Peck-Polymers has been around for as long as I can remember, which was in the late 1960s to early
1970s, when I would have bought my first aeromodeling magazine (we relied on magazines back
then for information since Al Gore had not yet invented the Internet). In fact, Peck-Polymers was founded
in 1971 by engineer and free-flighter Bob Peck. According to the "About"
page on their website, Bob designed many of the models in the original Peck product line. He and his wife Sandy
we soon kitting designs by Bill Hannan, Bill Warner, Dick Baxter and many others. Peck-Polymers has also
long been at the forefront of design and engineering of the many small parts that are so critical to free flight
rubber airplanes, such as the bearings and prop shafts. Bob passed away in 1991, and
his
wife Sandy kept the company going until late 2007 when she sold it to Tim Goldstein of
A2Z Corp. Tim created the laser-cut kits. In January of
2015, Chuck Imbergamo of Wind-it-up Enterprises
took ownership of the company and thankfully is committed to carrying on the tradition of producing Peck-Polymer
kits and accessories. Chuck is rebuilding the inventory with hopes of restoring it to its former glory.
If you want Peck-Polymers to stay around for another 40 years, then it is essential that you support them by
purchasing their fine products. Prices are very low for most items so profit margin per item is also low. That
means to stay in business large sales volumes are required. R/C modelers think nothing of spending $500 for an
airframe, $1000 for a radio system, or $3000 for a turbine engine these days. A similar order from Peck-Polymers
would get you a lifetime supply of wheels, propellers, and tissue coverin. Maybe you could consider procuring
a large batch of low-priced free flight rubber kits to donate to a local YMCA or other community group for introducing
kids to modeling. You might also consider contacting the
AMA
(Academy of Model Aeronautics) find out what you could donate to their youth outreach
program.
Posted July 4, 2015
|