The VLS Corporation, The Middle Years

[bob letterman]

From 1988 to 1991, VLS was located at the Westport Industrial park location.

The following are photos taken during that period.

Judy Baggett, VLS' first employee who worked as our sales manger for 5 years. Judy passed away in 2015.

Judy and I working out an inventory problem.

Photo taken in 1988 in Lier Belgium which claimed the narrowest street in Belgium. Francois and I had just attended his son's wedding. I had been his Best man.

An artist in The MGM Grand night club in Las Vegas drew this caricature of us on a trip in 1988.

We never missed a RCHTA show in Chicago. It was a trade fair where all the major companies in the model industry showed off their wares annually.

On a Cruise to the Bahamas in 1989 with Verlinden and his wife, Lilliane. Susan took the photo.

A Photo of Frank-Modelbau in Germany. The manufacturers of Airmodel Vacu-form kits so popular in the 1970s and 80s. VLS had exclusive rights with Airmodel and 24 other vac formed companies for the USA. Wes Bradley, immigrated there after falling in love with Richard Frank's, (The owner), daughter.

Gordon Stronach, founder of all the Planet. websites, (Planet armor, Planet Figure, etc, ) originally worked for VLS in the Verlinden Productions division. With him are Tony Eads and Lewis Pruneau.

On a routine trip to Los Angeles to visit our dealers and distributors were Wes Bradley and Tom Gerringer. We are at Griffith Park, at the telescope where James Dean and Corey Allen had the classic knife fight in the movie "Rebel Without a Cause"!

Kamini Bhatt, our in-house Accounting manager with me taken years later in 2015

In front of my house with my red corvette. Left to right, Susan, Lillian Verlinden, Lewis Pruneau and Francois. 1989.

Lewis Pruneau with his U-505 diorama on the right and his Delta Patrol on the left.

Me is a posed shot for a catalog I think.

1989 in Zhiusoka Japan Trade fair with Susan, discussing a latest release from Dragon Models owner Freddie Leung.

Tom Gerringer, Wes Bradley and Kyle Haag creating new ads for magazines.

In 1990, I decided that we should have a building built when our lease ran out in Maryland Heights. I had dealt with a commercial realtor, Jay Steinberg, in the past, called him and began the ball rolling. Eventually, I decided on a lot in Lone Star Industrial Park in O'Fallon, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb in St. Charles county, about 40 miles west of St. Louis city limits. I engaged a building contractor from Columbia, Missouri to construct the building. and Enterprise Bank to do the financing. I bought the 3 acre lot and we finally broke ground in 1991..

To Be continued.

 

[Barney]

Fascinating!

 

[Sharkmouth]

In front of my house with my red corvette. Left to right, Susan, Lillian Verlinden and Francois. 1989.

View attachment 140672

Bob, seems you skipped Lewis in the line-up!

Regards,

 

[bob letterman]

Bob, seems you skipped Lewis in the line-up!

Regards,

Right you are Saul!

Thanks,

Bob

 

[moon puppy]

Thanks Dad! Lil' Red Corvette in the drive and a Firebird next door. Sounds like a fun street to live on.

Seems I really missed out on modelling back in those years. I really thought all that was available was what came in the box.

 

[bob letterman]

Thanks Dad! Lil' Red Corvette in the drive and a Firebird next door. Sounds like a fun street to live on.

Seems I really missed out on modelling back in those years. I really thought all that was available was what came in the box.

Gee Son, we didn't have what is available today back then, but we did have a bit more than Stone knives and bear claws!!!!!!!

I will say that building top drawer models required a little more creativity when compared to the plethora of products we have today!

BTW, the neighbor that drove that Firebird next door was one hot Babe!!!! Of course, today, she's about my age!

Dear old Dad

 

[Brokeneagle]

Thanks Bob, very interesting and thanks for all your effort with posting this.
Your posts on VLS always bring back fond memories.......... I remember 1989 well as it was the year that VLS products first arrived in Australia and were only available from one of the 2 hobbie stores in the city.
It was the same year I became a civi again (left the army) so had much more time to build VLS stuff.
It was also the first year I entered the Australian model expo (our largest comp.) with 3 dioramas featuring VLS buildings that no one had seen built - up [in Australia] at that point - walked away with 1st, 2nd,3rd - thanks VLS / Bob.

 

[bob letterman]

Thanks Bob, very interesting and thanks for all your effort with posting this.
Your posts on VLS always bring back fond memories.......... I remember 1989 well as it was the year that VLS products first arrived in Australia and were only available from one of the 2 hobbie stores in the city.
It was the same year I became a civi again (left the army) so had much more time to build VLS stuff.
It was also the first year I entered the Australian model expo (our largest comp.) with 3 dioramas featuring VLS buildings that no one had seen built - up [in Australia] at that point - walked away with 1st, 2nd,3rd - thanks VLS / Bob.

You know Ian, I remember so well when you came all that way to enter Mastercon. The convention was in it'e infancy at the time and not nearly as big as it would be later. Eventually it would draw people from all over the world. But, at that time, we had a few, as you, that came from far away, and that inspired me to continue with it. BTW, I have always treasured your workshop diorama you gave me to put in the museum. I still see it often, as a matter of fact, I gave a tour yesterday and I always point out yours, as well as all the other talented people's dioramas.It sets in the same display case with dioramas the likes of Shep Paine, Lewis Pruneau, Francois Verlinden, and so many more! It still looks the same, 31 years later, as it did the day you left!! I just wanted you to know, I have never forgotten that!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

I have seen it several times Ian. Every time to go visit Bob, I walk through the museum and look at all the builds there. Usually I see something new every time. (or NOTICE something new to me anyway)

 

[Brokeneagle]

Thanks Bob and Paul.
I would love to take a trip and visit Bob and see this dio again - 31 years .....is it really that long ago.
The Diorama has survived well, so thank you bob for keeping it in its original condition - even the paint seems good (Tamiya acrylics).

 

[bob letterman]

Thanks Bob and Paul.
I would love to take a trip and visit Bob and see this dio again - 31 years .....is it really that long ago.
The Diorama has survived well, so thank you bob for keeping it in its original condition - even the paint seems good (Tamiya acrylics).

If you ever get back here again, I'd love for you to visit. I have always kept the lighting appropriate to avoid fading. Normal incandescent lighting will fade paint over time. I believe your diorama has not lost a single shade of color. It's had tender loving care over all those years!

Bob

 

[Duke Maddog]

Wow, still an amazing story! I love looking at all these pics! Wow!

 

[iambrb]

Wow Mr. Letterman thanks so much for sharing! The pic of yourself and a lady working on an inventory system…LOVED seeing the little square Macintosh’puter! Had one like that as well!

 

[bob letterman]

Wow Mr. Letterman thanks so much for sharing! The pic of yourself and a lady working on an inventory system…LOVED seeing the little square Macintosh’puter! Had one like that as well!

A quick story behind that. When I started VLS, I went our and bought P.C.s with the old DOS operating system. We had nothing but trouble with them. One day, I spent the entire day entering inventory. At 4 O'clock, I pressed "enter" and it crashed, losing everything. I took all the P,C.s and tossed them in the dumpster. the following day, a little guy came in selling computers. I almost threw him out when he said he was a Mac programmer. Long story short, I spent about $30K on a server, several workstations, some external hard drives, laser printers and never looked back. Over the years VLS probably bought more than a hundred Macs and I still use them to this day, In 40 years, I have never lost data on a Mac.

 

[bob letterman]

Wow, still an amazing story! I love looking at all these pics! Wow!

Thanks Mark, Glad you're enjoying it.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Computer wise, Macs seem more set for business. For what I do the PC has the most bang for the buck. Have had some hardware problems in the past, but have always been able to solve them easily and move on. I personally would never touch a Mac product, especially the phones and tablets. Too many things I have read about what they have done with the software on them. To each their own.

 

[bob letterman]

Computer wise, Macs seem more set for business. For what I do the PC has the most bang for the buck. Have had some hardware problems in the past, but have always been able to solve them easily and move on. I personally would never touch a Mac product, especially the phones and tablets. Too many things I have read about what they have done with the software on them. To each their own.

Paul, I wasn't intending to do a commercial for Macs. I was waxing nostalgic about 1983 and the early days of VLS, when I tried computers with the DOS operating system. It was an awful program at the time that has since went into the trash heap of history and replaced by Windows, an extremely popular operating system loved by tens of millions all over the world. 48 years ago, switching to Macs was a very lucky choice for me and, as I used Macs for so long, have stayed with them. Most people today use windows and are as happy with it. as I am with Macs. I even have a P.C. laptop I take with me when I travel as Mac books are so expensive. At my age, I doubt if I'll ever change. Most of my friends, like you, use Windows. They love them as you do. and wouldn't think of switching to Macs.

 

[Barney]

I started using Apple II computers in the early 1980's. I ran the educational computer lab at Troy State for a couple of years while I was getting my degree in Education. That was in the bad old days of DOS and Windows 3.1. My old MacBook Pro is 10 years old and still quite useful, but I did spoil myself and buy a new one in June.

It is all a matter of choice. I own a PC laptop for a couple fo programs I use that are not MAC compatible. Other than that I prefer MAC's. Even. my son, who is a confirmed PC user recognizes that very few 10 year old PCs are still working.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

I built a new PC to run Windows XP in 2003. It was set aside in 2016 when I built a new Windows 8.1 64bit machine. It ran solidly for 13 years and I still intend to put it back in action as a secondary machine. It ran quite good for most everything I ever needed. The only thing that it started having trouble with was some of the newer games.

 

[sharkman]

Very interesting Bob!

Must have been an exciting time in the modelling world!