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Toy/Model Shops City Centre

Were R/C aircraft given 35 MHz, and land based 27MHz ? I remember lots of coloured flags on aerials when I used to watch the R/C crowds. I think in those days, the channel was determined by the crystal you fitted, and not many people had a big selection with them to choose from.

Andrew.
 
  • 26.995 MHz -- Channel 1 -- Brown
  • 27.045 MHz -- Channel 2 -- Red
  • 27.095 MHz -- Channel 3 -- Orange
  • 27.145 MHz -- Channel 4 -- Yellow
  • 27.195 MHz -- Channel 5 -- Green
  • 27.255 MHz -- Channel 6 -- Blue - Shared with CB Radio Service, never an "exclusive" channel
  • if some one had a illegal cb radio with am ssb and a tunable clarifier they could couse mahem with models
 

Frequency chart for the 35MHz band:​

For use with rc aircraft only.

Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)
55 / 34.95067 / 35.07079 / 35.190
56 / 34.96068 / 35.08080 / 35.200
57 / 34.97069 / 35.09081 / 35.210
58 / 34.98070 / 35.10082 / 35.220
59 / 34.99071 / 35.11083 / 35.230
60 / 35.00072 / 35.12084 / 35.240
61 / 35.01073 / 35.13085 / 35.250
62 / 35.02074 / 35.14086 / 35.260
63 / 35.03075 / 35.15087 / 35.270
64 / 35.04076 / 35.16088 / 35.280
65 / 35.05077 / 35.17089 / 35.290
66 / 35.06078 / 35.18090 / 35.300

Frequency chart for the 40MHz band:​

For use with rc surface vehicles eg cars and boats.

Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)
665 / 40.665785 / 40.785905 / 40.905
675 / 40.675795 / 40.795915 / 40.915
685 / 40.685805 / 40.805925 / 40.925
695 / 40.695815 / 40.815935 / 40.935
705 / 40.705825 / 40.825945 / 40.945
715 / 40.715835 / 40.835955 / 40.955
725 / 40.725845 / 40.845965 / 40.965
735 / 40.735855 / 40.855975 / 40.975
745 / 40.745865 / 40.865985 / 40.985
755 / 40.755875 / 40.875995 / 40.995
765 / 40.765885 / 40.885
775 / 40.775895 / 40.895

I wasn't aware of the 40 MHz band until I looked it up.

Andrew.
 
The wingspan was about 4ft. I often went in the shop to buy balsa wood and kits and remember there was always a smell of peardrops in there from the balsa wood glue and the 'dope' used to tighten the tissue paper coverings.
:)

Phil i spent ages building a balsa wood plane. and fitted one of the glow plug engines. off it went into the sunset never to be seen again, i knew nothing about rc then. :sob:
 

Frequency chart for the 35MHz band:​

For use with rc aircraft only.

Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)
55 / 34.95067 / 35.07079 / 35.190
56 / 34.96068 / 35.08080 / 35.200
57 / 34.97069 / 35.09081 / 35.210
58 / 34.98070 / 35.10082 / 35.220
59 / 34.99071 / 35.11083 / 35.230
60 / 35.00072 / 35.12084 / 35.240
61 / 35.01073 / 35.13085 / 35.250
62 / 35.02074 / 35.14086 / 35.260
63 / 35.03075 / 35.15087 / 35.270
64 / 35.04076 / 35.16088 / 35.280
65 / 35.05077 / 35.17089 / 35.290
66 / 35.06078 / 35.18090 / 35.300

Frequency chart for the 40MHz band:​

For use with rc surface vehicles eg cars and boats.

Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)Ch.# / Frequency (MHz)
665 / 40.665785 / 40.785905 / 40.905
675 / 40.675795 / 40.795915 / 40.915
685 / 40.685805 / 40.805925 / 40.925
695 / 40.695815 / 40.815935 / 40.935
705 / 40.705825 / 40.825945 / 40.945
715 / 40.715835 / 40.835955 / 40.955
725 / 40.725845 / 40.845965 / 40.965
735 / 40.735855 / 40.855975 / 40.975
745 / 40.745865 / 40.865985 / 40.985
755 / 40.755875 / 40.875995 / 40.995
765 / 40.765885 / 40.885
775 / 40.775895 / 40.895

I wasn't aware of the 40 MHz band until I looked it up.

Andrew.
it was used in some cheap toy R/C, there are at least 6 channels here too. Not recommended for control of model aircraft due to limited range. Transmitter power limited to 100 Milliwatts.
  • 49.830 Mhz -- Channel 1
  • 49.845 Mhz -- Channel 2
  • 49.860 Mhz -- Channel 3
  • 49.875 Mhz -- Channel 4
  • 49.890 Mhz -- Channel 5
 
Yes I went there in the early 70s . Small but well stocked general model shop . Had my hair cut there once , the owner was better at selling models than he was at cutting hair
I lived in Bearwood at the time and regularly cycled to Harborne to visit that model shop. I used to buy slot car bits n bobs. Riko car chassis, bodyshells, motors, tyres and the like.
I also remember another shop further down Harborne High St. We visited that often too. We were asked by the owner to help out at some exhibitions. We did the boat show at the old Bingley Hall and summer fetes etc where we set up a slot car track for visitors to have a go. Our local model shops were Bearwood Models in three shires oak Rd and another towards the lower part of Bearwood Rd opposite Beakes Rd. Still have some of the railway models now as I have started to revisit railway modelling hobby as now live near the Severn Valley Railway.
 
If it was that McGauleys then they had more than one shop. I recall the Shirley one. Don't remember toys though only prams and other baby paraphernalia. Plus bikes.
Hi Janice, you are correct about McGauleys having more than one shop. He had about half a dozen although I can’t remember where they all were. I worked in the warehouse in Kings Heath, there was a branch in the High St. as you say there was one in Shirley, Alum Rock and Small Heath.
He did sell toys when I was there in the 60s but I don’t know if he did before that.
 
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Hi Janice, you are correct about McGauleys having more than one shop. He had about half a dozen although I can’t remember where they all were. I worked in the warehouse in Kings Heath, there was a branch in the High St. as you say there was one in Shirley, Alum Rock and Small Heath.
He did sell toys when I was there in the 60s but I don’t know if he did before that.
Looks like in 1955 they were listed as Cycle & Toy Dealers, but in 1967 only Cycle Dealers

cycle dealers 1955.jpgMcGauley 1955.jpgtoy-dealers-1955.jpgcycle-dealers-1967.jpg
 
I worked there around 1967 and 1968 and at that time we moved from Station Rd to The High St and take it from me there were lorry loads of toys. At that time all of the drivers were firemen who drove the lorries as a part time job for extra money.
A couple of pictures I’ve found from around that time. A bit of horseplay in the Station Rd warehouse with the warehouse manager Tony (can’t remember his surname)
View attachment 171286View attachment 171286
 

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And what about the dope you got to paint your gliders with? :? You could get real dopey sniffing that. :roll:
I remember the place well. The planes were made by kielcraft or or something like that.
They were made of balsa Wood from The Amazon Jungle (Rainforest now)
There was a sheet or two of the stuff with the part needed printed on it.
You cut it out with a model knife which was a bit like a scalpel.
when all was together you stuck special paper over the frame with -I don`t remember the adhesive-.
The result was pretty impressive. it now needed to be painted with "Dope". this was a paint of some sort.
it was called "dope" after the paint used on plywood aeroplanes with wooden frames.
I guess this was due the paints` quality for making one feel drunk.
They were designed to fly by elastic band power but I never found this powerful enough for much flight.
I made fairy Gannet and Hawker Hurricane that I remember. I found Airfix plastic models easier to make, there was a bigger selection and you could hang more of then on your bedroom ceiling.
Did anyone else shoot them all off their ceiling with a catapult or airgun when you got to 14?
 
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