The Comet Model Airplane and Supply Company was probably responsible for more envy among depression era kids than anything other than a square meal. The kits were wood. Priced at 50 cents or less at a time when even a Buffalo Nickel was hard to come by, I am sure even the catalogs were prized. I also suspect many an enterprising young man was proud as can be of his own flying machine constructed with painstaking care.
Nancy Kapitanoff's father was a salesman for the company in 1933, the same year these catalog images were produced. At the time, could there have been any other better job? He somehow had the foresight to bring a MOVIE CAMERA along with him as he traveled from miniature air shows to company meetings. Nancy has produced a documentary created from her father's historical material. The site HERE for her film "The Comet Model News" provides some magical clips of these balsa beauties being flown a mere few years after Lindbergh captured the nation.
Building this type of 'old timey' stick and tissue plane is alive and well among a large group of very active members of The Flying Aces Club with members across the globe. BTW this hobby may be a sort of fountain of youth as there are a huge number of club members 80+ years old having fun building and flying these. Comets were among the best. light and well designed, they actually fly really well!
ReplyDeleteI am really glad to hear that, AND glad you took the time to write. MUCH APPRECIATED! Jim
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