R. Smith

I found a thread in the archives discussing the fate of the prominent model firms of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. There was some speculation on the fate of JASCO/JETCO….

I worked part time for JASCO/JETCO from 1950 to 1952 and knew the personalities involved rather well.

By way of introduction between 1958 and 1952 I went to Stuyvesant High School in New York. Stuyvesant was 2 blocks from JASCO/JETCO's office which was on 16th Street near 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. At that time the Zaic's occupied the entire building (a 4 story brown stone).

The business and retail sales office with the prototypes of the Franks designs hung from the ceiling was on the second floor. Lumber was stored and cut by Thurston and sometimes John Zaic (see the Zaic books) on the 3rd and 4th floors.

Kit's were packed in a rented store front 2 blocks north on 3rd Avenue.

As Frank Zaic's yearbooks indicate he founded JASCO for the purpose of distributing balsa and the various other materials need to construct stick and tissue models. He had little interest in kit’s.

Although he (Zaic) designed and kitted several gliders (Thermic's) Frank was always interested in design theory not the commercial aspects of model building.

After his discharge from the Army Airforce in 1945 Frank and his brother John returned to JASCO which was being run by his sister Christine. He tried to revitalize the yearbook project and designed some kits. The G-84 and the famous Floater. However failing to make a profit from his beloved year books Frank moved to the West Coast and worked as a draftsman for Aero-Space companies and published on his year books to supplement his income and also (Circular Airflow Book) tried to revitalize general interest in slow speed aerodynamics..

The ownership of JASCO reverted to his brother John and his sister Christine. Frank wanted to maintain the JASCO name for himself so the firm was renamed JETCO.

With the arrival of the original K&B Torpedo .020 it became very difficult to sell towline gliders and the Zaic's were forced to look around for a designer who knew something of production and design of powered models.

At that time Frank Ehling, living in Jersey, was actively publishing (some times under pseudonyms) designs in Air Trails Magazine.

The Zaic’s convinced him to work for them as a full time designer and manager of the kit packaging operation.

There upon followed a host of designs (Phoenix series) and a reengineering (not for the better) Frank Zaic's classic Thermic gliders.

Around this time (1952-1955) RC equipment became small and simple enough for the average builder to use. DeBolt introduced the LiveWire series and JETCO via Ehling tried to develop a competitive design which failed. Ehling (burnt out) was losing interest and had diffrences with the Zaic's.

Ehling (because of disputes with Christine) left JETCO for the AMA in Washingto DC.

JETCO began to kit outstanding designs from various prominent modelers. Enjoyed a brief spell of relative success. But never prospered

John Zaic left the firm and made a modest living designing and selling a series of single channel LiveWire type models.

JETCO moved to Brooklyn, marketed their better designs for a number of years.

Joe Nagy

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Hi R. Smith;

Greetings to All from the 'Valley of the Sun'.

I just want to thank you for your very informative article discussing the Jasco/Jetco story. A way back when....in the 50s as a Grade School and High School student I built and flew many of the Jasco gliders, such as the Thermic 18 or 20?, the wonderful Thermic B hand launch gliders, and then the Nordic 72, I think it may have been a Jetco name by then, but never knew why the name changed. I have a small number of Jasco/Jecto kits in my collection, including all three of the Thermic 100s: the Pod & Boom version....the dark blue kitbox was literally rotted away, just disintegrated in my hands, however the kit contents and plans were AOK, simply repacked it in a new box; the built up fuse version, and the very showy Vee-tailed Imperial version. When I examined the Thermic 100 Imperial kit contents and noted the zillions of little pieces of wood, I ws puzzled until I saw the designer's name on the plans, the late Don McGovern.

Anyway, your article caused me to wax nostalgiac, and brought back many happy memories; those Jasco/Jetco designs flew just great. In closing, like Bob Hope used to say, 'Thanx for the Memories', best regards from sunny and warm Phoenix,

Joe Nagy. email: [email protected]

chrisbarker

Hi,

Thank you for the informative post. I have always been a fan of Jetco Models. I built them as a youngster and teen in the 60's. To this day I am still involved in the hobby because of it.
I never knew much about the people involved in Jetco/Jasco until recently. I found a copy of Frank Zaic's "Model Glider Design" in the used book store and now I want all of the books. I have also been looking around as to what is still available of their models. Not being a collector of kits I have been looking for the plans to scratch build.
It is ashame sometimes how the history of peoples endevors becomes lost with their passing. I think that it is a good thing to record this information for posterity.

Thanks Again,
Chris

R. Smith

This was a derivative of the G-84. The G-84, Frank told me was designed to carry the Berkeley "Airtronics" soft tube receivers. I believe it was the first "purpose built" radio controlled glider. The Thermic 100 was designed prior to WW2 and was originally strictly a tow line free flight glider. A picture of the prototype appears with a group of modelers as the frontpiece in "Model Glider Design". Model Glider Design was written in 1941 or 1942.

I knew nothing of the McGovern variation. As you may know McGroven carved out a place for himself with his giant models. Most famous of which was the Super Privateer. I built one as part of my thesis project at Parks College in 1961. A classic design which should be rekitted.

As I wrote earlier Christine Zaic cast around for designs by the better modelers. Clearly McGovern was a likely candidate.

Richard Smith

CLovell

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Thanks R.Smith.... very interesting bit-o-history. My modeling started in the late sixties and there was a lot of Jetco product on the shelves. Enjoyed a building quite few. Thanks again!

Craig

Dsegal

When I was a kid there were lots of cheap kits around but many of them were not likely to actually fly. But I learned that any kit with the Jasco name would definitely fly if I built it right. And what lovely balsa wood in those boxes.

Dave Segal

R. Smith

One of the more interesting things that came with working for JASCO was unloading balsa wood logs.

The wood arrived in the form of roughly dressed square timbers about 10 inches square and 8 feet long. One would think that it would require two people to manhandle these objects up two flights of stairs but in fact it was an easy job for one person.

Much has been made about the general quality of the JASCO wood and in fact it was excellent. But, the best of the wood went to the better builders in the New York City area and that only happened after Ehling picked it over and took the best for himself!

Interestingly JASCO cut no sheets greater the 3 inches in width. In fact they preferred 2 inch sheeting so it was necessary to butt glue the stuff to get the wider widths. Another quirk was a reluctance to cut "C" stock most everything was "A" and a little "B"

Ehling liked to use "C" stock except where bending was necessary he took almost everything that Thurston cut for himself.

R. Smith

CoosBayLumber

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MR. Smith......


Has your story been sent to KAPA yet? They would be most interested, as it fits their subject matter very well presently. Many of the Jetco competitors have been discussed therein.

Have reproduced three kits so far with laser cut parts, the JASCO Thermic 72 and the Jetco Mooney Mite and Navigator.

Wm.

chrisbarker

CoosBay,

Sorry to be so unenlightened but what is KAPA? If there is more info out there on this subject I would be interested.

Thanks,
Chris

Dsegal

KAPA is "Kits And Plans Antiquitous". They have a little newsletter and members trade old kits.

Dave Segal

Dsegal

I just saw 8 Jasco/Jetco kits, NIB, in Bob Stricker's listing of kits for those who want to relive old times. They include the Thermic Trooper, Thermic 50-X, Cutlass F7F3 and Lark. His phone number is 630-961-0327.

Dave Segal

andypage

Hi - I'm looking for a set of plans for the Jetco Imperial 100. A copy is fine... I will pay your costs, and then some. I'd consider a complete kit or original plan as well.
Thanks,
Andy

R. Smith

I left JETCO in 1952 and I had heard nothing about an "Imperial 100".

I suspect that Ehling must have decided to design something to echo the Thermic 100.

In any event I am sorry to say that I know nothing of this design and furthermore yours is the first reference to it that I have ever encountered.

Richard Smith

Dsegal

Following on R. Smith's comments, I could find no Imperial 100 glider in the John Pond catalog. The only plane called an Imperial listed is a 72" model by Scientific.

Dave Segal

chrisbarker

Hi,

I got these off of EBay as there is one for sale there now.
http://cgi.*********/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...category=19164

Chris

chrisbarker

I guess they don't like my link to ... cgi dot EBay dot com ...

another shot:

R. Smith

This is a later JETCO kit. I can see it was designed by McGoveren and kitted by the C.A. Zaic Co. As many here must know, McGoveren was the "king" of larger/giant models in the 50's and early 60's. His retainer by the Zaic's was typical of their post Ehling practice.

I suspect that this powered glider is a variation on one of McGoveren's magazine designs most of which featured glow engines on retractable pylons. Apparently the construction was simplified for kitting since the engine is mounted in the nose.

It's interesting to see that in (homage?) to F. Zaic's his classic Thermic wing plan-form has been preserved or perhaps better... imposed open McGovern's concept. If this was not done as homage to to a living legend it was certainly included for historical/brand name recognition purposes. I also note mention is made on the box of the undercambered airfoil and the (always optional in the Thermic seies) F. Zaic "V" tail. It is very prominent in the illustration.

This of course is another gesture to the JASCO days. Frank always made much of the NCAA series of airfoils he used in his designs and this box label rehearses his practice.

The beautiful fuselage is pure McGoveren. I wonder what Frank Zaic made of this rather grotesque assemblage? At least Christine had the good taste not to label it a "Thermic".

As I observed above, the box names the manufacturer as the C.A. Zaic Company and gives a Brooklyn address. That was JETCO's last stop.

As I understand it; When John Zaic left JETCO in the late 50's to produce a line of very competent rudder only RC models, Christine and her non modeling brother Albon (sp) reincorporated and relocated, for financial reasons, to Lexington Avenue in Brooklyn. Lexington Avenue is in the Bedford Stuyvesant part of Brooklyn and was and remains very depressed economically. It appears that they remained there until the business terminated.

Interestingly... Bernie Winston of Americas Hobby Center in the late 40's, briefly moved to Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn but returned to his 22nd Street, Manhattan building after only a brief stay in there.

Richard Smith

stuntflyer

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Is there a laser cut version of the Jetco Navigator?
If so where can I get one?
thanks

Joe Nagy

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For Andy page above

Hi Andy;

That Jecto Imperial 100 for sale in ebay is # 3137733617, and still has 5 or so days to go,so you have lots of time. Go for It!!

Hope this is of help for you, best regards from sunny and 115*F Phoenix,

Joe Nagy.

CoosBayLumber

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For STUNTFLYER

See the plans section here at RCU for Navigator availability.


Wm.

rmossesq

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I know it is a super old post, but I am trying to scratch up the plans for a Jetco Imperial. I have the plans, but like many plans back in the day, they don't have the ribs shown on them for the wing or the stab.

Do you happen to still have the kit? Do you have the rib patterns for the wing and stab? Would save me a lot of work.

PS - I guess I could make a "Bird of Time" wing work, but it would be not that much more work to make a true Imperial wing "If" I could find the patterns.

bogbeagle

Here's a link to the plan.

You can download with safety from this site ... the Outerzone.


http://www.outerzone.co.uk/download_backup.asp?ID=595

Trisquire

Wow. That's a pretty one.