In 1934, a man named Joseph Ott entered into a short-lived partnership with Donald F. Duncan, Sr., known as "Model Aircraft Products". Duncan sold out his interest sometime in 1935 and continued making yo-yos, while Ott went his own way and started another model airplane kit company.
Duncan's attempt to diversify their product line with model airplane kits was met with limited success. However, kits from other competing brands were quite popular with youth for many years. Back then, the airplane was an exciting new novelty to both children and adults across small town America. My father told me when the sound of a prop plane was heard approaching in the distance–a rare event back then–people young and old rushed outside to look up and watch in awe as it flew past at low altitude.
The Duncan Gold Seal airplane kits were tested and approved by the "Junior Birdmen of America" and were "The Tops of the Air". Birdmen members were encouraged to purchase only those kits that had the Junior Birdmen seal of approval stamped on the box.
