31 replies to this topic

[TSR]

Coming soon... but we have "Public Libraries" here, and this is what I was talking about, my ploy is to sell the new book to the US government for distribution in public libraries. After all, it they keep buying thousands of books from their own guys that would otherwise not sell a single copy to the general public from lack of interest so to make them a couple of bucks besides making them look more important than they actually are, I don't see why I should not be part of THAT gravy train!

[ravajack]

Eighteen months — one and a half year — was quite a long time in the fast pacing slot car racing era of the 1960s.
That's also how long it took for Russkit to re-appear in the slot racing ad department. But only for a short period of time.
And only in the Car Model magazine. The last bright burst from the Russkit supenova was only to last for just a couple
of months in the end of 1968 and beginning of 1969. The pistol grip controllers were also the only subjects of interest.


December 1968, Car Model: The ”Big Gun” 814 controller was a development of the old
Formula 1 controller that came in red, blue and black colors. The 814 had no color at all.




February 1969, Car Model: Same ad again for the transparent 814 pistol grip controller.




April 1969, Car Model: A development of the former ”Small Gun” controller, Formula 2.
With less than half the price vs the 814 it was aimed primary towards the home racing crowd and
he small scale H0 people. But still transparent casing like its larger sibling in the new formula.




May 1969, Car Model: Same ad again for the revamped Formula 2 pistol grip controller.




July 1969, Car Model: The first sign of new era: The Russkit controllers are now marketed by Parma.




February 1970, Car Model: The Russkit ”Small Gun” becomes Aurora.




March 1970, Car Model: The Russkit ”Small Gun” becomes Aurora — inverted.




November 1970, Car Model: The end of an era. Russkit is no more — from now on it's Parma controllers. And still is today.

[TSR]

In fact, Russkit was no more by the middle of 1968...
Russell had made an arrangement with Aurora and Parma to take over their controllers, while the remaining inventories were being liquidated at whatever Russell could get for it.

[ravajack]

Three excerpts from the US Patent Office files regarding Russkit.
Anybody heard of co-inventor Henry S. Rose before?

[don.siegel]

Yes, Hank Rose was a partner and/or co-founder of Russkit - his name comes up in some of the books/articles about the company. I believe he's mentioned in Philippe's book, and he can probably tell you more about Hank.

Don

[Daytonaman]

I love the scans of the old publications about slot car racing. A lot of history can be found there. Part of one of the pages above contained a partial column with information about C&M Raceway in Sacramento that I have been looking for in researching my Engleman style track. Does anyone have complete scans of issues of publications from 1964 thru 1970?

John

[TSR]

I believe he's mentioned in Philippe's book, and he can probably tell you more about Hank.

I spent a lot of time with Hank prior to his death three years ago. He was an attorney in Los Angeles and donated some of his old Russkit artifacts to the LASCM. Hank was also party in the AMRCR company that failed in 1968 and was liquidated the same year. Hank and I talked about the rise and fall of the hobby, its causes, and lots of added information to that already supplied years ago by the dozens of hours I spent with Jim Russell and the Russkit story.

Today, Jim's son Steve Russell runs the Racemasters business of HO cars. I met Steve in 1978 when I began my racing wheel company, and he was a salesman for Pirelli tires. We have been good friends ever since. Steve also has a brother and both grew up in the Russkit family, toddlers then but with some memories of how it went up and fell on its face.