Jim Davis Lancaster

[Allan Bowker]

I remember visiting Jim Davis Models in Birmingham a few times in the mid to late 80's and always marvelled at the huge black Lancaster Bomber that he had hanging from his shop ceiling.
His shop was a factory unit with a high ceiling and the model still looked huge. From what I have been able to find out it had a wingspan of 18ft.

I often wonder what happened to the model and where it is now, it's not like something of that size can easily be lost.

A search on Google shows that Steve Webb has wondered the same and found that it was on display at Goosdale Model Aviation Museum, Nottingham, until it's closure where the models were packed in a container and sold to a museum in San Francisco, USA.

The San Francisco airport website does mention that models from the Goosdale Collection are on display there but only mentions a Spitfire in Terminal 3.

Does anyone else remember this beautiful model, have any photo's or know any more of its fate?

Edited By Allan Bowker on 30/05/2012 14:59:54

[Alan Cantwell]

i knew they went to the states, but that was it, perhaps a email to the museum in frisco??

[Allan Bowker]

Yes Alan, I have fired one off shortly after posting this. Thankfully I found the museum curators email address, so here's hoping for a reply soon.

I'm guessing Steve Webb has already done this, don't know if he got a reply but I will tie up with him soon.

I will post an update as and when.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Allan Bowker]

Jim Davis Jnr doesn't know what happened to the Lanc either, Steve Webb wants to find out and let Jim know.

I had read that Jim was a rep for Horizon Hobby (pictures of him too at the Horizon stand). So I'm not sure if he is with Perkins now and with Horizon before?

He's into cars apparently.

Edited By Allan Bowker on 31/05/2012 09:13:54

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Allan Bowker]

Well after two weeks I haven't had any email reply back from SFO museum, time to see if Steve Webb has any more info/pics and then telephone SFO.

Email sent to SWM

[Allan Bowker]

I've found it and I have a photo!

[Allan Bowker]

Dear Mr. Allan Bowker

The model you describe from the Goosedale Model Aircraft Collection appears to fit the description of object no. "1998.108.330 a j" as seen in the attached SFO Museum collection record. A picture of that scale model aircraft fuselage section in collection housing is also attached for your review.

If this is indeed the model you are asking after and you are able to confirm for us that its maker is the late Mr. Jim Davis Sr., we would be very pleased to add that important attribution to the record as we do not have a name. Any other information you or others may be able to provide for our records regarding the object would also be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much for contacting SFO Museum.

Sincerely,
John H. Hill

Assistant Director, Aviation

SFO Museum
San Francisco International Airport
P.O. Box 8097
San Francisco, CA 94128 USA

(650) 821-6759 desk
(650) 821-6700 office
(650) 821-6777 fax
[email protected]
www.sfomuseum.org

 

Edited By Allan Bowker on 03/07/2012 00:30:18

[Allan Bowker]

San Francisco Airport Museum Record: (Click image to enlarge)

Jim Davis Snr Lancaster, now owned by SFO museum and safely in storage

Note: The JDM on the side (Jim Davis Models)

[Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services]

nice one, i was the same as you, back in the 80's visited the shop A LOT and would gaze in awe at this beautiful model, nice to see it still exists but a shame to see it locked away where nobody can appreciate it...i wonder if they would sell it?....hmmmmmm

[Trex700e]

someone should get it flying!!!

Thats if it can be flown, it might be way to heavy

[Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services]

Fly???? I want it on my doorstep! next to the scoob

[Alan Cantwell]

Allan, GREAT find, i somehow missed this news, youve done great finding this model, for Wilf Fs info, the model flys superb, it was big when models where small, together with its 2 spitfire escorts, they where regular flyers at models shows up and down the country, it had 2 petrol engines, and they would have been small for the day, it was early days for anything petrol, they where built before the advent of the over 20KG ruling, if they came back here,its doubtfull if they would get through the scheme, but, with the provision of borascopes, of which the LMA has a few, mainly to inspect giant ARTF models, if the inner structure is acccesable, then it would be great to see them abck here, wonder if it will happen? its a historic model, but a tad common on the circuit

[Colin Leighfield]

Might be worth speaking to Dave Wright. He used to fly all of these models for Jim and he's still around. Currently in the Sutton Coldfield Radio Control Aeroplane Club (SCRCAC) and flies at Fradley..

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Hi Allan,

You are correct, Jim Jnr asked if I could try and figure where the Jim Davies Lancaster ended up? Jim thought it had been at Goosdale Museum & Airfield. It was easy to confirm this by making a few internet posts / enquiries and modellers came forward who had seen the model there.

Very quickly we found out the models had been sold to another museum when Goosdale ceased trading. I passed all the info on to Jim jnr, including the link for this thread.

Since finding out on his behalf I've left it with Jim. I'm not sure what he's done regard the info, other than he knows where the model is now.

BTW - You are correct Jim jnr was / is a good RC Car driver.
Also he is a Representative for Horizon Hobby.

A customer sent me the link to here, thought I best post to say that Jim Jnr is aware of the details. Thanks.

Thanks

Steve

Edited By Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models) on 08/09/2012 14:58:51

[Allan Bowker]

Thanks Colin, Fradley is close to me, I will try and catch up with Dave Wright.

In the meantime I have emailed the club webmaster, asking to make Dave aware of this thread.

[Mark Trappett]

Hi there! I totally remember the Lancaster Bomber in question I remember it hanging from the ceiling in the shop because I worked at Jim Davis Models for two years. I remember Jim Davis Sr. and I know the family. If I remember right, Dave Wright, the Manager was the one that actually controlled the Lanc from a helicopter that was following when it crossed the English channel back in the day. They had to have permission from Ground Control from the FAA in the UK because the model was big enough to show up on radar.

I remember them starting the engines out the front of the shop once when i was there. If I remember, they were four 55cc gas/petrol engines. It had retracts, and flaps too again if I remember right. There was also a Spitfire of the same scale. Those huge models were new then, and the radio gear, usually Futaba was getting nice and reliable. The servos were very heavy-duty to control the large flying surfaces.

Those were awesome times for me!! Great memories of the Davis family!! They always made me feel like one of them. I miss "Big Jim!"

[Alexander Peacock]

Hi Allan

I remember the Lancaster and the spitfire very well.

Actually I'm so glad that you posted your original question as it's a real blast from the past. There was a story of Big Jim flying the Lancaster across the channel but there was problems with the interference from the helicopter he was planning to use.

[Alexander Peacock]

His son's Jimmy and Wayne gave me some really good advice early on in my rc days . I raced with them both as well 1/10 4wd off road modified. Local and nationals. Happy days

[Alexander Peacock]

Hi Mark Trappet

I just read your post . Funny that. The good old days

[Andy Stephenson]

I remember Dave Wright flying a large scale Spitfire across the channel but did he also do this with the Lank, I never heard of this.

A.

[Peter Christy]

Did all the models from Goosedale end up there? I ask because my old friend, the late Peter Valentine, donated his Cox .049 "Lark" helicopter to Goosedale. It vanished with the rest of the exhibits when Goosedale closed.

--

Pete

[Allan Bowker]

Hello Alexander, thanks for reviving one of my favourite threads, for me it was a satisfying adventure!

I'm also glad that I documented my original question and progress from May-July 2012 as some months later I was listening to a guy in a shop claiming to have found the wherabouts of Jim's Lanc himself.

You really can't believe the cheek some people!

Hello Peter
From my distant memory I recall not all models made it into the shipping container that got sent to the USA.
I think some were redistributed into the modelling community or discarded as waste.

Back in 2012 I found some info on the RCMF forum about Goosedale's closure and fate of the models, however I can't find the page now to link to.

You could try contacting SFO Museum, their contact details are on page one of this thread.
I would imagine they don't have many model helicopters and would appreciate some background info if they have the Lark.

[Peter Christy]

Hi Allan,

Thanks for the update! As you can imagine, an .049 powered helicopter was pretty small, but it did fly, and quite well! At the time, I think it was the smallest RC helicopter in existence (mid-1970s)! It should have been quite easy to get it in the container!

On the other hand, it might have been considered as waste because of its size! Peter Valentine also built an .020 powered heli, which I have, but never managed to get it to fly. He couldn't make a centrifugal clutch that would work at such a tiny size! Maybe if I electrified it......?!

Cheers,

--

Pete