching his grandson how to fly.
I now remember seeing it a few times that summer now.

This is what Glen told me:

Glen told me that the labor day weekend was when they lost the plane.
They got the engine started, checked the radio for operation and then launched it.
Of course the wind was coming from the west, so they launched it into the wind (towards the creek/wooded area).

After it got some height, they tried to turn the plane, but got no response.
It just kept flying straight and into the creek/wooded area where it got lost?

Glen and his grandson ( about 13 or 14 years old?) drove over to about where it went into the woods.
At the time Glen had a heart pump machine and couldn't go into the woods so he had his grandson look for it the best he could.
Glen had the heart pump machine (at that time) for a little over 2 years.

He was lucky enough to get a replacement heart in end of October of 2019.

Anyway, Glen figured the plane was a write off?
I told him that I found part of it when I was looking for my catapult glider.
The only part I ran across was the nose section that was stuck in the dirt.

So, Here is a photo of the happy owner of the found engine.


He wanted to pay me for finding it and making it look better that when it got lost!
I told Glen to install it into another plane and get his grandson out flying again.

By the way, I would like to thank the CEF members for the votes for "Engine of the Month".
IF I am lucky enough to win the engine at the end of the year, I'll give the engine to Glen and his grandson.
We need young fliers to keep our hobby going!

Great Story! Happy to see the engine and its owner reunited after almost two years

KariFS wrote:Great Story! Happy to see the engine and its owner reunited after almost two years

Glen is doing better month after month with his new heart.
Before the heart attack he was about 210lbs.
He currently weight is about 140lbs.
Glen doesn't come out too much right now because of covid-19.
He has a weak immune system. The photo was taken at a distance with a zoom.
I placed the engine on his vehicle and back away as he picked it up.
He said that this was the third time he has been out at the field for a year.

Currently taking rejection medication for the new heart, and other medications.
Real restricted where he can go. (currently)

I have not seen him since 2019 ( a few times at the field that year).

This is the kind of story that reminds me we have the best members here on this forum. I bet he was excited to see that engine again. Great work Mike!

A true happy ending for Glen, for the COX engine and an exemplary generosity, congratulations Mike.

Fantastic that he could bee rejoiced with his engine , I am sure he was surprised !!

A great story with a very happy ending. I wonder if there is still any interest in flying for his grandson that was being taught at the time of the incident?

Are those SIG kits?

I have a couple, partial kits with shaped airfoil wings. Seems like they would be to heavy to be gliders.