Pre-Built Pegasus Bell X-1 Up on BadCat

[B-29]

"I'm surprised Pegasus didn't square the copyright issue from the beginning."


Agreed. I mean, how much could Yeager's estate ask for? So Pegasus adds a dollar or two to the cost of the kit to cover Yeager's fee. If they ask for too much the kit doesn't get made and Yeager makes nothing, so that will keep greed supressed.

Distressing to hear that even the kits don't have decals now....but you're right, they can be made and distributed for free and there is nothing Yeager's estate can do about it.

I even have a problem with Yeager being able to get money in this way. At the time when he flew the X-1, he was working for the USAAF, and both he and the project were funded by governtment money and hence tax payers' money. Any markings he might put on the plane still belong to the projects funder....afterall "Glamourous Glennis" would have little meaning or value for royalties if it weren't put on the actual plane, would it. And Yeager didn't pay for the plane, he was paid to fly it. So if anyone should get royalties, it should be the US Governtment, which should in turn put it towards the US national debt.

But really, it's an historical event and artifact and should be public domain.

All this has put a bad taste in my mouth about Chuck Yeager....kind of a shame to taint his memory in this way.

Oh well, such is greed.

Don't blame Yeager for this. I had the honor of meeting him several years ago, and he was a very generous and kind person. He wanted to leave a good reputation. His wife, on the other hand, stood next to him the entire time lecturing the crowd how they would not be able to meet or have anything signed by him unless they paid her. She was trying to milk his reputation for all it's worth. That is in fact, why EAA "disinvited" him.

[dragon53]

B-29:

Thanks for the info.

For what's worth, here's more from Wikipedia:

"In 2000, Yeager met actress Victoria Scott D'Angelo on a hiking trail in Nevada County. Despite their 36 year age difference, they started dating shortly thereafter.[32] The pair married in August 2003.[33] Three of Yeager's children are currently suing for control of his holdings, claiming that D'Angelo married him for his fortune. Yeager contends they simply want more money.[34][35]"

[pcoughran]

Guess we'll have to make our own.

[aferguson]

ooh ooh.....somebody want to make me one, it's my birthday soon.

[tko211]

I have heard the same thing about Chuck's wife from many others within the show community. I also remember the time that 21C had considered doing the P-51 in Chuck's markings and very quickly decided that dealing with it all was simply not worth it. I still have a REALLY hard time understanding how there are any rights allowed. It's U.S. citizens / tax payers who funded the X-1 project. It rightfully belongs to the American people. It was Chuck who was allowed to be the pilot and to be part of that history. If he chose to paint and name the plane Glamorous Glennis that was part of his contribution and one that at the time should have been understood as being surrendered. Sure he named and plane and flew the record breaking flight! For that he is a national hero. But the wife seems to forget that he painted the name on a plane that the American people owned and we allowed him to fly.

I am the first person to be grateful for the brave service of men and women to risk their lives for our country. Thanks Chuck! I just don't know what your current wife had to do with any of it! Just another person looking for a handout and feeling they are entitled.

[Island Raider]

Finally received my prepainted X-1, verrry pleased with this plane. Pegasus did a great job. My only disappointment is of course the lack of the GG decal. Has anyone come across a solution? Perhaps a free vector file that someone can print at home on some decal sheet? Or a supplier?

Mike

[aferguson]

i received my Pegasus Bell X-1 today and am very impressed with it. It's much larger than i imagined it would be and nicely done overall. Hope to see much more from Pegasus (komet, cough, cough). They mentioned doing an X-15 in a post i saw once on the Fighting 118th. That would be seriously cool.

If anyone is looking for one, Phil's Hobby Shop has them for $44.99. Shipping was very reasonable but a bit slow.

[AMERICAN_GRENADIER]

does anyone know what decals come with the plane? and does it come with the glamorus glennis decal.\?
if not is there a source for that decal?

[aferguson]

no it does not come with the decal. Only the early run of model kits came with the GG decal. No source that i know of for the decal.