The Black Squirrel in Kent, Ohio (In Kent State University) is the only type in all of Ohio. Where am I going with this? Mrs. Toshi and I spent a wonderful day out at Kent State. While on our outing we visited a small toy store on Acorn Alley, once there as we browsed, Mrs. Toshi found something that I’m sure everyone here has owned at one time or another.
I know this is not the traditional kit but, I still had to assemble the Guillow’s. With that in mind, isn’t this nostalgic. I just had to share this with you all! Did I test flight this? Of course I did, it flew at least fifty feet! Not bad for it’s first and last test flight. The balsa plane now hangs in the den from the ceiling right next to my Trumpeter 1/32 TBF Avenger. A nice ending to a even nicer day!
The infamous “Black Squirrel”, this is how popular the “Black Squirrel” is. They even commissioned a art piece at the court yard on Acorn Alley in Kent State.
I hope I don’t upset any FSM forum members with this Guillow’s post. If I did, please except my apology. My intention is to show the simpler side of modeling and to remind us all of a time in our childhood.
For myself, this is the birth of modeling. Thank you so very much my brothers and sisters. It’s rare for me to get out being home bound so this forum of which I’m so proud to be of allows me to mentally travel the world around and I’m so appreciative of FSM Forums!
Thanks lawdog114, I didn’t know how it would be taken. I’m so happy it flew at all! I was a little kid again for those few seconds that it took to the air. Mrs. Toshi had a good laugh.
Nice Toshi!!! Thank you for reminding us of our roots! Oh for the days when we could bang em out in a weekend and we didn’t rivet count and Monogram Revell and Lindberg ruled the shelves!
BTW I too have this kit–on the toy shelf at my hardware store. If anyone wants to drive to Burwell Nebraska I’ll cut you a deal on it
Now there is a blast from the past! I recall buying these abot 30 odd years ago and flying them…never really getting the trimming down well LOL.
That is where it all started, now I work on T-6 and other full size craft…atleast my rigging skills have improver a little
I really wish we could still find these models, my kids would love them.
Thank you freem! It’s my pleasure in reminding fellow forum members like you for their roots as you mentioned but especially a time in your life that you enjoyed as a little kid!
I so remember the days of yore with Monogram, Revell, lindberg, and don’t forget about MPC! LOL! My favorite was always Monogram. I thought they had the coolest variety of kits, and yes, the Corsair kit was my favorite! LOL! WOW! I didn’t know you own a Hardware Store.
If I may be so bold to ask you, what is the name of your store and is there a website for it that I can visit? Thank you in advance! I’m so excited! This is so cool! I wish I could drive to Burwell, Nebraska to visit your store but unfortunately due to my injury, I can’t drive far.
I’d love to have a second one to just fly all day as my first and only one is now hanging on my ceiling by my Trumpeter 1/32 TBF Avenger. I need to go back to Kent and buy the other planes they had! LOL! Thank you freem for you support my friend. I so greatly appreciate it.
Oh my gosh! Are you kidding me?!?! Do NOT apologize for the wonderful trip down memory lane!!! My girls each have one of those rubber band-powered balsa planes in their toy collection as we speak. They were so excited to get them last month when we visited our local HobbyTown store. Back when I was a kid, I don’t know how many of those rubber-powered planes and gliders I had. Way too many to count, that’s for sure.
Thanks again for posting! If it flies, I love it!!
I’m so happy and excited that my thread has brought back a nostalgic memory for you. I think if you go to eBay and or Amazon you might be able to find it. You can also go to Nebraska and visit freem as he said; “I can cut you a deal”! LOL! Thank you so much for visiting and replying on my thread, I so appreciate it!
Many static scale modelers seem to be unaware that rubber powered models still exist and in fact there is quite a large offering. They are far from obsolete. They range from the simple almost-ready-to-fly ROG like the OP plane up to very complex, very detailed flying scale modelers. While Guillows is an old time brand (now, I believe, owned by Estes)(my first successful stick and tissue build was almost exactly seventy years ago and was a Guillows kit), there are many new brands now making stick and tissue models. And Dumas, long ago noted for their boat kits, now makes flying model airplane kits.
Many kits these days are laser cut today, removing the chore of cutting out all the printwood parts with an X-acto knife or broken razor blade.
Yeah, I had a zillion of these as a youngster. I’ve bought a few for the nephews over the last few years.
As Don says they still make them, most of them look the same as the ones I had back thirty or so years ago. If your local hobby shop doesn’t have them I’m sure a websearch will turn them up.
Toshi, you can also pick them up at any “Cracker Barrel” restaurant. I usually pick up a couple of them each time we go there for dinner. I make them up for the grandkids (and myself). I’ve fooled around with them a lot by putting trim tabs on the wings, rounding off the leading edges of the wings and shaping the tail surfaces. I have a couple in the closet now that I cut out the center of the wings, made airfoil shapes for the wing and covered it with tissue paper. Flies a LOT better. Also flies better with good rubber instead of the cheap heavy bands that come with it. I usually take 1 or 2 with me everytime I take our dog to the park for a walk. They do tend to draw a crowd.
I used to attach firecrackers to those and light the fuse and send it off. A squirl as a mascot is befitting for KSU. (tongue in cheek) They have a super aviation program there.
Thank you Greg! Your support means so much to me. Yes, they still make these. I purchased mines at the Kent State, Acorn Alley store called “Off The Wall”!
