I wanted to mention the Beetle was also copied and available in a fiberglass version made by Pattern Tec...Flywilly helped me with the ID of one I got last year... [8D]

Have Fun...

Chuck

Hi Guys,
First, Ray's ad shows the Thunderbird MK II. If you look at the line above the price 'Y11,000' you'll see large characters the last of which is 'II'. The real reason I know is because it is the same model shown in the MK brochure that I have (I can't read Japanese...).
Second, Pattern TEK also kitted the SIlent ST as well as the Miss Beetle (same designer as the Beetle, but totally different airplane - looks more like Dick Hanson's Runaround) and the Supra-Fly. All were glass/foam kits with plug-in wings.
Hey Ray, Just how extensive is your model airplane magazine collection??
-Will

Not that extensive Will. I just happen to have one Japanese magazine , part of a bargain bundle I picked up years ago at a car boot sale (I think you call them yard sales or flea markets or something) This 40 size Thunderbird (2) was also shown. Upright engine in this smaller version.

Anyone around here who can translate all those squiggly shapes [sm=confused.gif]

Ray

Ray
I sent out the add that you posted to a friend of mine in Japan. I'm hoping he or his wife will be able to translate for us.

DM

It doesn't say that much.

The two big characters are New Year.

Then New product.

60 Enya II use great performance. 40 use high performance aerobatic planes.

Then the characters on the bottom has nothing to do with the plane but the hardware.

I think I had a custom built one that was given to me back in 1970. I was trying to find the picture of the plane today but failed.

I just noticed your in Hilo... Are you in Volcanoes National Park? My friend and I used to dream of flying a glider over Kilauea. Obviously never did, but we did get to slope some 2 meters off Makapuu lookout back in the 80s.


DM

Yes I am in Hilo. I noticed you are on Oahu. Do you know Wayne Hamada? I used to fly pattern with Wayne. He came over for our pattern contests in the 90's. No I don't fly over Kilauea because there is no place to land. Besides too many tourists. I did fly slope soaring over Honuapu close to Naalehu which is close to South Point.

Hi Ray that aircraft looks like a copy of , Doug spreng:s Thunderstormer. dont you think [sm=confused.gif]
Neil

I know Wayne quite well. He is our AMA District X Associate Vice President for Hawaii. Unfortunately he doesn't fly much anymore. He did get a look at the Aurora I have and was really interested in getting back into the classics. Maybe if I actually start flying I can lure him in. He is the best flyer that I've had the chance to see, absolutely flawless. Back then Ed Abersong also flew pattern.


DM

A distant cousin perhaps Neil - different back end. As a Doug Spreng fan, I naturally prefer the Thunderstormer

Ray

Ok Guys,
So can we say that the Thunderchief waspossibly the first pattern kit in 40 (did he have a 60 size version?) from Kato. Then the Thunderbird and the T-Bird MKII, followed by the Blue Angel and so on..?

David

Well we all have our priorities. I don't fly pattern any more because of a lack of air field over here. I just fly helicopters in my backyard. Say Hi to Wayne if you do run into him. Tell him you talked to Hansen from Hilo.

I am not sure if the Thunder Bird 2 was the first pattern kit that MK made. There may have been some other Japanese design prior to that.

Hey Will..How about the Omega?? Was it a MK kit?? It kinda looks like a cross between an Aurora and an Atlanta...I found these photo's of Chip Hyde's Omega that I think he flew in a semi recent BPA type event...

Hi CHuck,
The Omega was the sister ship to the Atlanta, also kitted by Zigsaw. I believe the Omega was designed for side exhaust, but (obviously) could easily be modified to rear exhaust. I've seen one fly (a couple of decades ago...) and the owner loved it. I think the Omega was reviewd in RCM in the late '80s.
I wonder what ever happened to Zigsaw? The Atlanta, the Omega, then ... gone.
-Will

Wow Chuck!

what are the chances of seeing an Atlanta, an Omega and an Aurora lined up side by each !?

The next best thing would be a Cosmos, an Aurora and a Beetle - the ABC trio in chronological order!

Nice pics.

David.

Hi Flywilly, Aurora 60 and all model builders,

thank you for all these interesting informations you are so kindly sharing.

This will be added to my list of all kits produced by Marutaka for Royal [link=http://rcroyal.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=1;t=32]MARUTAKA/ROYAL/MK KITS LIST[/link] , as M. Kato was also drawer/designer for Marutaka/ Royal kits.

Some of the early kits found in Royal products line were produced before by MK Kato Model Aircraft Co. Ltd kits ( Simply labelled as MK on box)

I have a 1875 mm Wingspan MK Junkers 87 D-5 which is very similar to the Royal/Marutaka kit N°6 but no kit number printed on mine, may be your brochure can help?

Flywilly, if you ever scanned your MK brochure, I would be very happy to receive a copy of it by email, if you don't mind.

Any information that would enable me to complete the list of MK, Royal and/or Marutaka models is most welcome, please post it or email me if you prefer.
I will then be able to make a separate list for all three: MK, Royal and Marutaka.

The numbering for those last two is quite different and confusing.
For example, the 0.60 size Royal 1/6 Zero is kit number 1 in Royal listing as in last Marutaka catalogs but I have a very old MARUTAKA Zero, same scale 1/6 showing kit number 6. Same wingspan of 1592 mm.

Also If anyone has a nice picture ( 800 x ... is a good enough res but I will resize if needed) of any of these models, please do not hesitate and email it to me, so I can put it to illustrate and color a little bit these listings, making them more attractive and, may be, this could motivate more people to build one of these old but always beautiful and pleasant to fly designs.

Happy New Year to all !!

heres one

Here it is. AMA has the plans.

With some delay, thank you ... Bart


List is now available on RCU [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9636215/anchors_9636215/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#9636215]MK KITS LISTING[/link]

I moved the other list to RCU also following closure of site where it was hosted before:[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9401552/tm.htm] ROYAL/MARUTAKA and MK List[/link]
keep them coming, these lists are building up !

Here is the Blue Angel article

Hi,

This is my first post here and since Ifound the name of the kit I was looking for in this post I will ask this question here.

In 1981 Iwent to Denmark to work for the summer (when I was 17) and with the money earned Ibought a Kato Model Aircraft kit called the Blue Angel Jr for .40 sized engines. I also bought a .45 OS max FSR engine for it (seeing as the physical size was the same).

Inever really got to finish the kit because the gas tank that I bought for this kit was one size too big (it was the oval type) and the model shop shut down before Icould get in touch with it. So Igave the model away. But I have always wanted to find the kit and try again as Isaw this kit fly and I thought it was wonderful.

Does anyone have any idea what happened to the company?And if it is possible to get this kit somehow? I understand that these kits are considered classic and very rare, but I was hopnig that somone would have bought one of these and kept the plans. What happened to the guy who desinged them?

Would love to find out more about this kit.

Hi judgedredd,

I have a Blue Angel 40 SR kit. Have a look here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9349287
It is not for sale but I might be able to fix a copy of my plan for You. But to be able to scratch buildfrom the plan one also need the wing and stab ribs, so then they have to be scanned also(from the balsa sheets - easiest way). The canopy is the tricky part to find a suitable copy of. The kit is rather rare but now and thenthe kit can be foundon ebay and such places.

/Bo

Hi Bem,

Wow! What a lucky chap you are.

Ido find it weird that various memories are coming back. For instance I know that the box was definately the box shown for the .60 model. It was white cardboard with the pictures on the box just like Dan's. Yet your plans look like the ones I remember. Yet for some reason I thought my kit was a JR not an SR. Did MK have a Blue Angel JR (Junior)? Iwonder how Ican jog my memory to figure out which one Ireally had (the .60 kit or the .40-.45 kit)?

By the way, why are you not building it? Any chance that you would sell the complete kit?

If not, would you be willing to somehow scan the plans into image files (at 300dpi) for me to then stitch together at my end? Or we can work something else out. Since Ihave been looking for this kit on and off for at least 10 years there are no hurries. Iam willing to work with you without hassle, now that I have found one.

Hi,

I know where You can buy a kit (not mine). PM sent.

/Bo

To all those old timers. Do you remember Bruno Giezandanner (sp?) from Switzerland won a world championship with his Marabu II? A Japanese company kitted the plane and I thought it was MK. It may have been Isao Matsui as in an IM kit. In 1972 I went to Japan and roamed around Tokyo looking for a hobby shop that carried the kit. I managed to find a hobby shop and managed to find the kit. I hand carried the kit to New Jersey and built it there.

I can appreciate any information you may have on this kit.<br type="_moz" />