Time Traveller 66
master brummie
Great picture and at the time the BSA factory was just down the road no problem of supply . Love to know when the picture was taken.
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Toy/Model Shops City Centre
- Thread starter sylviasayers
- Start date
Richard Dye
master brummie
I used to really like going to the Model Aerodrome shop and then quickly walk down to Thorntons and buy a 1/4 pound of toffee to eat on the 29 bus to Handsworth from Snow Hill
Time Traveller 66
master brummie
Thortons Toffee the best. I would have eaten it all before the bus came. Remember remote control with yards of cable to the handset when you had to follow your toy everywhere.I used to really like going to the Model Aerodrome shop and then quickly walk down to Thorntons and buy a 1/4 pound of toffee to eat on the 29 bus to Handsworth from Snow Hill
Richard Dye
master brummie
I do remember the the yards of cable!
There was no toffee left when I got off the bus even before we got to Hockley!
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
My dad worked days at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft factory building Spitfires and in the evenings he built a model of a Lysander on the kitchen table. He took this photo in ww2 and all materials used to make the model were bought from the Model Aerodome shop on the corner of Cherry Street and Temple Row.
This second photo dated 1946 shows the shop on the right with it's RAF roundel over the door.
This second photo dated 1946 shows the shop on the right with it's RAF roundel over the door.
Richard Dye
master brummie
oldMohawk, both great pics!
What was the wing span on the model your dad built?
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hi Richard,
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.
Time Traveller 66
master brummie
Iam sure there was a model shop just around the corner from A B Fletchers the auto shop . I will have a quick look to see if i can come up with any more info.
Your dad was not just clever at model making but was an unsung hero building Spitfires keeping Britains skies safe. And a fantastic plane that will be remembered forever.
Brummie a long time ago
master brummie
I remember it too. I saved up my pocket money and bought one of these from there.
Wish I still had it !
I had a friend at primary school who lived in Cattell Road. Distinguished by wanting to be a chef when he grew up, unusual at that age.
Down the road a bit from the bus depot was the Kingston Cinema, many happy kiddies matinees there.
Thanks for the memory triggers.
Andrew.
Time Traveller 66
master brummie
Was the Kingston Cinema just over the road with a car park out the front.
Brummie a long time ago
master brummie
Hi. With McGauleys on your left, so you are facing Brum. The bus depot will be down the road a bit on your left. Cattell Road will be on your right. Down a little bit and the Kingston (would have been) on the right, between Cov road and the top of (I think ) Kingston Hill. All gone now. I have fond memories of cycling up Kingston Hill to the shop at the top.
So, in answer to your question, yes
.Andrew.
Time Traveller 66
master brummie
Cheers .Hi. With McGauleys on your left, so you are facing Brum. The bus depot will be down the road a bit on your left. Cattell Road will be on your right. Down a little bit and the Kingston (would have been) on the right, between Cov road and the top of (I think ) Kingston Hill. All gone now. I have fond memories of cycling up Kingston Hill to the shop at the top.
So, in answer to your question, yes
Andrew.
Richard Dye
master brummie
oldMohawk, pretty good sized plane, especially without a kit.Hi Richard,
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.
I remember putting the tissue on a Kiel Kraft (sp) kit I had. I ran out of glue and tried to use flour and water. Did not work too well!
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hi Richard, my dad was still building model aeroplanes in the 1960s and the one below looks about a 6ft wing span. All the materials and the engine would have come from the Cherry Street shop.
Richard Dye
master brummie
oldMohawk, another good looking aero plane! I bought engines from the Model Aerodrone in the mid 50’s that were compressing type.
When I came to US in 1962 most of the engines were glow plug. In your Dads plane shown was it a glow plug Or compression? Just curious.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hi Richard,
I can just about remember that the engine was a Frog Gloplug 500. Also regarding flour and water paste I used to make kites from newspapers, sticks, and threads.
oldmohawk ...
My dad built a Veron Kit Skyscooter as seen in the photo which was taken in 1976. I know the year because it was the hottest and driest summer in Britain for 200 years as can be seen by the state of the lawn. Only the weeds stayed green. It was his first go with radio control and it was filled with fuel and launched in Sutton Park.
The radio failed and the aircraft disappeared into the blue yonder never to be seen again.
I can just about remember that the engine was a Frog Gloplug 500. Also regarding flour and water paste I used to make kites from newspapers, sticks, and threads.
oldmohawk ...
My dad built a Veron Kit Skyscooter as seen in the photo which was taken in 1976. I know the year because it was the hottest and driest summer in Britain for 200 years as can be seen by the state of the lawn. Only the weeds stayed green. It was his first go with radio control and it was filled with fuel and launched in Sutton Park.
The radio failed and the aircraft disappeared into the blue yonder never to be seen again.
Richard Dye
master brummie
OldMohawk, the Gloplug engines were much easier to start than compression. They are like Diesel engines which they basically are. For larger engines/planes that was the best way.Hi Richard,
I can just about remember that the engine was a Frog Gloplug 500. Also regarding flour and water paste I used to make kites from newspapers, sticks, and threads.
oldmohawk ...
My dad built a Veron Kit Skyscooter as seen in the photo which was taken in 1976. I know the year because it was the hottest and driest summer in Britain for 200 years as can be seen by the state of the lawn. Only the weeds stayed green. It was his first go with radio control and it was filled with fuel and launched in Sutton Park.
The radio failed and the aircraft disappeared into the blue yonder never to be seen again.
View attachment 168554
Regarding Sutton Park, it seems like I would watch the RC planes from there and many would go off into the wild blue as your Dads. I’m just wondering if there was some interference to the frequency that would cause that. I remember thinking when I saw that, all that time and money (which I did not have) gone in one flight!
I recall watching a radio-controlled boat at Witton Lakes spectacularly crash off several of the concrete banks. The operator said that someone else was using the same channel.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Mort, that will do it!
Brummie a long time ago
master brummie
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.
Andrew.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
- 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
Brummie a long time ago
master brummie
Frequency chart for the 35MHz band:
For use with rc aircraft only.| Ch.# / Frequency (MHz) | Ch.# / Frequency (MHz) | Ch.# / Frequency (MHz) |
| 55 / 34.950 | 67 / 35.070 | 79 / 35.190 |
| 56 / 34.960 | 68 / 35.080 | 80 / 35.200 |
| 57 / 34.970 | 69 / 35.090 | 81 / 35.210 |
| 58 / 34.980 | 70 / 35.100 | 82 / 35.220 |
| 59 / 34.990 | 71 / 35.110 | 83 / 35.230 |
| 60 / 35.000 | 72 / 35.120 | 84 / 35.240 |
| 61 / 35.010 | 73 / 35.130 | 85 / 35.250 |
| 62 / 35.020 | 74 / 35.140 | 86 / 35.260 |
| 63 / 35.030 | 75 / 35.150 | 87 / 35.270 |
| 64 / 35.040 | 76 / 35.160 | 88 / 35.280 |
| 65 / 35.050 | 77 / 35.170 | 89 / 35.290 |
| 66 / 35.060 | 78 / 35.180 | 90 / 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 / 40.665 | 785 / 40.785 | 905 / 40.905 |
| 675 / 40.675 | 795 / 40.795 | 915 / 40.915 |
| 685 / 40.685 | 805 / 40.805 | 925 / 40.925 |
| 695 / 40.695 | 815 / 40.815 | 935 / 40.935 |
| 705 / 40.705 | 825 / 40.825 | 945 / 40.945 |
| 715 / 40.715 | 835 / 40.835 | 955 / 40.955 |
| 725 / 40.725 | 845 / 40.845 | 965 / 40.965 |
| 735 / 40.735 | 855 / 40.855 | 975 / 40.975 |
| 745 / 40.745 | 865 / 40.865 | 985 / 40.985 |
| 755 / 40.755 | 875 / 40.875 | 995 / 40.995 |
| 765 / 40.765 | 885 / 40.885 | |
| 775 / 40.775 | 895 / 40.895 |
I wasn't aware of the 40 MHz band until I looked it up.
Andrew.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
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.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
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
That's weird. Only talking about A B Fletchers last night but couldn't remember the name of it. I used to be in a motor club and spent many hours in there looking for car bits for my mini in the 1970s.
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.
Jack the lad
proper brummie kid
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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RobT
Acemeccanoman
Looks like in 1955 they were listed as Cycle & Toy Dealers, but in 1967 only Cycle Dealers
