Consolidated half-A C/L Sonic Star

Very sleek and slender  model George, I can see myself flying it as an RC bird..

balogh wrote:Very sleek and slender  model George, I can see myself flying it as an RC bird.

Thanks, András. It could probably do R/C, but I want to keep it as C/L. Wingspan is nominally 17 - 20 inches. May one day make a winning Cox Engine of the Month background.

Thanks, Robert. I looked all over the box and instructions, but no dates from what I could see. My guesstimation is maybe late 1950's to early 1960's. Scientific kits designed in that time frame still seemed to show a lot of OK Cubs gracing their build completion photos on boxes and plans.

I think a lot of that changed by the mid 1960's.

Not in a position yet where I can concentrate on getting back to builds. Do sometime future plan to build it.

These are valuable collectables to us who remember them, but to most it sparks no interest. It's why we see a lot of baby boomer estate sales of these items bypassed by the kids and grandkids out of lack of interest, purchased by bargain hunters in lots, who again resale on Internet auction sites.

Bob Marley remains in chains to wander the skies of yesteryear, empty model shops and home workbenches. If only these kids built these.

When I do get around to it, would like to template the parts so one could clone one or a reasonable facsimile in balsa, even if a profile fuselage flyer.

Do want to add, box included a British Merco yellow molded C/L control handle. I think that it probably didn't come with the kit, but someone placed it in the box sometime in its past history.

George, I would attend our club meetings which was very close to Penn Valley Hobby Shop. We would meet at the hobby shop, gather up what we needed as we were nearing closing time. Bill, would come out of the back and remind us that he needs to eat dinner as well so wrap it up fellows. There were probably 20 of these Consolidated kits on the shelves. I can't even fathom how many Enterprise kits of various types. In addition, a Scientific kit would end up on these shelves as well. We all passed them by as if they never existed. The drawers of Cox parts that were close by as well. There was so much, I never even knew where to look. None of us gave it a thought that is until it's gone.

"Bob Marley remains in chains to wander the skies of yesteryear, empty model shops and home workbenches."

I love it George.

COOL!!! The colors are already there.. why not replicate a Blue Angels Lockheed T33 "Shooting Star"....

Bob, am glad you recognized my adapting, but your mind is sharper than mine even though you're the senior in our group. My bad, it is Jacob Marley, not Bob, the Ghost of Christmas past from Charles Dickens' 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Christmas-Carol-film-1951

Yup, Jacob Marley chained with unbuilt model kit boxes and unused engine boxes hanging at the end of his chains. Warning us of what's to happen if we don't build those kits and use those engines.  

(We could build on this with 3 visits from the Ghost of Cox Engines Past, the Ghost of Cox Engines Present, and the Ghost of Cox Engines Future. - Post note)  

Roddie, that is a novel idea of adapting a Blue Angels color theme. However, the fuselage bottom is blue, the fuselage top is yellow. Tank tips are blue. Not sure how one could complete it Navy style. Wings almost demand a contrasting color, maybe silver? Much to ponder.

Ken, being slightly older and much more intimate with the background on this kit, thanks for your citeful past. Yes, Penn Valley Hobby, used to occassionally buy items from them over the years, stuff that other mail order houses didn't stock. Sad to see both pass on.

Last thing I bought from them was the Enterprise box full of small and larger half-A clear plastic canopies, pilot busts, and I forget what else. That was maybe 8 years ago. Stuff useful for these Scientific hollow log kits, and anything even rubber powered, like remaking the old Frog and Veron rubber powered walnut scale stuff.

Hey George and friends,when I saw the sonic star kit I said wow I have that kit.im going to dig through my tubbies full of old kits.its complete when I find I wonder if it has the Merco c/l handle.also would I use testors red to glue the plastic parts.

049kid wrote:Hey George and friends,when I saw the sonic star kit I said wow I have that kit.im going to dig through my tubbies full of old kits.its complete when I find I wonder if it has the Merco c/l handle.also would I use testors red to glue the plastic parts.

Hey, that would be great! I love it when we resurrect other half-A model kits and plans that were typical for the times then, but hardly are ever heard of now.

Yes, and I am wondering if that Merco C/L handle was by chance or perhaps Consolidated found a good price on them and thus imported a large stash to incorporate with their kits. There's no mention on the box, so I think this may be more by chance, but if your kit has it, then it wasn't by chance.

Here is the instruction sheet to the Sonic Star.


In a way, it kind of vaguely reminds me of the Lanier R/C ARF's of roughly mid 1960's through 1970's. I had the shoulder wing 50" (1270 mm) Pinto for 3 channel and .20 - .35 engines. This Sonic Star kit was using the available technology of the day in the 1960's by using vacuum or blow molded plastic polystyrene? sheets.