Is this true ? building models of new designs.

[wonwinglo]

***Is this true ? even if we build a model for our very own use do we need to always contact the manufacturers to build a model of their machine,quite honestly I cannot see the point,does this apply to the U.S.A and Canada only,lots of questions especially as lots of companies never respond to mail requesting details of their products,I find this hard to believe-

'This model has proven interesting to build as it is very recent. So recent I had to notify the factory to ask for permission to build it and get drawings for it. This is a factor in our hobby. Drawings of recently designed aircraft have a lot of copyrights attached to them. One must ask for permission to build a model then the modeler is put on file. The company can then keep tabs on if we sell them without permission. My correspondance always offers kits to be made for Canadair'

[Guest]

I suspect Barry, although this is probably taking the letter of the law to an extreem, that this probably is true.

I don't think it would ever come to light unless you made a model of something brand new and potentially sensitive then either showed it in public or sold it. Obviously when making a model from a kit or from a plan then this is all taken care of for you but when scratchbuilding it is worth thinking about.

Obviously design itself is covered by copyright laws and you could find yourself in breach of these laws by, effectively, copying a design.

[Guest]

i know as we build models for commercial use we always get permission to build relpicas of famous buildings, boats and similar, we never represent logos , trademarks or paint schemes without written consent in advance,

i cannot imagine thisis the same for the private modeller..... at the end of the day you are not doing the build for financial gain......

[wonwinglo]

Some valid points there everyone,this is a far cry from years ago when it was considered a game thing to 'Beat the prototype' by building a model of it before it even flew,this was the case with the English Electric P.1B fighter which I beat the first flight with a small balsa model ! it was so secret at the time that the censor even blanked out the shadow on the ground to confuse the new wing shape,this was of course eventually to become the Lightning fighter we all know today.

I may just do a test case by writing to a manufacture requesting a plan,then asking permission to build it ! still sounds silly to me,but this represents the over protective world we live in today,ah well.

[Guest]

What-ifs for everyone! Cheers

[Guest]

This problem has arisen in the States (where else?) with aircraft firms lawyers seeking royalties from model manufacturers. I saw a TV news item about it and there has been a fair bit of correspondence on RCGroups.com about it.

[wonwinglo]

*** You would have thought that the manufacturers would have welcomed the free publicity for their products ? instead they attempt to fleece the model manufacturers,another case of greed gone wild,thanks Kiwi for pointing this out.

I think that I will stick to models of aircraft that are not in production today,anything else remains a secret project for my eyes only.

This problem has arisen in the States (where else?) with aircraft firms lawyers seeking royalties from model manufacturers. I saw a TV news item about it and there has been a fair bit of correspondence on RCGroups.com about it.

[Guest]

Sorry to rain on your parade Barry but they quoting P-38s, B 17s etc, long out of production!

[wonwinglo]

*** Now this really is getting silly,on the other hand when someone had the undercarriage collapse on their B-17 and applied for compensation to Boeing,their reply was 'Sorry there is no longer any manufacturers liability on this product,as it is long since out of production' if the cap fits then why dont they wear it,this happened with the Luscombe aircraft company,their American owners started to sell them off abroad,because there was no longer any support or liability claims applicable on type.This is why they stopped putting small plastic scale models into cereal packs due to the manufacturers wanting money,has the world gone crazy ?

Sorry to rain on your parade Barry but they quoting P-38s' date=' B 17s etc, long out of production![/quote']

[Guest]

in short....yes

[Guest]

It is daft I agree Barry, I know some companies will happily hand over drawings when you explain what purpose you require them for...it is a shame more manufacturers cannot be like this.

A good case in point on what you have said earlier though is on that link you posted for the Jet Videos.....under the Fasten your seatbelts thread....One of those jets on there is a Eurofighter..Ok not an exactly new design but it is still new that it is not even in service with the RAF Yet and here we have a very nice model of it flying around showing off it's excellent capabilties to the world........Surely that is a better way for the manufacturers to showcase their machines and improve sales..??

You may remember my recent pic of the F-111 that I posted up recently...the sneaky one I took at RAF Valley.....At the time I was told the Amercians were touchy about their aircraft being photographed, yet I have here an Issue of Radio Modeller Magazine dated September 1997...dated before I took my Photo, and yet in that Magazine is a full free set of plans for a PSS Soarer version of that very aircraft.

Regards..........Mark.

Mark.