User-rudi

I first met Al Howay and Dick Dinkel by way of their hobby shop in Grand Rapids, Mi on Monroe Ave in 1948/53. During that time I purchased (among many other items) a small SE-5 rubber powered scale kit from them . Al did the drawings for the kit. It was a good flyer for indoor competition. After my return from the Navy in 1955, I reconnected with them at their kit Mfg. business in an old factory building on Commerce St. in Grand Rapids. If I remember correctly they shared space on the 2nd floor with Bill Alexander of Alexander Model Products (HO gage kits). I bought a Boeing F4B4 control line kit from them which I still have. The kit was exceptional for the time with turned balsa cowling, scale wheels, corrogated tail / aileron covering material and a complete decal set. All this in a 1 inch=1 ft scale (32 inch span) kit. Compared to the others (Berkley,Scientific and Sterling) they were a cut above in my opinion. Their other kits (Stuka and Stinson Reliant) were just as well done but I'm guessing they finally gave in too low production numbers and high cost. Money was tight and I could not afford more than the one kit. I returned to college to finish my Mechanical Engineering degree and lost contact in the late 50's.
Earl