davidwp

As an old timer that was around at the dawn of RC car racing, I am putting together a web page about early RC car history. In my cybersurfing, I frequently see versions of this reference -

From History Of R/C Cars - Britishradiocarassociation.co.uk



"This is when it all began. It started in the UK before it traveled to the US in the next decade. The very first r/c car created was the Ferrari 250LM – which was nitro-powered. The remote-controlled car was invented in 1966 by Elettronica Giocattoli, an Italian electronics company. A year after that, these cars were commercially produced by the British company, Mardave. In 1968, Elettronica Giocattoli created and produced a different model, one they called the Ferrari P4."

Has anyone ever seen a picture or a set of specs for this mystical Ferrari 250LM 'first RC car'? Note that the Ferrari 250LM in the photo with the Brit article above is sitting on a slot track and is actually this 1:32 Flyslot car:



Makes me think maybe you can't believe everything you see on the interweb. So, again, does anyone have a picture of the 'first RC car'?

Thanks!

Tamiyadan

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1/8 oldschool

In the U.S. it's a gentleman named Roy Moody who has been given credit for inventing radio controlled cars. Even have a book on it written the 70's , I'll have to try and find it.
I always thought it was Kyosho that made the first mass produced kit called the DASH.

Tamiyadan

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SuperFastSnail

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God I can't wait until the next generation batteries hit the hobby scene along with the new electric motors. I love the future.

Tamiyadan

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davidwp

Lots of great information, Tamiyadan. I agree completely that the 'first of' anything is tough to pin down because, as needs and technology approach the point of convergence, there are usually several people or groups working to fill that need. History will record the best known solution, not particularly the first or best solution.

That may well be the case with the Elettronica Giocattoli Ferrari 250LM being the first RC car. As I noted in the OP, I have seen the same reference repeated frequently, but have never seen photos or other evidence from back in the day to verify that the car existed. I did find a photo of what the British reference in my OP said was the second Elettronica Giocattoli RC car, a Ferrari P4, but it appears to be a wired remote car so I wonder if the 250LM is also wired:



I am interested in the 'first RC car' reference only because it is intended to be part of the prelude to my written history of the "Midwest Series", a championship series that I began to organize in 1969 and that I launched officially in 1970 as the first RC Car Area Championship in the country. Although George Siposs, founder of ROAR, held "National Championship' races in California in 1968 and 1969, they were standalone races.

The Midwest Series initially had five races over the summer of 1970, two in Indiana, two in Illinois and one in Missouri. The 1970 Indianapolis Midwest Series race was declared by Siposs to be the ROAR National Championship race, also. Over the years, Midwest Series races have also been held in Michigan and Ohio. I am doing the history to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of this Championship.

Forum members may recognize some of the names on the list below. Many were good friends of mine:

Tamiyadan

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Tamiyadan

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JerryRigged

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Do boats count?

Tesla's Radio control Boat, 1898 -
https://www.engadget.com/2014/01/19/...-control-boat/
(Not Elon Musk's Tesla, but Nikola Tesla, the real life Mad Scientist)

the rc guy

Tesla was not mad he was a Genius. super Genius Yes..IQ was not tested .not sure in his age era it could be..Fact.. His estimated IQ scores range from 160 to 310 by different measures.

Darkgenerals

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Aberdeen proving grounds in Maryland, at the museum on post had a radio controlled tank built by the Germans from the 40s.

Any else get to check out Anzio Annie? Used to blow my mind as a kid.

the rc guy

1898 predates 1940

JatoTheRipper

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First is always hard to nail down.

the rc guy

No jato when 1st has a 42 year advantage..not when its patented..traxxas watch out lol..http://teslasociety.com/robotics.htm