Vintage RC Helicopters - RC helicopters 1971
RC Helicopter History - 1971
NOTE: for this year many of the dates require confirmation / validation.
February 71
Nürnberg Toy Fair
Schlüter's first production kit.
By early 1971 Dieter Schlüter had started shipping out individual kits so at the Nürnberg Toy Fair on the Simprop stand he achieved another first in presenting to the modelling world the first available commercial kit of a RC Helicopter.
Among the first batch of kits was Horace Hagen's which he received in the USA in February.
Another helicopter was also displayed at Nürnberg but on the Brand Elektronic stand; this was a model of the Bell 'Huey' by Dutch builder A van der Velden. Powered by a HP61 engine and incorporating the 'Bell' system of stabilization, this model had been demonstrated hovering.
Dave Gray and original helicopter.
From the coverage above of Dave Gray's original helicopter, Dewey Broberg of Dub-Ro bought the manufacturing rights from David who then began work for Dub-Ro in developing his prototype into a commercial viable product. Note that this original helicopter is housed in the Smithsonian museum in the USA.
April 71
Horace Hagen's first flight in the USA of the original Schlüter Cobra, though it was still only tethered hovering.
July 71
Horace Hagen's demonstrates the Schlüter Cobra at the AMA nationals in Glenview USA.
September 71
Doylestown USA and during the F3A world championships
Dieter Schlüter demonstrated the Cobra along with Horace Hagen and his recently
completed Cobra.
This demonstration had a profound effect on one of the observers, Hiroyuki Oki from Japan; so much so that he was to follow Dieter back to Europe and persuade him to part with his No2 prototype which he took back to Japan to study.
A little controversy also as Kavan had subsidised the tour to display the Schlüter Cobra (as noted by the 'Kavan' in big letters on the side) and this was mistaken as an intent for it to be one of their kits to import into the USA. This was not going to happen as Dieter was already in Talks with Schuco-Hegi and so Kavan then approached FW Biesterfeld with a view to developing and marketing their own helicopter. Though Biesterfeld had a near functioning model Huey, as Schlüter already had a model of a military helicopter and even though the Huey was as well (if not more) known it was decided to provide a contrast by kitting the most well know civilian helicopter, the JetRanger.
Month?? 71
First Kit of the Dieter Cobra in the USA flown by Horace Hagen.
Month?? 71
FAI altitude record for a RC helicopter set by Gene Rock of the USA - details to confirm.
Month?? 71
Later in the year someone else managed a first with an original Cobra i.e. the first to 'crash' one whilst 'showing off' at a public show !!!!!!!
Month?? 71
Hiroyuki Oki founded Kalt Sangyo Co Ltd and by obtaining a production license from Dieter Schlüter the First Kalt helicopter was brought out. This was the Huey Cobra 450 and was basically a scaled down Schlüter Cobra for '45' size engines; RC helicopters had arrived in Japan.
General comments
It had proved an interesting year though there did not seem to be much of a 'rush' by manufacturers to jump on the helicopter 'bandwagon'; excepting Kalt from Japan. However a lot was going on in the background with experimenters and a number of manufacturers who were keen to dip a toe into the water.
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