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[Delboy1958]

Hi Dave
So as midwest no longer make RC kits since they were bought out
could you use your drafting skills and get Selec to do a kit to add to there
range of Aerokits wodden models.

Regards

Derek

[DaveM]

I can always ask*. The drafting part is simple but I'd need a set of plans. Over to you, Mr Waters 

DM
*E-Mail and link to this thread have just been sent to The Man at SLEC. We'll see.

[Taranis]

I had hoped they would have done that. I don't see an issue there are no copyrights on the packaging or drawings and Midwest will not answer emails regarding this.

[Taranis]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6z6xinoskgsrwxj/Lobster%20boat%201.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q42gwiy0zcm0ujv/Lobster%20boat%202.jpg?dl=0

[DaveM]

  Cheers, m'duck!
DM

[redpmg]

There might well be an issue with copyright with use for commercial purposes - Dodgy who created the Old Boats and EeZeBilt websites (among others) asked for permission to publish the Midwest plans - despite Midwest telling him that they had no intention of re- issuing the kits they would not give permission to do so . So please be careful here . There are a lot of their plans already on file but this Lobster Boat and the Dinghy are not among them hence the earlier request. The smaller model is however , as is the Freedom Song small version which is very similar - being the own brand kit of Ted Stinson who designed most of the Midwest models, as well as most of the Laughing Whale / Bluejacket ones. He sadly passed away in 2018  and Freedom Song kits & plans are also no longer available.
We would be grateful for for any of those plans in digital format which could be published on the Old Boats website once copyright has expired when the plans/kits are no longer available commercially for a certain length of time.

[SailorGreg]

You do have to look hard at high magnification, but there is a copyright symbol in the box at lower right on page 2 (underneath "Approved by Frank Garcher").  Although if Midwest won't respond to questions what is one to do? 

Greg

[Taranis]

Very many people have those drawings indeed they were emailed to me originally . I dare say unless someone starts making serious money they will not bother their **** 

[DaveM]

Rather begs the question about how you copyright a scale model of a full-size boat. Do you make it as exact as you can, and therefore risk someone else being as accurate, pernickety and maybe litiginous; or do you introduce a deliberate error which distinguishes it as your own work but makes it "un-scale"?
Fortunately very few folk make a living out of model boat kits - well, too few to bother a sizeable US company which is probably owned and run by lawyers and/or cost-accountants anyway.
Trust me - I wrote the book!
DaveM

[chum444]

Display of the Copyright symbol means the copyright is filed with the U.S. Library of Congress. As such any infringement in the U.S. could result in legal action. I don’t know how U.S. copyrights are treated in Europe; are they treated somewhat like patents per the Paris Agreement? Copying the plans and building a scratch model for one’s personal use might not be actionable, I am not sure. However, selling even one could result in litigation assuming a U.S. copyright enjoys protection in foreign countries.


A complex issue for certain.

[Taranis]

It just needs the current Midwest owners to get off their backside and make it clear whether they retain an interest and let the model world get on with it

[DaveM]

It just needs the current Midwest owners to get off their backside and make it clear whether they retain an interest and let the model world get on with it

Good luck with that. I'll not hold my breath. Like I said, however, a model of a prototype to scale is impossible to copyright absolutely. If I had a pound for every 1/5 scale model of a Spitfire I'd ever seen then I could buy a very decent round of drinks.

DM

[Taranis]

For myself its not a concern as I own THREE 

[DaveM]

*E-Mail and link to this thread have just been sent to The Man at SLEC. We'll see.

The word is that "perhaps we will have a talk about this when we get nearer the time for the next project". In the meantime my thanks to Redpmg for his wise advice and other contributions.
DaveM