Vintage Cox Tee Dee .049 speed plane - nice ebay

Really cool Bob ..,..An appropriate tribute indeed!! …. Would be nice if Levent could do his magic and produce a small graphic with Argentina’s colors for a badge for the plane to proudly wear …

rdw777 wrote:Really cool Bob ..,..An appropriate tribute indeed!! …. Would be nice if Levent could do his magic and produce a small graphic with Argentina’s colors for a badge for the plane to proudly wear …

Now that's an idea. Levent has helped me out in many ways, along with others here.

My initial thought was having him make a Mauricio decal in script. My handwriting is terrible. My wife could have done it, she had a beautiful artistic hand. I have forgotten how I did Eric. Maybe Levent made that one too.

Well that is a breathtakingly beautiful plane...call me a RC freak, but I could see myself convert it into RC...there is plenty of space inside to place servos and battery...just my imagination, running away with me....

balogh wrote:Well that is a breathtakingly beautiful plane...call me a RC freak, but I could see myself convert it into RC...there is plenty of space inside to place servos and battery...just my imagination, running away with me....

Now I would like to see that. I have often commented on how you and Mauricio keep those RC hotrods in the air and follow them to successful landings.

Arrived today, air mail packed thin but well.




Useless cracked 4 1/2" prop.  Ok for display.



I believe that it's very thin fiberglas sheet covered balsa and painted with thinned resin.  Very stiff, you cannot bend the wing or horizontal stab.  You have to look very close.  Half elevator hinges done extremely well. I haven't seen any better outside of roddies latest build which are marvelous.  





A whole lot going on inside here.




Love the detail.  Front mounting machine screws splayed out at an angle.




Canopy optional.........Not sure what I will do with it.  Leave as is, or mess around with paint.

Dear friend, the model is beautiful and they have put a lot of dedication into their work.
From here I can see a lot of quality.
I feel very happy....he is a thoroughbred racer. The woodwork is perfect.
Take the time you need to see what you decide to do, meanwhile just contemplate it, it's already beautiful... by the way, I'm going to have a beer right now!, to celebrate!!

Bob, very nice..is there any opening at the engine cowling aft towards the atmosphere, or, all exhaust gases enter the fuselage?

balogh wrote:Bob, very nice..is there any opening at the engine cowling aft towards the atmosphere, or, all exhaust gases enter the fuselage?

András, here are the gas outlets as far as I can see, on both sides and a surface large enough to evacuate them.

Thanks Bob, so the cowling is well flushed with fresh air, and the engine SPI is therefore not a problem.

balogh wrote:Thanks Bob, so the cowling is well flushed with fresh air, and the engine SPI is therefore not a problem.

Sorry, just answer because I was just seeing that!...Bob will be able to confirm if it is so!

Impressive workmanship by the original owner, Bob. I can see where every possible detail to have an aerodynamically clean aircraft within the speed class rules was adhered to, the mono-line reducing drag over 2 lines, no canopy for cleaner profile, glassed surfaces for rigidity, etc.

Even as-is, it is a work of art. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, will be interesting to see your changing of the colors take place in new hands.

Thanks all for your comments.

I know nothing about this type of mono line speed model so you might say that it's virtues are lost on me.  

The engine is vented by this opening between the wheels.  And yes, both sides as Mauricio indicated.



It's not fiberglass, I got out a magnifying glass.  It's fine linen coated and sanded.  Not a wrinkle to be seen.  

If I have a nit to pick, it's with ebays shipping estimates.  I have seen this before and negoiated a reduced rate with the vendor.  ebay's estimate from Washington state to West Virginia was $67 and change.  Actual cost via priority airmail was:



I really hate to change this at all, but it woud be nice sanded down and painted a single color then add the canopy and some of Levent's decals.  

What would you do..............I have many, many model airplanes mostly junk that I have repaired.  But this one is special.  Someone put a lot of thought and effort in it.  Like what one of you guys would do.

Fine linen, or perhaps silk? A thinner cloth would be lighter than glass cloth. I don't know how thin glass cloth could get, because I am only familiar with that suitable for surfboards, having lived in Hawaii 17 years.

I remembered that a few manufacturers did advertise various grades of fiberglass cloth, SIG, I think Dubro did, may be Hobby Poxy too. But here, irrelevant.

Just tagging along watching your work here.

GallopingGhostler wrote:Fine linen, or perhaps silk? A thinner cloth would be lighter than glass cloth. I don't know how thin glass cloth could get, because I am only familiar with that suitable for surfboards, having lived in Hawaii 17 years.

I remembered that a few manufacturers did advertise various grades of fiberglass cloth, SIG, I think Dubro did, may be Hobby Poxy too. But here, irrelevant.

Just tagging along watching your work here.

Thanks George, perhaps silk is the better idea.  Very fine weave.  My options for paint, very doubtful at this point.  But I really do like that matte blue, models seem to wear it very well.  Extreme right is chrome not black.  




I don't think that Mauricio likes the canopy idea.

It may have been covered with the thin 3/4 oz fiberglass cloth and polyester or epoxy. That is pretty common. The canopy and rudder was required, so the smallest one possible was used. I used white or black then but decided on yellow to be timed easier, but it doesn't really matter. I made my fuselage from a mold in fiberglass, but wood is fine too. Easier to get the ducts in if you want that. We used a magnesium pan too so the engine doesn't shake at all.

The canopy I pictured is a perfect fit judging by the spots left on the fuselage.

So how does the single control line work?  I might understand it with thicker line, but only .062 line will fit.  I tried thicker line but no-go.




Checked the internet, about the only thing I could find:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=control+line+speed+model+planes&docid=608008004975616468&mid=83C539E2DF8FD199369683C539E2DF8FD1993696&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

About 230 in IIRC.

MauricioB wrote:

balogh wrote:Thanks Bob, so the cowling is well flushed with fresh air, and the engine SPI is therefore not a problem.

Sorry, just answer because I was just seeing that!...Bob will be able to confirm if it is so!

Sorry Mauricio, my mistake. I did not carefully look at who sent the answer, so I addressed my reply to Bob and not to you!

In fact I experienced with one of my TeeDees that a tightly built, not well vented cowling robbed some performance due to the SPI..but these gills on the cowling side are well vented due to the depression arising on the sides of the cowling.

The lines were .014" and 42'. Forget the # of laps. The handle that Glen showed is the one I used. The end is made up pretty much like two line but there is no connector. Just that button on the monoline unit that twists. I think now the pull test may be 50Gs. The new profile proto is still 2 lines at .010" x 42'. Standing start. AMA rules which are available.

rsv1cox wrote:

I don't think that Mauricio likes the canopy idea.  

Bob, first of all let me say something, this turned out better than I expected. Although when I saw the seller's photos I saw that it was a high quality work, now that you have it, it is much better than what I saw in the photos.
I like the model a lot and I am very enthusiastic about the lines that he has.
Regarding the cockpit, I only played with the position, that is, you can go further forward, further back, where you like best, in my models I do that, I play with the appearance, I make them more aggressive to the eye with just move the booth from place and it all depends on the eye that sees it and how it interprets it.
You do it to your liking, I'll accompany you. Again I say that this model is fantastic and you will leave it even better!
I keep an eye on the steps!

balogh wrote:

MauricioB wrote:

balogh wrote:Thanks Bob, so the cowling is well flushed with fresh air, and the engine SPI is therefore not a problem.

Sorry, just answer because I was just seeing that!...Bob will be able to confirm if it is so!

Sorry Mauricio, my mistake. I did not carefully look at who sent the answer, so I addressed my reply to Bob and not to you!

In fact I experienced with one of my TeeDees that a tightly built, not well vented cowling robbed some performance due to the SPI..but these gills on the cowling side are well vented due to the depression arising on the sides of the cowling.

Monoline is a complete pain in the A$$. Even using solid lines is a pain. I throw them out constantly. One kink, they're done. 1/2A proto reguires .010" solid where 1/2A speed uses .012". If you want to crash the plane monoline is what you use it works for me every time. It's the most archaic piece of crap ever designed. Just in the event that your wondering, it twists the line which twists the mechanism and torques the control rod. Therefore, when you finally get the plane flying level and it begins pitching up and you feed in a bit of down, by the time it rights itself your already too late.

           Bob, I believe this plane is based on the Dale Kirn Spullet.   I built mine about 12 years ago maybe even more. I believe it was a 1980's design. The design itself is a bit poor, the cooling is poor and the fact that it practically burns up the plane internally is a benefit. You build another without being cowled in. All of my cutouts were smaller initially, I ended up on several occasions opening ALL of them up. I also used a Dremel to thin the inside until the skin was paper thin trying to make enough room around the cylinder head. Now it's so thin from burning and handling, one can put their finger right through it if not knowing how to handle it.


 SPI due to being fully cowled isn't a issue, the issue is the engine needs to be started and released INSTANTLY. That means immediate proper needle setting. I see the stock needle is in yours, NOT the way to go. One click makes a huge difference here and the KK needle is in order. Tank feeding is of the utmost importance and I couldn't ever get mine correct so I ditched the tank and went with bladder. Bladder is far easier, more reliable and insures the engine runs cooler. I did cook one cylinder in mine where the entire top of the piston turned blue.







         I believe your plane and mine are quite identical. I can't seem to locate my plans but I believe I recall that the top block is a replicated wood version of the Cox mag pan. Mine was monoline and I converted it. Your wing like mine was originally attached to the top half. I cut mine back out, I routed two grooves into the bottom of the wing. I then epoxied aluminum tubing into the grooves with balsa over top of them. When dried, I sanded the balsa flush and refinished. I then attached the wing to the bottom block instead. The bellcrank was installed which required it to have it's attachment ends bent up in order to fit within the cowling. As you can see the pushrod is external. I wrecked this plane due to the inflate bladder bound up internally against the pushrod restricting it's movement and POW!!! right into the ground. Fortunately, I took off over concrete and the plane hit in the grass. It still broke. My bottom is bass and mahogany because originally I had a clear finish on mine. Well, you couldn't see the thing hardly and it was a work of art but what good is it if you can't see it hence the yellow.

              Another Dale design is the Torky here's the one I built. Don't slay me due to the Norvel on the nose. Somehow my clear canopy has gone missing.

Ken, this monoline thing is interesting, because I didn't know about it.
Bob has left a video, someone there explains, but I can't figure out exactly how it works.
Is there any way to explain the mechanism of operation that someone ignorant like me can learn and understand how it is monoline. I'm just trying to learn something new for myself. Thank you!