3.4 RC Remote Controls in Germany: Bellaphon A & B

For many years, until the late 1980s, Hans Schumacher was Graupner’s preferred supplier of servos and other injection-molded parts. In 1957, he developed the first Bellaphon remote control system on behalf of Graupner. These systems enabled Graupner to secure a firm foothold in the market for the first time. The first multi-channel Bellaphon systems soon followed. Graupner recommended equipping the Trabant sailplane and the small Topsy motorized model with Bellaphon systems. These are likely to be the last tube-based transmitters produced by Graupner. All transmitters developed later were transistorized. The blue Bellaphon B is very rare. This is likely due to the high cost of the batteries. Furthermore, production of this model ceased as early as 1961.

The micro-combi unit was assembled from the servo relay and the Ultraton receiver.