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Flying Fish
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~1975 - who was first?

Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:02 am

Question for the more historically-minded amongst you. Around 1975, three early dual-line kites appeared on the UK market roughly at the same time: Peter Powell Stunter, Dunford Flying Machine and Cambridge Combat.

Does anyone know exactly when these three kites came on the market? Who was actually first, second, third? I have e-mailed Peter Powell kites and Cochranes as well, in case they have something in their records (as far as I'm aware, the maker of the Cambridge Combat doesn't exist any more).
 
Old Tom
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Re: ~1975 - who was first?

Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:11 am

In terms of 1st to market Peter Powell got there first (if you count his sales at Country Shows etc). The DFM was 2nd in and the Cambridge Combat a rather late third (there are several others that came out before the CC).

Cochranes will claim that Don Dunford developed the DFM before the PP and this is true, but until the whirly tale of the PP captured the imagination of press & public they did not market it.
 
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Re: ~1975 - who was first?

Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:00 am

Thanks Old Tom, and yes, I'm talking about actual sales to the public, wherever this was. Developing without marketing doesn't count for me in this case.

Do you have actual dates (month/year) for when that happened for the three I mentioned?

there are several others that came out before the CC


Do you have the names of these kites? I'm trying to get a as complete as possible picture, and the kite books that do say something about these early kites are vague and contradicting each other ...