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Cox Thimble-Drome L-4 Grasshopper

Joan Brunet


In the early '60s I was a teenager. I went to school every day and on Saturday afternoon I helped the small family business, working as a delivery boy in Barcelona (Spain). When I could, I would deviate from my route to stop in front of a fancy toy store. There, I spent a few minutes admiring the imported COX models on display. One of the coveted boxes showed a L-4 GRASSHOPER ready to fly control line model with its accessories.

I never got to buy the GRASSHOPPER, because it was very expensive and my schoolboy economy would not allow it. Some years later I started to fly RC and I never got to fly any CL.

Some time ago, these memories of youth came back to my mind: a neighbor gave me a bag with an authentic COX GRASSHOPPER and original accessories! Unfortunately, the model was very deteriorated and broken, with a very dry and brittle plastic. Thus, it has not been possible to repair the GRASSHOPPER to be able to fly. I have only been able to make a quick (and sloppy) restoration. It is destined for static exhibition in a frame, in which are also included the brochure and accessories, like the battery and the fuel can (with some liquid remains inside).

Joan (John) Brunet, June 2018

Tarragona, Spain

User comments

Hi John - I got one in the late '60s, had to work for it in my holidays. It flew very well but I crashed it being my first plane ever. I rebuilt it but it to took me a long time to figure out that it needed a lot of down thrust. It never flew again. I think it is the most authentic, beautiful plane Cox built. The Cox engine was later modified with a tank and used in a lot of other balsa planes and RC gliders (Dandy from Graupner oz4538). Nice picture.
Ed - 28/01/2019
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