A history of the Cox Models Company

[Richard Shagam]

Recently on YouTube--a history of the rise and fall of Cox Models and the US model airplane hobby industry in the US as a whole  Very nostalgic, and probably depressing for many of us--also a bit too long and repetitive.  But worth a look

https://youtu.be/6FyQ-WlM9ms?si=Uo5IVUYz6y-9xFK0

Richard Shagam
Albuquerque, NM

RNSh...@rhizotech.net 

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[STAN JOHNSON]

I watched this two days ago after just stumbling on it on YouTube.  I had no idea that Cox was such a big company at its peak.  Watch it, it's an eye opener!

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[Dan Tandberg]

This was a big deal when Disneyland opened. I remember that there was one young pilot that would fly three model, control line handles in both hands and his mouth!

The Disneyland Flight Circle (1955–1965) in Tomorrowland was a premier attraction featuring stunt flying of tethered model airplanes, often sponsored by Cox Models. Young pilots operated U-control aircraft hourly, showcasing acrobatics, dogfighting, and demonstrating model boats or cars, drawing massive crowds before closing in 1965 to make way for new developments. [1, 2, 3]

Key Historical Details of the Flight Circle:

• Location & Operation: Situated in Tomorrowland, the area was designed as a "flight circle" to showcase model aviation, operated initially by club members and later primarily by the Wen-Mac company, followed by Leroy Cox in 1958.
• Demonstrations: Demonstrations included "Flying CL Combat" (Control Line) acrobatics, dogfighting with three planes, and teaching guests to fly.
• The "Cox" Era: Leroy Cox used the venue to display his company's model planes (Thimble Drome) to thousands of guests daily.
• Other Vehicles: In addition to planes, the area showcased tethered cars and boats.
• Closure: The attraction closed in 1965, marking the end of live, in-park model aviation demonstrations in that specific, dedicated area. [1, 2]

Related Aviation Features:

• TWA Moonliner (1955–1962): A 76-foot tall rocket centerpiece in Tomorrowland that was a major example of early corporate sponsorship and futuristic model design.
• Flying Saucers (1961–1966): A separate Tomorrowland attraction where guests controlled individual hovering saucers. [4, 5, 6]

The Flight Circle was a major part of Disneyland’s opening, demonstrating modern hobby technology from that era. [1, 2]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.modelaviation.com/disney-flight-circle

[2] https://davelandweb.com/tomorrowland/flightcircle.html

[3] https://d23.com/a-to-z/flight-circle/

[4] https://www.facebook.com/DaysGoneDisney/posts/-disneylands-flying-saucers-1961-1966-disneyland-1960s-memories-disney-retro/1147530073393821/

[5] https://airlinehistory.org/aircraft/twa-moonliner/

[6] https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacemansluck/posts/3730417783864915/

[Bill Becher]

I loved the Cox .10 and .20 and 0.49 TDs.... And the reed valve ones were easy to start....

Bill