A Field Trip to Victor Model Products
Birthplace of V-32's

by Russell Sipe

I'm not sure why, but for some reason the thought of visiting Victor Model Products to do an article on the building of V-32's gave me a feeling that I was about to visit a small piece of hobby holy ground. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a rabid hobbyist that has lost touch with reality. Really, I'm quite sane. Really.

Never the less these colorful little boats are so unique in the R/C sailing hobby, and, given the incredible variation in color schemes, are so individualized that they seem to have personalities.

Remember Cabbage Patch dolls? Each had it's own birth date and name. One could almost suspend disbelief and, along with our kids, believe that somewhere out there, there really was a cabbage patch from whence these dolls actually sprang forth. And let's not even talk about Beanie Babies.

So when I pulled up to the Victor Model Products building a little part of me wanted to look out back to see if there was a birthing pond where Mother V-32 was herding the latest colorful brood on their way to sailboat-hood. But alas, reality was much more mundane.

Just around the corner from the local Skate-o-Rama I found an enclave of small cookie cutter cinder block buildings. Very drab. In fact, Victor Model Product's rather plain front was the only building that actual had a name and logo. I wondered what secret endeavors were going on in all those other unnamed bland buildings. But I only had time to research the V-32 story. Let's go inside!