A couple more new to me.

batjac Sat Feb 24, 2024 12:00 am

As I was going through a box of 1/2A engines and parts I came across these. I pulled out the first one and just glanced at it thinking that someone had just bent up a no drag spring starter. But when I pulled out a second one I took a closer look. These are not regular starter springs that were bent with a straight leg. These were manufactured like this. I’ve never seen these before. I tried looking in the Cox Model Engine Handbook, but there was nothing in there about these. They kind of remind me of the Norvel spring starters that hook into the engine mount, but the Norvel spring starters are thicker wire and larger diameter loops. Also, these aren’t bent to hook into a motor mount to the side of the engine lugs. The straight bend is straight down from the center of the loop. I suppose they could be used that way, but it looks strange. Maybe some particular plastic model plane had a hole in the body for this type of spring?

A couple more new to me. 20240222-001224

A couple more new to me. 20240222-001224

The Recoiled Mark

ffkiwi Sat Feb 24, 2024 3:38 pm

Well I would not automatically assume these were Cox starter springs for a start-over the past 50+ years I've seen a LOT of Cox engines....and never have I seen Cox springs that colour-they're usually a silvery finish. Additionally, there are multiple manufacturers that used starter springs-most notably Davies Charlton in the UK, (also fitted to the Frog engines when made by DC), Jena in E.Germany, and Enya in Japan (though the Enya ones do not resemble the ones in the photo....)-plus there was a firm in the US offering aftermarket spring starters in several sizes in the 1950s-there were some of these on Ebay as late as last year. The blackened finish is very much like Davies Charlton ones-which came in three sizes-Dart/Bantam/Wasp, Merlin, and Spifire/Sabre-and two distinct styles-retained by the spraybar (Dart size) or by the backplate bolts (Merlin and Spitfire/Sabre)

...plus-as you surmise-there were quite a few people offering RTF CL models apart from Cox-especially in the 50s and early 60s....and its possible these springs are from that type of source.

I must confess my first response on viewing the photo was 'looks more like Norvel than Cox'.....

ChrisM
'ffkiwi'

PS After typing this reply....another [bleep] memory reminded me that you could-back in the 80s-buy aftermarket starter springs for the TD 049/051....I recall seeing them listed in the Ace R/C catalogue....though I don't recall-40 years on (!) if they were an Ace product....or simply sold by them....
PPS and a second [bleep] reminds me that Davis Diesel also offered a spring starter as an option for their Cox diesel conversions...