Where did people buy their model airplane kits from in the 1950s

[jmdee 10]

I bought an magnesium alloy framed plane kit from Redgates in the late 50's. It went together the same as the balsa wood type, but was much stronger of course.It was tissue wrapped, and coated in dope, again the same as the balsa kind. It was driven by an engine which I picked up second hand. After months of trying and failing to get the motor to start, I became so frustrated with the whole thing, I finally set fire to the plane and lobbed it out of an upstairs bedroom window. The magnesium frame caught fire, fueled by the tissue paper. and down she went. Now that was as impressive as anything you'd see on the movies.

[Darbys1 10]

hobbies was definately there from the fifties to the middle sixties. opposite the peace gardens by the town hall

[kmad 10]

I bought mine at the local dime store in Greenville, Ca. The model airplane kits were made by Monogram and they were a combination of punch out balsa parts and stick and paper construction. The main wing was solid balsa. The fuselage had solid balsa sides that were attached to precut, punch out forms. Other parts like landing gear, wheels and props were molded plastic. These were excellent kits and they could be flown with rubber band motors. I wish they were available now.

[lazarus 68]

Hobbies...

 

Hobbies St Pauls Parade.

[willybite 10]

Hobbies was in the Peace gardens opposite the town hall..it was another toy shop in fitzallan Sq

 

too true it was wilson gumpert.. and at the time redgates was at the bottom of ecclesall rd in the last block before the moor.

[willybite 10]

Hobbies St Pauls Parade.

 

i remember in the wall opposite all manner of measurements and levels it was said if you wanted you could check a spirit level on the wall, it had also brass markings to check length. seem to remember that it all ended in some park or other.

[buck 11]

The planes I made and flew would have found a tree to crash into in the Sahara desert. A friend built a model of a DeHavilland Rapide with two engines. In those days there wasn't much radio control and it was expensive, so you either flew them from a line you held in your hand, or let them free fly with just enough fuel to take off and land. His Rapide climbed, picked up a thermal and headed north east. It was evenually found by a farmer near York, who sent it back to him. It had his home address written on the fuselage.

[JACK HEWITT 10]

used to go to GORDEN JOEL on church street. good model shop.

 

That's the one I remember most but could not remember the name each time I had to go to the school clinic on Leopold st to have my ears stringed my Dad RIP would take me to this shop and buy me Airfix or a Dinky toy and that was definitely in the 50s I finished up with a small army of Dinky toys from that shop what would they all be worth now in a good condition.

[daverad 10]

Bought many dinky toys from a newsagents on middlewood road across from hillsborough park called Ron Starling. Anyone remember him?

[Person6 10]

This would have been in the sixties. Flying models-Hobbies on St Paul's Parade, a hardware shop on London Rd that had kits and components in a back room and I also can't remember the name of and as a last resort Redgates. Plastic Kits - Redgates, A shop on the Pavement at Park Hill that I can't remember the name of but I think they sold other stuff too, like bike parts and hardware. Many newsagents too. There was a particularly good one on the parade of shops at Newfield Green- it might have been the Post Office. Apart from the usual Airfix they stocked Frog, Revell and a French brand that I can't remember the name of. and it was the first place I saw the higher quality Japanese kits

Edited September 6, 2017 by Person6

[little malc 10]

Yes, Hobbies on St Pauls Parade. a good selection of kits, model aero engines, fuel and balsa wood, tissue, dope etc. happy days!

[stpetre 12]

Wilson Gumpert

 

Redagates and Wilson-Gumpert were the same company. A family called Nunn ran the business, one of whom, 'Mr.Nunn', was a teacher at Burngreave school when I was there.

Edited September 6, 2017 by stpetre
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