Cox model engine

Lore & Background

Cox Manufacturing began in 1945 in founder Leroy Cox's garage, making wooden popguns. After metal became available in 1946, Cox shifted to metal tether cars. A fire in August 1946 forced a move to larger premises in Santa Ana, California. In 1947 Cox produced a racing car using a Cameron Brothers engine, generating $200,000 in sales in its first year. In 1949 Cox developed its own engine for the tether car, the 'O Forty Five' (.045 cubic inch), incorporating parts from Mel Anderson's Spitzy engine.

In 1950 Cox spent eight months developing the .049 Space Bug contest engine, completed in October 1951. This engine went into full production in 1952 and was so popular it caused problems for other manufacturers. In 1953 Cox produced its first ready-to-fly airplane, the TD1, powered by the Space Bug. A three-year copyright infringement lawsuit from Jim Walker ended in 1955 with Cox winning; Walker's bellcrank patent was ruled invalid. In 1956 the Babe Bee 049, designed by William Selzer, sold for $3.95 and used an extruded aluminum crankcase, further dominating the market.

In 1960 engineer Bill Atwood was hired to develop a .010 cubic inch engine; he also designed the Tee Dee and Medallion lines. The company moved to larger facilities in 1963 and later expanded into slot cars, establishing Cox International in Hong Kong in 1965. The slot car fad ended in 1967, causing cash flow problems. Cox retired in 1969 after his wife's death and sold the company to Leisure Dynamics Inc. The company changed hands several times: purchased by Estes Industries in 1996, then by Hobbico in 2010, and finally by MECOA in 2019 after Hobbico's bankruptcy.

Reader's Guide

Cox model engines are significant as the most widespread 1/2A Class 0.049 cubic inch engines ever produced, with millions made over six decades. Their legacy stems from founder Leroy Cox's focus on dependable, easy-to-start engines, beginning with the Space Bug in 1951. The Babe Bee 049, introduced in 1956 at $3.95, was a high-precision, reliable engine that undercut competitors and solidified Cox's market dominance. The company's engineering innovations, including Bill Atwood's Tee Dee and Medallion lines, kept Cox at the forefront of model engine design for years. Despite production ceasing in 2006, engines from as far back as the 1950s remain available 'as new' on eBay. The brand's ownership history reflects the broader model industry's shifts: from Cox's retirement and sale to Leisure Dynamics, through Estes Industries' acquisition and subsequent decline in quality, to MECOA's purchase in 2019. MECOA now owns the Cox registered trademark and all original molds, machinery, and tooling, continuing to produce parts and revive classic engine versions. The Cox name endures as a benchmark for small glow plug engines in the modeling community.

Did You Know?

• Cox's first product was wooden popguns made in founder Leroy Cox's garage in 1945.
• The Babe Bee 049 engine sold for just $3.95 when introduced in 1956.
• Cox operated a Flying Circle at Disneyland from 1957 to 1965.
• After Hobbico's bankruptcy in 2019, MECOA purchased Cox Hobbies in its entirety.