Post
by tko211 » Mon Dec 10, 2012 1:16 pm
Allgo lent out the A-10 prototype with the agreement that Jack (dick) from skyworks would be allowed to finish the prototype and "update" the old style tooling with more detail. Jack would then be allowed to copy the patterns and then produce his own offering- Allgo would receive the finished prototype back from JAck and reserve the right at any time to produce a final production version in china. Allgo's thinking at the time was that based on excitement, feedback, price point and overall initial success achieved by Skyworks- Allgo would then feel more comfortable pressing forward.
I knew that once the prototype was out of the hands of Allgo / 21C it stood a good chance of never returning. I actually felt very differently about the plan and on many occasion I advised that the prototype come to me to paint up as the paint master, then go right to production. Having personally inspected the prototype back in 2006, I felt that the pattern was impressive as is and while more detail is always nice, I felt it was good to go. I even argued that the cost would be lower by not over-complicating the design. It was still superior in it's detail to the F-16 and F-18's by BBi. It was rugged like them as well... I felt that the market was ready and willing to pay 250-300 for the finished product. (This was just as the F-14's were hitting).
Eventually the A-10 went to Jack as part of Plan A. The only difference was that Jim kindly agreed that the finished prototype would go from Jack to me so that I could paint the paint master up and begin the plan to prepare for mass production.
well the house of cards came tumbling down on Skyworks and eventually everyone got to see first hand what a crook he actually was. broken promises, unshipped product, stolen money, insults, screwing his own employees... It all came down. The A-10 was only one chapter in the crap novel that was Skyworks.
Jim realized the A-10 was doomed. Jim passed the legal rights to me to collect and retain the A-10 from Jack-A$$. I spoke to my own legal council and did all that I could to legally resume possession. -all to no avail- The old saying "possession is 9/10ths of the law" is not just a saying. Unfortunately as long as it's on his personal property, and without incurring 6k in legal fees to obtain a search and seizure warrant- It's lost. Even then, Jack would have the heads up and I know he would destroy the plane before I recovered it. So I would pay 6K for a pile of busted parts. Damaged beyond any use- This is the Jack way of thinking. (I've been told by one of his employees that he actually always carried a sidearm around the house and answered his own front door that way- just because he pisses that many people off and to such a degree).
NOW had I been successful in all my early attempts to recover the A-10... My plan was to in turn supply the prototype to Pickel. HE and I talked about doing this. My intention was to allow him to have the very same opportunity as Jack only this time the trust would have been properly placed. All I ever wanted was to see the A-10 offered in 1:18 in some form- Ultimately in mass production plastic! Now- I am certain the A-10 sits with Jack as part of his personal collection. I've been told that Jack has roughly a dozen F-14's that are personal property of others who trusted him to custom paint them and never made good. HE has robbed, lied to, and laughed at many of us. For anyone who ever wanted to see that A-10 produced, he has taken that from all of us. Hopefully what goes around comes around and one day he will personally witness the full measure of his actions.