Duncan Gold Seal B/J Fighter flying model airplane kit
Exhibit #4017
Type
Production
Packaging
Boxed
Condition
8
Date
1935
Owner
Rick Brough
Compare
Duncan's Gold Seal 6" B/J XFJ-2 Fighter flying model airplane kit with solid body and wings.
The XFJ-2 was a fighter built for the U.S. Navy by Berliner-Joyce in 1931. The plane's life was short-lived after testing by the U.S. Navy proved that its landing characteristics were too unstable.
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 which had the Junior Birdmen seal of approval printed on the box.
DOWNLOAD PDF (1.44 MB) to see a full newspaper page dedicated to Junior Birdmen of America as it appeared in the Syracuse American, Sunday, March 24, 1935. Best viewed with Adobe Acrobat 10.0 or later. Use the Zoom feature to read the fine print. Of particular interest is the article Buy Approved Kits in which the Donald F. Duncan Company is mentioned.
