Gone,but not forgotten kit mfg

[jeff2wings]

So just another 'all our yesterdays' thread for GOG's on here ! Think the world was better in black&white

one of those 'if only' (I had the money) models

any one remember this firm?

Feel free to dive in with your own 'back in the day '

[Bob Cotsford]

I remember all three of those ads. Who wouldn't want a handily sized P6-E or the exotic MB5? The CAP kits were hard work though.

[Colin Leighfield]

Great memories. Most of them just as viable flyers now as they were then. Commercial reality probably limits market potential but hopefully we will see something come out of all this interest.

[Cuban8]

Not forgetting Bowman Models, just up the A12 from me in Ipswich. And keeping the East Anglia connection, Galaxy models Ipswich and Norwich.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Paul Marsh]

Have loads of old Radio Modeler and RCM&E, have kept them all since the early 90's Have some RCMF later on.

Two here: PJ Models is where we used to live when my dad was stationed at RAF Benson. I bought a J3 Cub a few years ago from him, he still lived on the same road and remembered my dad!

[Alan Gorham_]

I had several Bowmans models kits: Mini Skyman, Spatman and Simpleton. Good, honest simple models that were tough and I did lots of flying with them all!

I believe I'm right in saying that Chris Golds designed the Flywel Models kits.

And I'm just building a Howard Metcalfe models Focke Wulf Ta-152H.

Nostalgia...ahh. It's the future.

Edited By Alan Gorham_ on 06/03/2019 21:00:49

[Robert Parker]

I started working in September 1978, the cost of the Avro 504 was a week and a halves wages before tax was deducted.

I got this last year

May start building it later this year.

I would love to find a copy of this concord, used to see it in the plans guide years ago, gone now.

I once built the Howard Metcalfe Crossfire fibre glass fuselage, never got past the maiden aileron flutter rolled over and in like a rocket. The joys.

Regards

Robert

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Percy Verance on 06/03/2019 20:55:32:

Bob the CAP kits were a nightmare to put together. The die cutting was worse than abysmal. I got the Gladiator half built and gave up through sheer frustration.

I finally finished a CAP Jungmeister last year after starting it over 25 years ago! glad I did it's a cracking flier.

[jeff2wings]

That's a coincidence Robert,I have a Veron 504 under my bench ! and I have just purchased that issue of rcm&e off e-bay !! And I have the plans and cowl for the CAP jungmeister

Any one ever build one of these ?

got a feeling I know of one person Mr D.D.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[SIMON CRAGG]

Posted by jeff2wings on 06/03/2019 22:08:06:

That's a coincidence Robert,I have a Veron 504 under my bench ! and I have just purchased that issue of rcm&e off e-bay !! And I have the plans and cowl for the CAP jungmeister

Any one ever build one of these ?

got a feeling I know of one person Mr D.D.

Oddly enough, I have just resurected a big Telemaster that was "found" in somebodies attic. Makes a good camera platform. Dave Smith Models, Galaxy, Balsacraft, Pilot Models, Cambrian Models, Veron, the list goes on!.

 

Edited By SIMON CRAGG on 07/03/2019 07:08:38

[David Davis]

Yes I used to have a little hobby business called Telemaster Sales UK, I imported kits from the USA. Initially I made a modest profit on every sale because I paid wholesale rates for the kits plus shipping from America. The six and eight-foot models were the most popular but I did sell a few twelve-foot Giant Telemasters too. Then the management of my supplier changed and they wanted ridiculous amounts of money to cover the shipping costs. They also objected to my having the name "Telemaster" in my business title.Simultaneously they changed the method of construction from the traditional kit to a slot-together arrangement and at a much higher price. So much for the much vaunted American business acumen. Their loss. I had sold over fifty kits to enthusiasts from as far afield as Serbia, Ireland, Germany and South Africa.

I still get enquiries for plans. My first Telemaster, pictured below, powered by a Merco 61, was an eight-foot Senior Telemaster with the original German wing with inset so-called "Barn Door " ailerons. I had a clubmate draw up a plan of this wing in cad so that it's available to builders who want to make a model with the original wing as opposed to the later strip aileron version.

I've never actually built a Telemaster 1800 aka Telemaster 40, Sparks built it for me, third from the left in the picture below, but I've flown the entire Telemaster range and the T40 is my favourite. I flew it frequently until the wings fell off one day when I was demonstrating it to a potential buyer! I still have the wing and if other projects will permit and I live long enough, I may build another fuselage and tailplane for it one day.

Edited By David Davis on 07/03/2019 07:26:18

[Brett Jones]

Posted by Robert Parker on 06/03/2019 21:13:47:

I started working in September 1978, the cost of the Avro 504 was a week and a halves wages before tax was deducted.

I got this last year

May start building it later this year.

I would love to find a copy of this concord, used to see it in the plans guide years ago, gone now.

I once built the Howard Metcalfe Crossfire fibre glass fuselage, never got past the maiden aileron flutter rolled over and in like a rocket. The joys.

Regards

Robert

The plans for the Concorde are on outerzone’s website to downlaod

Concorde

 

Edited By Brett Jones on 07/03/2019 08:51:32

[sharpy1071]

I have several of these posters, I reckon they were printed in the early 60's. Every time I show one to friends they say "I built one of those!"

[Cuban8]

It's staggering to consider the sheer volume of British model kits that were available back in the day, and of course, that's without the considerable output of the US and Europeans. I suppose the modern phenomenon of the ARTF foamy, but almost exclusively from the Far East now, mirrors the volumes of the old kits, so the flyers are still out there, but just a different breed with different requirements.

However, do I detect a degree of ARTF 'fatigue' setting in. I bought a couple of ready to go models just for the buzz of instant gratification, but I doubt if I'd be inclined to spend again on yet another small, 3S warbird. Even the larger and very nice FMS examples are nowhere near as common on the fields that I use, compared to three or four years ago. Might be different elsewhere? A number of chaps in my club who have been down the ARTF fixed wing/Heli/drone route recently, are now enamoured with of all things..........autogyros!

Goodness knows where we'll be in say five years time.

[Alan Gorham_]

Personally I never found far-eastern ARTFs very satisfactory. Wrinkly covering, no fuelproofer applied in tank/engine bays, poor gluing especially around U/C mounts and frequently cheap rubbish hardware.

It always meant extra work for me putting one together which defeats the object of buying an ARTF in the first place.

Plus I've never found them very durable, looking tatty or even falling apart after 2 or 3 years flying.

Contrast that with most of my British made built-up kits that are tougher and have lasted many years (I had a DB Barnstormer 63 that flew regularly for 32 years - only recovered twice in that time).

I did buy 3 or 4 ARTFs as "quick-fix, get me flying models" a few years ago but I would now not bother, especially as ARTF prices have risen so much in the last few years. It's definitely made good kits and plan building more attractive.

[Cuban8]

I think it was the novelty factor that drove the early ARTFs, certainly, as Alan says above, it wasn't for the outstanding quality. The Vietnamese manufactured VMARs were shocking for build and finish, but at around, IIRC, eighty quid for a 60" span Extra or CAP, they served a purpose and gave a season or two's flying before the covering fell off or you'd got sick of repairing the undercart mounts. To be fair, they did improve quite a bit over time, and the likes of Hanger 9, Black Horse etc aren't too bad at all now.............but the prices are nowhere near like they were and I think that's been a factor in dropping sales.

To get back to kits and building (what I think most of us would like to see become really popular and mainstream again) we're seeing big adverts from Sarik and Tony Nijhuis in the magazine and that's excellent. A few others as well like Cambrian and DB Sport and Scale etc are all surviving the lean times and hopefully, will enjoy better business in the coming years.

[extra slim]

The old man used to say that ARTC (Almost ready to cover) would have been much better, so you could see all the poor joints, reinforce where you wanted and cover with your own scheme... I think some companies did dabble in this but it looks to have dropped right off..... I guess that is where some of the foam deck, foam wing, sometimes pre built fus (DSM) were leading the way.. way back... !

[Braddock, VC]

MicroMold kits, I bought the kawasaki hien and liked it so much I bought another "just in case" I sold the second at the 2004 nats for a bit more than I gave for it and two weeks or so later, just in case happened and an oak tree trunk v balsa proved the old saying a good big un will always beat a good little un.

Always wanted the spit mk 24 I think. Ho Hum, don't have the reflexes now to keep up with it though.

[Nightflyer]

Wow some great memories from the posted pics of the ads. All great names and models.

Of the MicroMold kits my father had teh EMP (Edmonds Model Products) Easy Rider which he handed on to me and it was a lovely plane to ply until after many years and flights. A friend bought the Spit/Seafire kit and it was beautiful to look at and fly (if only these were still available).

As for the Skyleader Skymaster we had Ken Binks in our flying club and so saw this model regularly and those who had one said it was a delight flying it.

I still have a Dave Smith Models Merlin OS40FS powered which has been an absolute joy to fly over the years Dave produced some great designs.

Regarding Cuban8's post yes Galaxy was just up the A12 from where I am and Bowman both produced a great range of models. Galaxy's P51, Chipmunk and Aerojet models I enjoyed immensely. I also always like the Keil Kraft SE5a which I always wanted but I think it was that that made me enjoy Gordon Whitehead's Hawker Demon, Gypsy and Tiger Moth model deisgns along with Boddo's Nieuport 24 and Fokker DVII designs. I built Boddo's SE5a free plan back at the time and am thinking of building another later this year but this time electric powered.

[Geoff S]

All those adverts pre-date my interest in aeromodelling but I did build a Howard Metcalfe Moonraker which IIRC I powered with a Irvine Q40. Unfortunately it met a dumbthumb ending.

A club mate has a Veron Avro504N and has been flying it electrically powered recently. I use the term 'flying' very vaguely because it's bitch in the air. He's tried it both with and without ailerons and changed the CoG with little success. It really seems to have a mind of its own and even the ace pilot in our club who can fly just about anything finds it very difficult (though it looks fine when he's in control).

It was built years ago apparently and has been something of a challenge all its life. Just a warning. Perhaps Les made a mistake in the build but his other models are OK and he's a reasonably competent flyer - better than me though that's not saying a lot

Geoff

[Alan Gorham_]

Ahhh yes the KK SE5a. I've got a fuel-soaked, retired one of those in the loft. An honourable retirement after many years good flying on an old Enya 15. My own fault entirely, built as an impatient teen I was too stingy with the fuelproofer in the engine bay.

Still got the plan, must build another one day. I liked it more that Flair SE5a.

[Colin Leighfield]

I have still got my MIcroMold Spitfire24, must go back best part of 40 years. Finished as a Seafire 47 and fitted with an OS25. Flew very well, the only problem I ever had was my ineptitude at hand launching. Still in sound condition and would just need a radio update. Might be possible to fit retracts now, although a fair bit of surgery would be needed.

[Alan Gorham_]

Micromold....I've got a Spit 24 in primer to be a PSS model. It was/is quite a "woody" kit especially in the fuselage but I suppose that helps with longevity!

I've also got a Micromold P-51B that's done mucho flying with an old OS MAX 25.

They were good kits.