ORIGINAL: kc97trains
Hello,,,I am a first timer here so I'm not sure if I am in the right forum. My question is, I have recently aquired a few old kits and do not know that much about them. I am not familiar with the manufacturers. Maybe someone out there can shed some light on them for me. I have a Hall-Springfield Bulldog kit made by Ranger Aircraft Models from Brooklyn, NY. It is a solid type model that is designed for Ucontrol flying. Has a 18 inch wing. The plans show setups for a Bantam, Arden and Atom engine. Size .19. The box is maroon. The label is pretty much a drawing of the airplane in black and white with the airplane name and manufacturer logo. Ranger Aircraft Models has what looks like a smiling monkey cartoon face for a logo. Anyone know morw about this kit? Everything seems to be there and complete. Box is nice and not torn and all the wood is nice. Little bit of spruce and plywood. I'm assuming it was made during the war years because of the non-strategic materials. Any info would be deeply appreciated. Thanks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Charlie
Charlie,
You may have a rare old kit, so I would not build it. Some copy the plans and use the parts as templates to build another kit. That will allow you to both build and preserve it.
I looked through some old 1947 Model Craftsman magazines. One of few aircraft hobby shops listed the Arden and Bantam in the Jan and Feb issues but the Atom did not appear until the March issue. It may mean the Atom was not previously available or perhaps that shop just did not carry it previously...don't know. They were spark engines. When the glow plug came along, the Bantam and the Arden were converted but I believe the Atom (and some other engines) became extinct shortly after that.
This gives you a general time frame of when the kit was made. It would fly fast since it is a small wing to carry that size engine. As someone previously, a modern .09 to .15 engine would work...assuming you do not intend to find an old engine of the three you list.
Good luck whichever you decide. Keep us posted.
George