2-14-2021

This information was compiled by the late
Bill Mohrbacher

** The Eagle 60l Line***

The Fox Eagle 60 was born in 1972. An entirely new design, the Eagle had a .907 x .937 B&S, a twin BB crankshaft, bar stock aluminum rod, hardened drop in cylinder liner, baffled aluminum piston with 2 rings, and an offset glow plug tilted towards the exhaust. The crankcase had a flange for mounting the 5D twin jet carburetor that coupled to a rotary exhaust valve. “FOX EAGLE”, an American Flag, and “MADE IN USA” were cast on the bypass and an eagle was cast in the rear cover recess. A unique dual mounting pattern had 3 bolt holes in each lug and allowed the Eagle to be used in place of a competitor’s engine, Supertigre, I think. Only an RC version was sold in 1972. All aluminum parts had a matte as cast finish and steel parts were bright plated.

 

The 1973 Eagle (133) was like the 1972 engine, but aluminum parts were tumble polished and steel parts were blackened. The head also had coarser and deeper fins.

   
The 1974 Eagle line added a CL version (139), eliminated the exhaust baffle and added horizontal muffler mounting ears at the base of the stack. The CL venturi used the 14010 NVA from the 40 Stunt and bolted on in place of the carburetor. By this time mufflers were becoming common (or required) and with the muffler, the exhaust baffle wasn’t needed to retain heat during idle.
 
   
In 1975 Fox made an RC Eagle for Tower Hobbies (159) to sell as a house brand, the Tower Sport 60 RC. This engine had a bead blasted case and rear cover. The eagle in the rear cover, the American Flag and “Fox Eagle” were ground off prior to blasting. The biggest change was the installation of a Perry carburetor in a special adapter flange. Fox carburetors had a bad reputation.
   
1978 saw a special version of the Eagle for export (193). It had a much higher compression head for use with the straight methanol – castor oil fuel used in Europe. The glow plug was mounted vertically and offset even farther toward the exhaust. Also, the head was gold anodized. The Perry carburetor and adapter shown in the picture were a factory option.
   

The Eagle was changed again in 1980 (211). A bronze bushed connecting rod had been added in 1977 requiring the lower crankcase to be slightly larger. This year a high compression head like the export head (but not as high a compression and natural finish) was installed. Fox thought American fliers would quit using nitro as it was getting quite expensive, but this never happened. Fox’s excellent twin needle Mark X (MK X) carburetor was introduced and installed. Just prior to 1980, Leon Shulman was offered a job as Fox’s factory rep, but he wouldn’t take the job unless Fox designed a new carburetor; this was the MK X.

This first Eagle is often called the Eagle I by collectors. The 1980 version is even today an excellent engine, light and powerful. The .907 x .937 B&S has been used on all Fox 60s since.

It looked like the 1980 Eagle was the end of the line, but in 2006 Fox introduced the 60 Stunt 60 (307) based on the Eagle I case. The exhaust stack is much heavier, a head button is used, and a Supertigre/Cox style venturi with remote NV is used. The first engines used an AAC piston/cylinder, but the latest design uses a ceramic coated cylinder. The engine is cross flow scavenged.

So the 60 Stunt keeps the fine Eagle I line alive!

 

Thanks to those who helped define the history of Fox Engines:

Doug Martin, John Hall, Tim Dannels
Bill Ives, Dick Wolsey, Gordon Sharpe
Marvin Denny, Ted Enticknap, Dave Janson, James Leisk, Howard Rush, Leon Shulman, Riley Wooten,
Charlie Thacker, Fox Manufacturing Co,
Dan Brosz, National Model Aviation Museum,
Frank Anderson, Anderson’s Blue Book