Oldest RC Company
 

Getting back into RC a few years ago it was heartening to see some of the old names still in business. I remember buying my first RC magazine as a teenager and lusting over the ads by Fox, Sig, Goldberg, Sullivan, and Dubro. It makes me wonder which RC company is the one in business the longest. Anyone venture a guess?

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

I would guess Goldberg, Comet, and Guillows

Don

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Well, Goldberg is now just a product line of Hobbico.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

I guess I meant companies that are still around. I don't think Comet and Guillows are still around.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

[link=http://www.guillow.com/]Guillows, since 1926[/link]

You are probably right about Comet, can't find them online

Plus, you asked about RC Companies. Goldberg and Guillows started out as free flight/control line companies, obviously.

For an RC Company I would hazard a guess at TopFlite or SIG but they probably had their origins in control line as well.

Don

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Good point about companies starting out in control line and free flight as well. I think I was about 13 when I built my first Sig CL Chipmunk with a Fox 35 Stunt in it. Loved that airplane until the bell crank came loose during a wing-over and it put a divit in the concrete of the local airport.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Guillows made RC kits a long time ago. Lou Andrews was one of their designers. Remeber the Trixter Beam? Guillows kits are still available:

http://www.acsupplyco.com/home.htm

Paul

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Guillow's as a company is still in business producing model kits:

http://www.guillow.com

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Well of the companies listed Fox is the oldest. Goldberg is no more, just a name brand of Hobbico. Guillow's is not RC so that does not count.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

[8D] I promise I'm not lookin for an arguement with this , but I clearly remember building several Guillows's kits that had plans for "tailwagger" rc using an .020 Cox glow engine . I only know this cause I did build a couple of em in just that way , and demolished each one with it's first even slightly rough landing . One good bump and ya had a nice bog O' sticks :D

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Oldest RC company and oldest model company can be quite a bit different. Most of the above mentioned are not RC but they were very prevelent in models that could be used with RC. Cleveland Models is also a very old company still in the modeling business.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

I was thinking that as well but haven't checked the histories yet. Their current gas and glow engine line up is very impressive so might have to give them another shot for nostalgia's sake. The most powerful 40 I ever had was the Fox BB S-ported beast, but I never got the carb to work reliably back some 3 decades ago. I am sure they have it sorted out by now.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

I think that was the old Fox Quickie racer that was actually the fastest for a short time. It and other Quickie racers were timed in such a way you could not get a reliable idle below 4,000 or so. Some just set them up to run full then shut the engine down just before landing. The Fox MK-X carbs looked crude but worked well.

There newest carb is even more refined than anyone elses. No clicks, just a teflon seal that has enough friction it does not need a clicker.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

What about K&B. Started out in 1946, I believe.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

My November 1949 Model Airplane News has ads from Sullivan, K&B, and X-acto. A October 1953 Air Trails has ads from Dumas, Fox, Guillow, , K&B, and Top-Flite.

bob

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

How about Debolt? They sold some U/C kits. First RC kit was Livewire trainer. 1954?

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RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Oldest RC is hard to say, since it didn't really start until the late 40's / early 50's. Many of the companies that produced RC goods started out as free flight or control line suppliers.

As far as oldest model airplane company, that would be either Cleveland or Guillows, both say they started in 1926.

Goldberg got bought by Lanier, which in turn was bought by Hobbico/Great Planes/Tower - I truly hope they treat that name with the respect it deserves.

Comet was started in 1929 and their designs were bought by Guillows in the late 90's.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

The oldest plane I ever owned and also my first, was a Cox U/C trainer in 1959. It had an .049 on it, the one with the spring starter, and was very easy to fly. Back then the little .049's were a dime a dozen.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

First plane I owned (built) Sterling Ringmaster, 1958 . The oldest RC company, maybe Fox ? Fox engines were around in the 50s and there have been a lot of engine makers come and go since then.

Frank

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

So if you take your free flight design and reprint your instructions on how to convert it for RC, then they become an RC company instead of free flight?

Not in my book, but it might in the OP's book so good to note. Not to disparage Guillows, their kits are very enjoyable to build, and if you don't get one of the heavy one's, (very likely), they fly well.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

No, the 60's. I think they started by buying out Veco.

Opps yes they were around before that. But I think it was a year or twoafter Fox.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

But they are not still in business. Ithink he wanted to know the oldest still in business.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Not sure if it fits the OP's criteria, but Testors, McCoy, Cox, they have been around for a while. Testors still sells all the glues and paints, but back in the 70's, they had control line plastic planes with McCoy engines to compete with the Cox plastic c/l planes.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

Wasn't Wen Mac older than Cox? That is as a model company, not RC. No longer in business either, but neither is Cox. Yes there is sombody that bought the last of their inventory and selling it off, but that is not the same company.

RE: Oldest RC Company
 

I heard that they are making Cox engines again, somebody in Canada. But that is just what I was told.