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Sanwa Electronic

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34°40′19″N 135°37′21″E / 34.67205°N 135.622603°E / 34.67205; 135.622603

Sanwa Denshi
Native name
三和電子機器株式会社
Company typeKabushiki gaisha
Sanwa
FoundedAugust 1959 (1959-08)
HeadquartersHigashiōsaka,
Osaka Prefecture
,
Japan
Key people
Seiji Suzuki
Products
  • Radio-controlled transmitters
  • Remote control devices
Revenue60 million yen
Total assets3.1 billion yen (2013)
Number of employees
80
ParentSMC Group
SubsidiariesAirtronics
Websitewww.sanwa-denshi.co.jp
www.airtronics.net

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 edit

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 edit

 
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 edit

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 edit

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

Year Class Name Model Report
1985 1/10 Off-Road Stock   Jay Halsey Airtronics XL2P Report
1985 1/10 Off-Road Unlimited   Gil Losi, Jr. Airtronics XL2P Report
1987 1/8 IC Track   Pete Fusco Airtronics Report
1990 1/8 Off-Road   Koji Sanada[9] Sanwa Machine-1 Report
1991 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Cliff Lett[10] Airtronics CS2P Report
1992 1/12 On-Road  Tony Neisinger Airtronics Caliber 3P Report
1992 PRO 10   Joel Johnson[11] Airtronics CS2P Report
1992 1/8 Off-Road   Kunihiro Toge[12] Sanwa M-zechs Report
1993 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Brian Kinwald[13] Airtronics CS2P Report
1995 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Matt Francis[14] Airtronics Caliber 3PS Report
1995 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Mark Pavidis[14] Airtronics CS2P
1996 PRO 10   Mike Swauger[15] Airtronics Caliber 3PS
1997 1/8 IC Track   Lamberto Collari Sanwa
1997 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Brian Kinwald Airtronics Caliber 3PS Report
1999 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Jukka Steenari[16] Sanwa M8 Report
2000 1/10 IC 235mm Touring Car   Michael Salven Report
2001 1/8 IC Track   Kenji Osaka Sanwa M8
2002 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Matt Francis Airtronics M8 Report
2002 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Jukka Steenari Sanwa M8
2002 1/10 IC 235mm Touring Car   Brian Berry[17] Airtronics M8 Report
2003 1/8 IC Track   Lamberto Collari[18] Sanwa
2003 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Billy Easton Airtronics M8 Report
2004 1:10 ISTC   Marc Rheinard[19] Sanwa M8 Report
2004 1/10 IC Touring Car   Adrien Bertin[20]
2003 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Ryan Cavalieri Airtronics M11 Report
2005 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Ryan Cavalieri[21] Airtronics M11 Report
2005 1/8 IC Track   Lamberto Collari Sanwa Super EXES
2006 1/10 IC Touring Car   Keisuke Fukuda[22] Report
2007 1/5 Touring Car   Martin Lissau Sanwa M11
2007 1/8 IC Track   Lamberto Collari
2008 1/10 IC Touring Car   Daniele Ielasi Report
2008 1:10 ISTC   Marc Rheinard[23] Sanwa M11 Report
2009 1/8 IC Track   Lamberto Collari[24] Sanwa EXZES Plus
2009 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Martin Achter Sanwa M11X Report
2009 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Martin Achter Sanwa M11X
2010 1/12 On-Road   Naoto Matsukura[25] Sanwa M11X Report
2010 1:10 ISTC   Marc Rheinard[26] Sanwa M11X Report
2011 1/8 IC Track   Robert Pietsch[27] Sanwa EXZES-X
2011 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Ryan Cavalieri[28] Airtronics M11X Report
2011 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Ryan Cavalieri[28] Airtronics M11X
2012 1/12 On-Road   Naoto Matsukura[29] Sanwa M12 Report
2012 1:10 ISTC   Jilles Groskamp[30] Sanwa EXZES-X Report
2012 1/10 IC Touring Car   Meen Vejrak[31] Sanwa M12 Report
2013 1/8 IC Track   Tadahiko Sahashi[32] Sanwa M12
2014 1/8 Off-Road   Ty Tessmann[12] Airtronics M12 Report
2014 1/12 On-Road   Marc Rheinard[33] Sanwa M12 Report
2014 1:10 ISTC   Naoto Matsukura[34] Sanwa M12 Report
2014 1/10 IC Touring Car   Alexander Hagberg[35] Sanwa M12 Report
2015 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Spencer Rivkin[36] Airtronics M12S Report
2015 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Bruno Coelho[37] Sanwa M12S
2016 1/10 IC Touring Car   Dominic Greiner[38] Sanwa M12
2016 1/12 On-Road   Naoto Matsukura Sanwa M12S
2016 1:10 ISTC   Ronald Völker [de][39] Sanwa M12S
2016 1/8 Off-Road   David Ronnefalk[40] Sanwa M12S
2017 1/8 IC Track   Dario Balestri Sanwa EXZES-ZZ
2017 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Ryan Maifield[41] Sanwa M12S Report
2017 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Ryan Maifield[41] Sanwa M12S
2017 1/5 Touring Car   Santiago Meirinhos Sanwa M12
2018 1/12 On-Road   Alexander Hagberg Sanwa M12S
2018 1:10 ISTC   Bruno Coelho Sanwa M12S
2018 1/10 IC Touring Car   Naoto Matsukura Sanwa M12S
2018 1/8 Off-Road   Davide Ongaro[42] Sanwa EXZES-ZZ
2019 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Bruno Coelho Sanwa M17 Report
2019 1/8 IC Track   Shoki Takahata[43] Sanwa M17
2020 1/12 On-Road Stock   Andy Murray Sanwa EXZES-ZZ
2020 1/12 On-Road   Marc Rheinard[44] Sanwa M12S Report
2020 1/8 IC GT   Jörn Neumann Sanwa M17
2022 1/8 Off-Road   Davide Ongaro[45] Sanwa EXZES-ZZ
2022 1:10 ISTC   Bruno Coelho[46] Sanwa M17
2022 1/10 IC Touring Car   Tadahiko Sahashi[47] Sanwa M17
2023 1/10 Off-Road 2WD   Davide Ongaro[48][49] Sanwa EXZES-ZZ
2023 1/10 Off-Road 4WD   Tater Sontag[49][50] Sanwa M12S
2023 1/8 IC Track   Dario Balestri[51] Sanwa EXZES-ZZ

References edit

  1. ^ a b "SANWA". sanwa-denshi.co.jp. Retrieved 27 November 2015.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "SANWA". sanwa-denshi.co.jp. [dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e Le, Thuan (March 29, 1990). "Hobby-Kit Outfit Supplies Model of Homespun Profit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  4. ^ a b c "The AMA History Project Presents: Biography of LEE RENAUD" (PDF). Academy of Model Aeronautics. April 2014.
  5. ^ "BREAKING: Global Hobby Distributors' statement on Airtronics". LiveRC.com. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
  6. ^ "BREAKING: Airtronics to close its doors". LiveRC.com. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
  7. ^ "SANWA". sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  8. ^ "Transmitter Tech". Radio Control Car Action. Air Age Media: 57. January 2016.
  9. ^ Denis, Jean-Marc (April 1990). "Championnat du monde TT 1/8" (in French). Rétro Modélisme.
  10. ^ Blandin, Christophe (November 1991). "Championnat du Monde TT 1/10" (in French). Rétro Modélisme.
  11. ^ Ogle, Mike (January 1993). "Trinity/Novak IFMAR 1/10-scale On-Road Worlds". Radio Control Car Action. Air Age Media: 64.
  12. ^ a b "Ifmar World Championship Offroad 2014". Sanwa.
  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]
  14. ^ a b Radio Control Car Action, December 1995
  15. ^ Radio Control Car Action, December 1996
  16. ^ "IFMAR Off-Road Worlds: Racing Action in Finland!" (PDF). Radio Control Car Action. Air Age Media: 59. November 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-02-05.
  17. ^ "Radio Control Car Action Magazine 2003-03". March 2003.
  18. ^ "2003 1/8th Track WC Hamilton, USA". 24 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Masami Hirosaka (1/12) et Marc Rheinard (Touring) CHAMPIONS DU MONDE 2004!" (in French). RC Infos.
  20. ^ "CM 1/10 200mm - Victoire d'Adrien". Yome3000.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-05. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  21. ^ Troyon, Lionel (August 2005). "Championnats du Monde 1/10 Off Road 2WD et 4WD Collegno (Italie)". RC Infos.
  22. ^ "2006 IFMAR 200mm Worlds – Placings After Finals". Morac-Graz.at. September 17, 2006.
  23. ^ "LRP Wins IFMAR World Championship!!". LRP. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  24. ^ "Lamberto Collari Wins 1/8th Onroad WC with LRP!". LRP. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  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. ^ "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. ^ "Robert Pietsch takes the WC title with LRP and Sanwa!". LRP. 2011-06-08.
  28. ^ a b "Double World Champions – Ryan Cavalieri and LRP unbeatable!". LRP. 2011-08-04. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  29. ^ "IFMAR EP 1/12 World Championship 2012". Sanwa.
  30. ^ "IFMAR 1/10 EP World Championship Result". Sanwa.
  31. ^ "Chassis Focus – Meen Vejrak". Red RC. November 2012.
  32. ^ "2013 IFMAR 1/8 RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP". Sanwa.
  33. ^ "IFMAR 1/12th WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2014". Sanwa.
  34. ^ "IFMAR ISTC 1/10 EP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2014". Sanwa.
  35. ^ "IFMAR 1/10 IC Touring Car WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2014". Sanwa.
  36. ^ "IFMAR EP OFFROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (2WD)". sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  37. ^ "IFMAR EP OFFROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (4WD)". sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  38. ^ "2016 200mm Worlds Winning Car". Red RC. Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  39. ^ "WORLDS: Inside Ronald Volker's BD8 World's touring car". www.liverc.com. August 27, 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  40. ^ "Under the Hood: David Ronnefalk". Archived from the original on 2017-03-21. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  41. ^ a b "SANWA". www.sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  42. ^ "SANWA". www.sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  43. ^ "Chassis Focus – Shoki Takahata". Red RC Events. Retrieved 2019-11-03.
  44. ^ "Rheinard and Murray Bring Schumacher Double World Championship Titles". www.liverc.com. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  45. ^ "SANWA". www.sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  46. ^ "SANWA". www.sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  47. ^ "SANWA". www.sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  48. ^ "Red RC Events » Chassis Focus – Davide Ongaro (Team Associated)". Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  49. ^ a b "SANWA". www.sanwa-denshi.com. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  50. ^ "Red RC Events » Chassis Focus – Tater Sontag (TLR)". Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  51. ^ "Red RC Events » Chassis Focus – Dario Balestri (Infinity)". Retrieved 2023-11-10.

External links edit

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