Thanks to “Red” Mathewson of Syracuse, NY for donating this Kraft Series Eighty Radio System. We appreciate the help growing the museum’s collection of Kraft equipment!
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For more information on the National Model Aviation Museum, including our location, hours and admission fees visit: www.modelaircraft.org/museum
The were very good radios. I had one for many years.
Hi, Rusty, thanks for sharing! What planes did you fly with it?
I still have my Kraft 70-series fully intact/working and in pristine condition with transmitter and receiver power-pack charger, receiver, servos, extra servo wire harnesses, and servo trays. Also I have ( in pristine condition ) the manual, and Kraft Systems, Inc ( Vista, California ) promotional brochure featuring photos of Phill Kraft ( founder and company president ), engineers, technicians, machine shop head Chuck Hayes, secretaries, and views of the manufacturing facilities. After tinkering with earlier radios such as Controlaire and Bonner, Kraft was light years ahead in both technology, quality, and reliability although Bonner Specialties ( Howard Bonner head; Culver City, California ) was one of those who pioneered the advent of proportional control and what exists today. See Bonner Digitmite Story … https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=6156925 . It was a hefty price of $400 or so for a new 4-channel Kraft 70-series so understandably RC model aircraft were not within the reach of everyone like it is today. The crowd that’s into RC model aircraft now never had it so good with prices and the convenience of online ordering to your door. There was a time when prices were exuberant and everything was either through your local hobby shop, club, mail and/or telephone ordering. However the challenges seemed to make RC flying that much more enjoyable, passionable, and rewarding. I now fly some foamies and electrics, like many others, and truly at times it feels like flying a kite. Also the computerized radios and PC simulators now have taken some of the human-error factors out of the picture but have made flying a more lazy game; when in the past it was all up to you, and possibly with a skilled buddy flyer at the field, which truly sharpened your skills to the utmost.
Great to hear that you are caring for your Kraft Series Seventy radio system so well. There’s a lot of great history in radio control. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Mariav ! I care for what I purchase with my HARD EARNED money. I never was much for EXTREME capitalism and GREED, as we are experiencing now. If you take care of what you have – it will take care of you. As a matter of fact I still drive a 1985 Toyota Tercel, in pristine condition, and also a 1988 Toyota pickup truck also in good condition. I never was much for the exuberant lifestyle even if I had the money to do it. I was always more interested in LEARNING and living life within my means. Consider me a humble person.
I just got my Kraft series eighty system out as I bought the radio control planning to learn how to fly years ago but never attempted to use It. I have the whole package but don’t have the instruction manual on how to use it. I also need to replace the batteries as they have corroded, can u still get batteries for this system.
I recently acquired a Kraft Series 80 Single Stick Transmitter and am trying to locate a copy of the Instruction Manual. I need to understand what all the different controls and switched (external AND internal) are used for. I also have a Kraft Series 78 Single Stick Transmitter that I converted to 2.4 using an XtreneLink Module. I was able to find the 78 Series data on Vintage Flyers, but not for the 80 Series. Any help appreciated, thanks! Bill Simmons
Hi, Bill! I’ve checked in our collection catalog files, as well as the Archives files and it doesn’t look like we have the manual for the Kraft Series Eighty single stick transmitter. I’m sorry! You might want to get in touch with the RC Hall of Fame (https://www.rchalloffame.org/) as I know they have an extensive collection. Good luck! ~Maria
Thanks, Maria, I will give that a try. “If” I do decide to convert this to 2.4, I will have a Channel Master selectable frequency module that someone may be interested in, maybe help finance the XtremeLink module! Thanks again for the suggestion, I just finally saw it today. Bill