Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story.

rsv1cox Fri Sep 27, 2024 12:39 pm

I'm giving Robert's Firebaby thread a rest for now......... but I'll be back. Just a lot of photos on this one.

But the story............

I first noticed this ebay sale a month or so ago at $265.00 BIN. From the sellers pictures it looked like a couple of broken up Firebabies. "It will never sell" at that price I thought, and it didn't. Weeks passed by with no takers. Then last week it showed up at $135.00 BIN, quite a drop. I have enough of these but why not? I'll offer $100 and see what happens. Seller accepted.

It arrived this morning, super well packed, took me 15 minutes just to get into it. I will be able to get at least two complete planes out of it. Curious though, four wings, one covered with doped on silkspan and with a lot of other stuff. The aluminum propeller doesn't look like a JW product. Well bent - looks like someone had something against it.

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018343

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018345

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018344

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018347

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018348

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018346

rdw777 Fri Sep 27, 2024 1:57 pm

Very nice Bob, Good to have extra parts and pieces….. As you build these up you might think about different engines for each one …. I know the early ones with wood fuse came with a few different makes…. The plastic fuse versions will look great with a shiny Bee on them….I wonder if the odd metal prop was for a K & B Infant?…. Here’s a drawing from
K & B on how to make a wooden one that might be used for comparison….

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. 4ef76010

rsv1cox Fri Sep 27, 2024 3:15 pm

Yes, it's different, not pinched in at the hub like all others. I thought maybe home-made.

I just discovered, one of the four wings is shorter.......17.5 inches to 19.2 inches. Firebaby one and Firebaby two maybe?

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018350

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. P1018349

rdw777 Fri Sep 27, 2024 4:52 pm

Interesting, Do you think the shorter wing could be for the .020 version?…. I notice
“75” marked on the wing….. It was probably a replacement part….To complete my FB I needed a rudder and had to find it separately…..I think it was meant to be replacement part as well…

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. Beb8f710

roddie Fri Sep 27, 2024 5:40 pm

Anything resembling a wing strut packed in that box? The 17.5" span wing might be the bottom one for a bipe. The smaller FB Jr. (.020 version) wing-panel had different (P-26) graphics.

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. Fireba16

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. Fireba15

Jim Walkers Firebabies with a story. Fireba17

rsv1cox Fri Sep 27, 2024 6:27 pm

Good point roddie, and a good catch.

The wing on the plastic cowled Firebaby is 17.5" while the bubble canopy Firebaby is 19.2". JW simply by combining the two wings comes up with a Bipe. It should not be too hard to duplicate those struts and a fuselage to build a clone.