Cox Thimble Drome .049

[john e. holliday]

This was my first internal combustion engine.  Gotit for Christmas from my brother.  Needless to say before dinner was ready it was mounted to a board and into the back yard.  He had it running in no time.  My self when ever I tried to start it, it would take for ever.  Found the Fire Baby ready to fly plane at local hardware store.   Read instructions and mounted the engine.   I was ready to fly and a Sunday afternoon.  My brother said lets fly it.   We had room for about 15 foot of line.   I wasa ready and knew I could do it after all I had read.   My brother started the engine and leaned it out.  They said I made 9 laps before I fell over.  Needless to say I crashed .   Wing was destroyed.   Back to the hard ware store and he had the Scientific Sport Racer.   I assembled it and put several coats of dope on it.  That is when I went to 25 foot lines.  Been at ever since.   Anyway the engine disappeared.   That is when I found the OK Cub 049A.  But the last few years I had been looking for another Thimble Drome.  Ebay had them showing up at collector prices.  Finally I put a bid on this one and nobody over bid me.   Once I got it I guess they knew more than I did.   Would not run except for the prime.  Tried choking it with no help so in the box it went.

Anyway while getting Cox engines ready for my project there the [poor little lay in the box asking for help.  So I tore it down.  Found the reed was stuck and would not let air in.   Cleaned it all up and back together and in the process lost the back plate nut.  I know its in the shop as the gremlins are still playing tricks on me.  Off to the hard ware store.   No nuts with that fine thread but found metric nut that took up severl threads.   Back to the shop and put back plate on with the 2-56 screw and nuts.  When I put the new nut on there was a gap between it and the back plate.   Good ole gasket putty fixed that.  The needle is touchy and I think it needs break in.   Finally after a dozen starts and it getting hot I remembered the pick up is up on the side part of the tank   So over on it side I started it again.   Each time getting longer runs.  The last run emptied the tank after about a teen minute run.  May not fly it but now I know it runs.

[Steve Helmick]

That there was a "Space Bug". There was also a "Space Bug Jr.", which had a smaller plastic tank. Brother had a Space Bug on a Baby Barnstormer for years and years, with multiple crashes and rebuilds.  Steve

[john e. holliday]

Well this says THIMBLE DROME on the front of the crank case.   Yes I have the Space Hoppers.

[Will Hinton]

I still chuckle at the title, Cox Thimbledrome Space Bug Jr. on my first engine's box.  The name took up more space than the engine!  It ran fine and I flew the whooppee out of it for two summers!  I now have a very old and poorly cared for one mounted on my shop wall as a reminder of the little trooper.

[john e. holliday]

Hey, I can't believe it.  The back plate nut has been found.  Now I need to run it again.

Will, glad hear that as I remember the Space Bug ads.

[Mike Scholtes]

Here is a Space Bug Jr on a 1951 Wing Ding, built in 2018 from an original 1951 kit. Next is the original I built in about 1955, what's left of it. I didn't build very well at age 8, and less than museum-quality storage for nearly 70 years has taken its toll.

John, I have the manual for the Space Bug Jr and can scan you a copy if you wish.

[john e. holliday]

No need.  Thanks.

[Steve Lotz]

The glowheads might be hard to find as the early engines used a different thread.

[Scott Richlen]

1951 Wing Ding 

That's a nifty looking little plane Mike!  I've never seen one before.  Who manufactured the kit?  i checked Outerzone for the plans, but they didn't have it.

[john e. holliday]

The glowheads might be hard to find as the early engines used a different thread.

New piston sleeve will fit.  The p;d g;ow jead is smaller.

[Mike Scholtes]

I don't recall the manufacturer of the Wing Ding but I can find out. I gave the pristine kit box back to my collector friend who found it for me, he will know. If anyone is interested in making one I can take an overhead picture with it on a ruler. The wing is "airfoiled" milled 1/4 sheet and fuselage is hollow log type, but not same as Scientific or the other well known maker of log fuselages. Would be an easy scratch build. There were no "plans," just a drawing of assembly steps like the old Veco kits. A vintage motor would make a nice package but more modern reed motors would work of course. The Space Bug Jr was really intended for FF, with a very small tank.

[Scott Richlen]

Mike: Thanks!

Every summer we have a half-A event so I am always encouraging the guys to build something new for it.  I am always on the lookout for things that will help get their interest up.  Don't go to any extra effort on this since I can't guarantee anyone would build it.  I think I'll send out your WingDing's picture as a reminder that flying season is coming and scare up some interest.  Sort of like using your WingDing as pom-poms to rouse up the crowd (but I am definitely not the prettiest cheer-leader!   )