Antique RC Radios-Their evolution

RC equipment from the past. I've been fascinated with RC flying and the equipment since the early 60's. Some folks told me I ought to do a video on them, so here it is with what I had to work with.

I used my very own collection of the first Digital proportional radios, and then show the radios from the man who got me involved with RC stuff in the beginning. John Donovan.
In my case, I became so involved in RC, I even worked for Phil Kraft in his Signature Series line, till they went out of business. It was an incredible honor, for he had fore site to make radios the way we wanted them and is known as the father of Digital Proportional radios
Today, I fly mostly Hitec RCD equipment, which is reliable and affordable and even have blown up some RC airplanes with plastic explosives. (Blue Thunder F-16's, starring Roy Scheider)
So enjoy this bit of history, and thanks for watching.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• rc
• airplanes
• escapement
• servo
• havoc
• heli
• reflex
• strormlauncher
• airplane

[maplewoodsp]

I was always told there was a time when an amateur radio license allowed an R/C hobbyist to have an advantage. I have never found much about this once I became a ham. Interesting video.

[NightFlyyer]

We did back then, because it was hard to get a license, as you know, so not many people flew on the special frequencies, us ham banders could fly on. (53 mhz). Nowdays we use spectrum 2.4ghz radios

[alexbuneapetru]

amazing colection my friend:)

[NightFlyyer]

Thanks kindly.

[unclesara]

Thank you VERY much for sharing this with the world. It was good of you to educate us spoiled younger generation. I really appreciate your time and effort. Very cool stuff to say the least and a fascinating human being.

[NightFlyyer]

Thank you very kindly for your comments. I appreciate them.

[buneaalexpetru]

whats the first song?

[sonykroket]

@unclesara

You're so right. Time has made materials and batteries get better and RC-stuff is way more affordable and userfriendly these days, we're spoiled yo.

I respect those early RC fliers as they had to build and modify way more than we have to.

[cherokeenut]

Thanks for taking the time to explain this stuff, I like to hear about how things use to be. You mention that you'd need a big plane for the early radios, I've got an original Dmeco Models Astro Hog that probably had a Bonner system originaly. It's here on youtube too.

[assmunch1]

Thanks for sharing this John. It is a good thing for people to know how far the technology has come and what modelers dealt with back then. I never owned a radio that wasn't proportional myself, but I did fly with a buddy who had escapement servos in the '60s, and rubber band powered free flight models. It is great that you have preserved the old technology.

[billfromelma]

hey Dave this is pretty darn neat ---- meeting John and some of his family ---- special stuff ---- thanks for sharing. Say "Howdy" to John for me next you talk to him,never met the fella but I kinda feel like I know him now.

[parts2truck]

That was awesome to watch, im a keen rc pilot in NZ and its great to see the older generation sharing there experience and history with all, thanks you so much. Very Interesting.

Wish you could come to our club and have a fly with us.

[Slaschow]

Nice vid Devil Dog

[vfatnuts]

ya it is nut to c how far we have come..it is cool to c all the old stuff that we could have not seen like the on that was 1979 i was one lol thanks for the videos

[JaleelJohanson62]

Very nice video! Makes us appreciate where RC has come from to get where it is today. During WWII the Germans had RC guided air-to-air missles and air-to-ground missles. Makes me wonder if they were using a derivative of this very early RC equipment? Perhaps the early RC equipment followed what they did?

[Slaschow]

Its funny when i was a kid back in the late 70's i think i remember my dad winding escapements rubberbands up.