ArcticCatRider

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So I was sitting in my basement Saturday looking through all my old plans, paperwork, catalogs, etc.

I was thinking about how badly I miss Carl Goldberg Models and their products. Jett glue. Model magic. 1/2a control line flying wire. The Ultratote. I believe this was one of the best manufacturers out there. They were right here in Chicago. Their models flew at my beloved Forest Preserve flying fields all over Chicagoland.

The Shoestring Stunter. The Lil' Toot. The Lil' Satan. The built up wings and fuselages for 1/2a Ukie...how cool.

The Eaglet. The Protoge. The Eagle 2. The Tiger. The Ultimate 10-300 (aaahhh!). The Extra 300 (aahhh!). The Super Chipmunk. The Bucker Jungmann. The Electra. The Anniversary Cub.

Just a few of many worth remembering. Worth celebrating. Will we ever see another manufacturer like them again? Such a complete line up. So diversified. Sadly, I doubt it.

Tonight I will be raising my vodka filled tumbler in honor of Carl Goldberg Models. I'd encourage all those who loved the kitmaker as much as I do to do likewise.

Please use this thread to discuss memories of Carl Goldberg Models, thoughts, stories, recollections, etc.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I have said many times that Goldberg has probably the best line-up in the business. I soloed on a Sr. Falcon. I have built and flown many of their kits and there isn't a dog in the bunch!

My favorites:

Anniversary Cub (Clipped)
Chipmunk
Eagle
Tiger (All sizes)
Falcon (All sizes)
Skylark
Protege
Extra 300
Ultimate bipe

vpresley

My Feedback: (162)

Say thanks to Tower for their Demise ! They say the kits dont sell, so they quit making them, YEAH RIGHT ! Just a very few available from Tower. Kits they should bring back are:

1. Bucker Jungmann

2. Extra 300

3. Oh heck, all the rest !!!!!!!!!

cd_webb

My Feedback: (6)

Did I miss something?!? Did the company die???

twn

I beleive Carl is passed on and Great Planes(?) now owns Carl Goldberg products. They have discontinued a fair amount of kits. The Extra 300 is history and I thought the Ultimate 10-300 kit was also on its way out the door? I was also looking over the 120 sized goldberg ultimate arf and there are a lot of similarites in the construction to my GP 160 Ultimate. I was amazed. It really looks like GP just downsized the CG ulti...

Yea I see a number of protege at events and I think I'd like one to put ont to floats!! I even saw a scaled up protege with clipped wings and a 50cc for power. Very nice!!

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

Well, they're dead as far as I'm concerned.

Lanier did them no justice, and Great planes even less. All the cool airplanes from Goldberg are discontinued. I never liked the ARFs that came about after Lanier's acquisition. I never liked ARFs anyway.

But that was what was so cool about Goldberg. The kits built up so nicely...looked so good, and flew so good. You couldn't go no better.

If the Ultimate 10-300 is out the door like someone mentioned, I'll be even more crestfallen. I'm tired of caving in to all these ARF builders. Tired of taking a back seat to the ARF builders.

ramboy

Jett glue and Ultracote are both still around.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

I soloed many years ago with a Falcon 56. I have also built and flown most all the Goldberg kits and there is not a loser in the bunch. The Tiger's and the Chipmunk are still to this day my favorites and will always hold a special spot in my heart. As for the departure of the kits, it is a shame, but once again, ARFS are where the money is and those of us that still like to build kits are out of luck. Only time will tell. Good Luck, Dave

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

No... Say thanks to Great Planes that they are still around!

Goldberg was going out of business for good. Lanier bought them out, but they couldn't keep their head above water either, so GP bought Lanier (which included Goldberg).

They dropped anything that wasn't pulling its weight profit-wise and kept making the rest. Since GP took over, I have seen a substantial increase in quality.

aerowoof

don't forget the cosmic wind c/l stunter,shoestring r/c pylon racer the gentle lady the skylane 62 the falcon line up and the skylark line up.they had the best 1/2 adjustable control handle for beginners.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

Please note that Lanier, including Carl Goldberg Models, was acquired by Great Planes/Hobbico in August, 2007. Carl Goldberg, himself, passed away in January, 1985, more than two decades previously.

An examination of our history will show that NONE of the brands we have acquired have "disappeared". They have all been re-energized and continued. Each one has its own identity.

As far as model airplane kits (or even ARF's) are concerned, they get discontinued because modelers no longer purchase them. Nobody's going to manufacture something people aren't buying. Successful products do not get discontinued, and EVERY product has a lifetime, regardless of how good it once was, or still is.

Tango Juliet

I think we can thank the state of the modeling world that has gotten away from building kits to assembling ARFs for the demise of many kit manufacturers. I've been trying to do my part to keep kit building alive. It's the only way I'll aquire the skills to move up to scale.

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

I mowed a lot of lawns and shoveled a lot of snow from neighbors walkways when I was a young kid in order to buy CG 1/2A and .35 size ukies. Always had a great time flying them. Later I built Falcon 56 and Skylark R/C models. It's enjoyable to hear other modelers liked the Carl Goldberg build and fly experience!

Soft landings.

Joe

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

Bax I've heard you say those exact words verbatim. It looks like you've had to bust it out more than a few times.

Regardless of profitability matrices, product life-cycles, and acquisitions.....this can be used as a memorial for those who've enjoyed everything from "cutting their teeth" to highly aerobatic flying using Carl Goldberg models.

This is not designed to serve as a pissing post in regards to the viability of bringing back the entire line. Instead, us kit builders, us "real model airplane people," can bask in the glory of what we knew to be the greatest manufacturer and promoter of real modeling.

TFF

Jr Falcon my first; helped my best friend build a Falcon 56 MK11, and the Ultimate is a great plane; I would like a 1/2A free flight right now. The Falcon/ Skylark series, like the Ugly Stick, is one that no matter the name that has been stuck on the box is the standard and almost everything is a copy of it.

ALT

My Feedback: (2)

Carl Goldberg's roots run deep in the modeling industry. Just read his bio!

[link]http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/museum/bio/Goldberg.pdf[/link]


Way back when,(70's) I met Carl at a large (non-hobby) plastics trade show at McCormick Place in Chicago. I recognized him and went over to say hello and told him I'd seen his photos in magazines. I believe he said "I'll be damned!"
He seemed pleased to know that I had built a couple of his CL kits, L'il Wizard and Shoestring Stunter. I also, as many modeler's do, hoarded a couple of his R/C kits, Falcon 56 and 1/2A Skylane, which were sold when I took a 30 year hiatus
from this hobby. I am now back in the hobby and wishing I'd never sold them.

ArcticCatRider , thanx for starting this thread.

Al Turner AMA 31569

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

You're absolutely welcome. I like hearing others' Carl Goldberg Stories.

The good news about being back in the hobby is you can jump on Ebay, and find a lot of those kits...many of them never even opened before. Search "Carl Goldberg" or "Goldberg kit"...and I'm sure what you see will jog your memory.

cd_webb

My Feedback: (6)

What's really scary is that Tower, slowly and very surely, is going to have the last say as to what kit builders are able to build - or even if there is anything TO build! I don't know what everyone else is going to do, but the plans of these kits that I love are going to be copied, carefully stored away, and pulled out for kit cutting occasions only. If I can't buy the kit, I'll have the parts cut (or cut them myself) and STILL build what I want. I may be a hybrid kit-scratch builder before it's all over! Tower and everybody else can take their ARF's and stick 'em!
Kit producers like Goldberg one by one will go the way of the Dodo and it's a shame. Glad now that I bought that Chipmunk I didn't think I could afford!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

My face turns red just remembering how many of the control line kits I was forced to build after all the mid airs during combat and those sudden stops during my stunt training period. It was a bunch. The one I wanted to build as a mate to my Extras was the Sukhoi but it was fazed out before the Extra was. I can see the kits no longer being sold but as I have stated before, why can't GP re-draw the plans so we can just buy them and scratch them out ourselves??? I will have that drink tonight and raise my cup in memory!!!

oldvet70

My Feedback: (10)

Remembering Carl Goldberg in my family goes way back. I grew up in a house with an attic full of Zippers and assorted free flight stuff. My uncle had Zippers and Clippers. I learned how to run ignition engines when I was little even though glow was around. I still have Dads first Baby Cyclone. Carl Goldberg around my house is more than 'Carl Goldberg Models' which was just a company. Carl Goldberg is model aviation in my family. Believe it or not I got Dad a nice set of Zipper plans about 2 years ago. He framed them and hung them on his dining room wall!

Dan M

My Feedback: (1)

good thread .

my LHS has Jett glue but it is not the same composition as the "old" stuff ... the owner says the son took it over and thinned something out ? who knows ..

i miss the CG CL kits you could buy for a song in the early 80's [&o] they built so nicely .

Insanemoondoggie

I`ve build the Clipped wing Cub and have the Right wing panel done on a Sukhoi , wished I`d bought the Ultimate.
Goldberg kits are awesomw, sad to see them fading away.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

The good news is: Great Planes is known for reissuing a kit every now and then. Hopefully we'll see some of the Goldberg classics come back!

(Did ya hear that Art?)

daleflysrc

My Feedback: (26)

Here !! Here !! I learend to Fly with a Skylane 62, enya .29 & a Heathkit 7 Ch. Radio GDA-405d Dual freq. yellow & White 72.960 or Orange & white 72.400 1975 & 1976 B 4 that I built & flew every 1/2a C/L airplane Carl had kitted !! The Skyranger, My only freeflight was doing a perfect 360 until it met the only swingset on the playground !! To young & to dumb to know better !! (Bigger feild) The Skylane was only three channel but tought me so much that the aileron transiton was a no brainer !! In latter years I heard from some of the locals that Carl & another local H.A. Thomas ( Henry ) also an A.M.A. Hall of fame'er were very good freinds and passed on info between each other !! It seems a few of H.A.s designs became Carls kits Henry was a great insperation to us all and his passing a few years ago was a great loss to our aeromodeling comunity !! I once asked him about an Alexander eaglerock, since my great grandfather had owned one !! It was suposedly so very easy to land, so I asked Henry about this !! His reply !! I cant help you on that one son !! I always jumped out of them !! Thats how I made money to learn how to fly was by parachuiting into county fairs Carl Goldbergs Models were so easy and strait forward in both the building and in the design that you couldnt go wrong !! his plans were also so easy to read and understand !! So easy even a caveman ( or a young Hillbilly ) could do it !! Long live the memories of two of Model Aviations greatest !! Carl Goldberg & Henry (H.A.) Thomas P.S. Oh I forgot the Gentle Lady and Electras I use to Thermal !! Dale Womack Alexander Ar. AMA 1214 C.D. & Leader Member IMAA 18378 GSWA WB 470

ChuckW

I remember building a Goldberg control line kit with my Dad when I was a kid. I know it was a Goldberg because I remember the initials "CG" and the logo on the box and for a while whenever I saw "CG" referring to the center of gravity on a set of plans I always thought it meant Carl Goldberg. The plane was all built from sheet balsa, even the wing from what I recall. I'm thinking it was a Swordsman? It was in the 70's so I don't really remember. I know it had a Cox Baby Bee .049 or similar on it though; I clearly remember the day we bought the engine from Bob's Hobby Shop in Fresno and starting it the first time in the driveway. I don't think that plane lasted too long but I've had a few since that didn't either.

When I finally got around to getting into RC for real I built a 25th Anniversary Cub kit. It looked and flew great.