Sanwa_Electronic

Sanwa Electronic

Sanwa Electronic

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34.67205°N 135.622603°E / 34.67205; 135.622603

Quick Facts Native name, Company type ...

Sanwa Denshi (三和電子機器株式会社, Sanwa denshi kiki kabushiki kaisha), widely known as Sanwa, is a brand of wireless equipment best known for its high end radio-control gear for scale modelling use. The company have been a subsidiary of the SMC Group since 1965 and began to diversify into the manufacturing of radio-control equipment (transmitters and the devices which they control) in 1974 and remote control devices for home and industrial use since 1985.

In North America, Sanwa transmitters were marketed as Airtronics up until early 2016, which began as an independent company producing model airplanes.

History

Sanwa, originally as part of Sansei Electric Industry, specialized in the research and development of remote control devices in 1959. It merged with Sanwa Denki Manufacturing in 1965 and then became part of the SMC Group. In January 1974, Sanwa entered production and sales of transmitters for radio-controlled models and in December, became a member of the Japan Radio Control Model Industrial Association (JRM).[1]

In 1975, Sanwa became a division on its own, with an office in Tokyo. In August that year it launched its first radio-controlled transmitter, the Mini Propo, and in 1976, Sanwa became an independent company. Its M-sechs wheeled transmitter was the recipient of the Good Design Award in 1990.[1] In 1985, Sanwa diversified into the production of remote controls for domestic and industrial purposes.[2]

Due to its reputation in the radio-controlled modeling industry, its main competitor is Futaba.[3] KO Propo and Spektrum.

Airtronics

Airtronics logo (1970s-2016)

F. Lee Renaud began his hobby in model aviation in 1942 with a Joe Ott kit; he began to fly competitively in 1947.[4] While recovering from a heart attack in 1970, Renaud used his medical leave from his office-equipment company job to build radio-controlled airplanes.[3] He formed Airtronics in 1971 to build and sell model airplanes and radio remote-control devices. In his first year, he turned over $40,000.[3] Renaud earned a reputation with model aircraft such as the "Olympic", "Aquila", "Grand Esprit" and "Sagitta", amongst others. In 1980, he introduced the XL transmitter.[4] Renaud died in January 1983, and his wife Barbara took over the company.[3]

In 1982, realizing that his company wouldn't expand on its own without financial backing, Renaud took on a partnership with Sanwa, which bought an undisclosed large stake in the company while the family retained a controlling interest. Under the agreement, the Renauds built airplanes whilst Sanwa took charge of manufacturing radio-controlled transmitters for the Renauds to distribute. As a result, Airtronics increased its sales from less than $1 million in 1983 to $3 million in 1985, and to $8 million in 1989 with a staff of 18 employees.[3]

The company continued as a family business until 2007 when Global Hobby Distributors took over distributorship. Following business restructuring in Japan, the distributor announced that their partnership came to an end in 2016 and the brand will itself be discontinued although still continuing under a new distributor, Serpent America, as Sanwa.[5][6][7]

The library of Academy of Model Aeronautics's National Model Aviation Museum is named after Renaud.[4] Sanwa's Aquila 6 is named after his airplane.

Accolades

The Airtronics Caliber 3PS (known internationally as the Sanwa M-zechs) became the first of twelve consecutive Radio Control Car Action's Readers' Choice Award for Best Transmitter in 1996 by Airtronics; eight of those was achieved by its successor, the M8.[8]

IFMAR World Championship winners

Following is a list of users who won the IFMAR World Championships, a biennial world championship for radio-controlled cars, using Sanwa/Airtronics transmitters.

More information Year, Class ...

References

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  3. [3]
    Le, Thuan (March 29, 1990). "Hobby-Kit Outfit Supplies Model of Homespun Profit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  4. [4]
    "The AMA History Project Presents: Biography of LEE RENAUD" (PDF). Academy of Model Aeronautics. April 2014.
  5. [5]
    "BREAKING: Global Hobby Distributors' statement on Airtronics". LiveRC.com. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
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    "BREAKING: Airtronics to close its doors". LiveRC.com. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
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  8. [8]
    "Transmitter Tech". Radio Control Car Action. Air Age Media: 57. January 2016.
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    Denis, Jean-Marc (April 1990). "Championnat du monde TT 1/8" (in French). Rétro Modélisme.
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    Blandin, Christophe (November 1991). "Championnat du Monde TT 1/10" (in French). Rétro Modélisme.
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    Ogle, Mike (January 1993). "Trinity/Novak IFMAR 1/10-scale On-Road Worlds". Radio Control Car Action. Air Age Media: 64.
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    "Ifmar World Championship Offroad 2014". Sanwa.
  13. [13]
    Blandin, Christophe (1993). "Championnat du Monde de TT 1/10 en Grande Bretagne: Hirosaka et Kinwald les Maitres" (PDF). Auto8 (in French): 94. [dead link]
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    Radio Control Car Action, December 1995
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  24. [24]
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  25. [25]
    "LRP successful at the IFMAR 1/12 WC!". LRP. 2010-07-02. Archived from the original on 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  26. [26]
    "LRP SXX TC Spec Version2 and Sanwa M11X – the most used technology at the WC in Germany!". LRP. 2010-07-07. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  27. [27]
    "Robert Pietsch takes the WC title with LRP and Sanwa!". LRP. 2011-06-08.
  28. [28]
    "Double World Champions – Ryan Cavalieri and LRP unbeatable!". LRP. 2011-08-04. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  29. [29]
    "IFMAR EP 1/12 World Championship 2012". Sanwa.
  30. [30]
    "IFMAR 1/10 EP World Championship Result". Sanwa.
  31. [31]
    "Chassis Focus – Meen Vejrak". Red RC. November 2012.
  32. [32]
    "2013 IFMAR 1/8 RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP". Sanwa.
  33. [33]
    "IFMAR 1/12th WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2014". Sanwa.
  34. [34]
    "IFMAR ISTC 1/10 EP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2014". Sanwa.
  35. [35]
    "IFMAR 1/10 IC Touring Car WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2014". Sanwa.
  36. [36]
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  37. [37]
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    "Red RC Events » Chassis Focus – Dario Balestri (Infinity)". Retrieved 2023-11-10.
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