Babe Bee / Golden Bee parts

carolinaguy Sun Jun 02, 2024 12:13 pm

I work with a group of local kids (around 13 kids so far) to build and fly 1/2A planes, I have been assembling all of the miscellaneous parts I have to build complete engines for the kids to use. Since many of them were product engines, I am out of tanks and backplates. So if anyone has any Babe Bee, Golden Bee, etc. style tanks or backplates (or other parts) that you no longer need, we would appreciate it if you could send them. I know that Cox has tanks and backplates, but buying both plus other parts costs a lot when I am building 20 to 30 engines.

Thanks.

Dave Nyce

PS: You can PM me for mailing address.

**944_Jim** Sun Jun 02, 2024 9:28 pm

Welcome to the forum, Mr. Dave,

I'm happy to see you have a youthful following. I tried to engage my boys when they were much younger. Sadly, neither boy went beyond building/flying their first planes. I hope you find at least few that stick it out and continue in the hobby.

Would you entertain external tanks for the planes? Several here have successfully built their own. Some use wooden bucks for forming the main body and end caps. Is building one fast? Nope, but it gets faster with bucks and practice...especially if building in assembly line fashion. Roundie Roundie, Up and Downie only needs rectangle tanks. Moving to more aerobatics will work better with wedge tanks. Again, bucks and repetition will make this easier over time. At the scale you are talking, the cost savings may make the task of tank-building more appealing.

roddie Mon Jun 03, 2024 1:48 pm

carolinaguy wrote:Since many of them were product engines, I am out of tanks and backplates.

Are some of those engines the later product engines which can mount to a firewall? Those have what we refer to as "horseshoe backplates". If so; you can make tanks for them using small/round party balloons, some sm./med. silicone fuel-line, some sm. zip-ties and 3/32" rigid alloy tubing; cut into pieces enough to connect the balloon-tanks' silicone tubing; to the NVA's (needle-valve assembly) silicone tubing.. ie: a union. This shouldn't cost you more than $10.. depending on how many engines are applicable.

If you have engines that need the whole "carb" (back-end with reed-holder assy. and NVA).. you might consider sourcing the "Sure-Start" style assembly.. which is available through Cox International (Bernie) and EXModel Engines (Matt) for $5.95/ea. as of this post.

The "choke-tube" component can be omitted.. which leaves the horseshoe backplate for using the balloon tank mentioned in the previous paragraph.

The balloon tank that I mentioned, is not a pressure bladder. It "is" filled using a syringe though.. because the syringe is used to suck the air out of the balloon.. before the fuel is injected. The balloon contains a length of the silicone fuel-line which has a few "nibbles" cut-through its wall for the fuel to enter. A "few" because as the balloon collapses; flow can be maintained.

The sm. zip-ties are to seal the neck of the balloon around the silicone fuel-line that's inside.. but not so tight as to impede the flow of fuel.

The airplane models that you're building.. can utilize an open "tube" to hold/protect a balloon tank. You could secure it to the outboard side of the fuselage preferably near the models' balance-point.

The tubing runs the entire length of the balloon.. and protrudes from the balloon's neck; enough to accept a short piece of hard-tube for a union. The fuel-line from the engine (NVA) connects to that union. You can adjust the final length of the fuel-line to locate the balloon on the models' balance point for control-consistency from full to empty.

If you need more info. about this.. please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help.. especially where you're donating your time and resources to getting some of the next generation interested in the hobby. Thumbs Up

carolinaguy Mon Jun 03, 2024 2:15 pm

Yes, there are other ways to hold fuel, and I have implemented many of them before.
In working with a growing number of kids, I want to stay with the integral tank versions of the Cox engines. Spending time to make metal, or balloon, or other style of external tank would dilute my effort and I would not be able to spend as much time helping each child. Thanks for your replies.

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Babe Bee / Golden Bee parts

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