1950s · outdoor
Cox Control-Line Airplane
A real gas-engine airplane on control lines — you stood in the middle, spun until you were dizzy, and flew an actual screaming motor in circles.
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Image: Wikimedia Commons
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👍 I had this💔 I wanted this- Era
- 50s
- Released
- Unknown
- Category
- outdoor
Before you buy
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Why people remember it
- Flying a real gas-engine plane on lines, in circles around you, felt like piloting something dangerous and real.
- The buzzing engine sound is unmistakable to anyone who grew up around one in a park or backyard.
- It was a genuine hobby with a learning curve, not just a toy you played with once and put away.
Questions people ask
- How does a control-line plane fly in circles?
- Two thin control lines run from a handle to the wing, letting the pilot steer the elevator while walking or standing in the center of the circle the plane flies.
- Do these planes still run on gas engines?
- Classic Cox planes used small glow-fuel engines; electric-powered control-line and RC planes are now more common, though gas models are still available for hobbyists.
