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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Chris Fretz on April 30, 2020, 08:04:30 PM
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So out of curiosity what happened to the bolly company? I assume it was in California. Did someone buy it in Australia?
Chris
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They were always in Australia, were they not?
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Bolly was always in Australia. Les Bollenhagen. Not sure on spelling. His shop/home is in Adelaide. I took several work trips to Adelaide in the 80's to do some Radar work at BAeA. I was fortunate enough to meet him at his home and get a tour and "tea" with him. Very nice gentleman and talented at glass work. I purchased some propellers while I was there and purchased more over the following years but haven't had contact with him since the late 90's. I don't believe he is making props anymore,
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They were always in Australia, were they not?
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
Don't mind me i don't know what I'm talking about. I don't know what gave me the idea it was in California. I've heard guys say get that Bolly prop if you can find it. I just assumed the company closed.
Bolly was always in Australia. Les Bollenhagen. Not sure on spelling. His shop/home is in Adelaide. I took several work trips to Adelaide in the 80's to do some Radar work at BAeA. I was fortunate enough to meet him at his home and get a tour and "tea" with him. Very nice gentleman and talented at glass work. I purchased some propellers while I was there and purchased more over the following years but haven't had contact with him since the late 90's. I don't believe he is making props anymore,
That would probably explain it.
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a simple google search on the internet found this:
https://bollypropellers.com/
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I was a friend of "Bolly" (Les) back in those days when he made props. (In Adelaide South Australia.)
He used me to test some of his stunt props on my plane. He originally started the business in the real early '80s making team race props and in Jan 1982 he made his first stunt prop. (10.25 x 6.25 two blade.)
The next stunt prop was made in March 1983 and it was a 12 x 6 two blade. He then went on to make numerous props as you know.
HOWEVER, he made a big mistake; He trusted some guys from Queensland to join him in his business and somehow they ripped him off and sent him bankrupt! (They wanted the ultralight prop side of the business all along.) He had to turn the ultralight prop manufacturing side of the business over to them. This was years ago so I don't know what he is doing now.
(Lesson; Don't trust anybody to join you in a successful business!)
Disclaimer: Of course this is only my honest opinion! ;D
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a simple google search on the internet found this:
https://bollypropellers.com/
I saw that site, but once I saw that it was for full size aircraft I moved on.
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The moulds for the Bolly Clubman props ended up with Haoye in China, who still make them: http://www.haoyemodel.com/html/en/picshow-41-429.html
I heard a story of how this came to be, but it was complicated and I’ll only get it wrong if I try to relate it here. Anyway, the props are still the same, except black instead of brown, and seem to fairly readily available.