[TopHat]

Originally Posted by coldupnorth

Yup, and he probably bought so much that they are paying him to advertise... where do you think he gets all his money to buy all these airplanes??

Actually, tank nut keeps bugging me for pictures.......

[Epapazian]

I was always interested in things military, but when I was a boy there wasn't anything you could call a real model or collectible---only toys and crude kits. Then, one day, I bumped into a schoolmate who was displaying a glossy black rubber ( I thought at first ) model of a TBF. It was a Cruver ID model and I fell in love with it. It took me about a week of cajoling until I finally bullied the guy into selling me his TBF and telling me where he obtained it ( Polks Model Craft Hobbies, a store in N.Y.City ). Then I was off and running.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

I was always interested in things military, but when I was a boy there wasn't anything you could call a real model or collectible---only toys and crude kits. Then, one day, I bumped into a schoolmate who was displaying a glossy black rubber ( I thought at first ) model of a TBF. It was a Cruver ID model and I fell in love with it. It took me about a week of cajoling until I finally bullied the guy into selling me his TBF and telling me where he obtained it ( Polks Model Craft Hobbies, a store in N.Y.City ). Then I was off and running.

Well you may be one of the few that saw this poster that advertised Cruver ID models for sale after World War II. I have some older model magazines from the late 1940s and early 1950s that have Cruvers listed for sale from Polks in New York. If memory serves correct, they were not that cheap for the time. My first encounter with Cruver ID models was back in 1976. My father would take me on trips to hunt down hobby shops that were not always that close to home. One trips was to a hobby shop in Witchita Kansas (Father Stationed at Fort Riley at the time.). In this shop the owner had this massive collection of Cruver ID models, and in next to mint shape. Come to find out that a stash of these ID models were found at McConnel AFB and were offered up to those that wanted them. The owner said he took one or two of each and pretty much he was one of only a few that took advantage of this. He said to the best of his knowledge the rest were disposed of. I missed chance of picking some of these gems up for free, by just one week.

[Epapazian]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Well you may be one of the few that saw this poster that advertised Cruver ID models for sale after World War II. I have some older model magazines from the late 1940s and early 1950s that have Cruvers listed for sale from Polks in New York. If memory serves correct, they were not that cheap for the time. My first encounter with Cruver ID models was back in 1976. My father would take me on trips to hunt down hobby shops that were not always that close to home. One trips was to a hobby shop in Witchita Kansas (Father Stationed at Fort Riley at the time.). In this shop the owner had this massive collection of Cruver ID models, and in next to mint shape. Come to find out that a stash of these ID models were found at McConnel AFB and were offered up to those that wanted them. The owner said he took one or two of each and pretty much he was one of only a few that took advantage of this. He said to the best of his knowledge the rest were disposed of. I missed chance of picking some of these gems up for free, by just one week.

I never saw that poster. I do remember a visit to the store where they displayed the models on shelves---seemingly one on top of the other---and on several floors. My dad did most of the shopping, with me specifying what planes to get from a recognition spotter's guide. Later, when I was a teen, I picked them up, more or less piecemeal, until I had about 90. Towards the end people were asking as much as $30 for a HE-111, or about three times the earlier price so I finally gave up. That was too rich for me.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Well you may be one of the few that saw this poster that advertised Cruver ID models for sale after World War II. I have some older model magazines from the late 1940s and early 1950s that have Cruvers listed for sale from Polks in New York. If memory serves correct, they were not that cheap for the time. My first encounter with Cruver ID models was back in 1976. My father would take me on trips to hunt down hobby shops that were not always that close to home. One trips was to a hobby shop in Witchita Kansas (Father Stationed at Fort Riley at the time.). In this shop the owner had this massive collection of Cruver ID models, and in next to mint shape. Come to find out that a stash of these ID models were found at McConnel AFB and were offered up to those that wanted them. The owner said he took one or two of each and pretty much he was one of only a few that took advantage of this. He said to the best of his knowledge the rest were disposed of. I missed chance of picking some of these gems up for free, by just one week.

Wow! That is really quite the poster!!! I could see how that would get a young kid excited during that era -- I'm over 50 and need to buy an airplane now!!! In all seriousness, though, VERY impressive, indeed!

JPN

[coldupnorth]

Originally Posted by TopHat

Actually, tank nut keeps bugging me for pictures.......

Maybe he needs it too and wants to know if it really works...

[tank nut]

Na I am not as old as tops and don't have that problum yet, I hear that skunky does want to try it out however

[smartd]

CC, you must be the greatest pack rat of aero memorabilia yet. Can we have a club meeting at your house?

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by smartd

CC, you must be the greatest pack rat of aero memorabilia yet. Can we have a club meeting at your house?

Yep, pack rat does about sum it up. It sure would be neat to break out the recognition posters, ID manuals and such for some folks to have a look at. Of course there would have to be Hops and Barley beverages involved.

[Rush104]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Yep, pack rat does about sum it up. It sure would be neat to break out the recognition posters, ID manuals and such for some folks to have a look at. Of course there would have to be Hops and Barley beverages involved.

Here's an idea- make some photocopies of that stuff, so that when we come over and partake of the adult beverages you won't be taking a chance on the originals getting trashed.
Comox AFB Museum did that with the orignal copy of The Great Escape Diary. A photocopy is available for the public to browse thru, while the original sits in a glass case right beside it.
I'm only suggesting this because of tank nut- you've seen how he is sober, just imagine him after a few beers...