Carl Goldberg Products

Carl Goldberg Products was established in 1955 by Carl Goldberg, an American figure in model aviation who lived from 1912 to 1985. The business developed a product identity around radio-controlled aircraft and the equipment and components needed to build and fly them. Its market was the specialist hobby sector, in which customers commonly selected an aircraft design, assembled or completed the airframe, installed radio-control equipment, and configured the model for sport, scale, or competition flying. The brand's catalog included conventional radio-controlled aircraft kits and Almost Ready to Fly models. The latter category addressed hobbyists who wanted to reduce construction time compared with a traditional kit while still participating in model-aircraft setup, finishing, and flight preparation. Carl Goldberg products are also associated with named aircraft designs including the Bücker Jungmann and the Staudacher S-300 GS. These models reflect the brand's connection to both scale aircraft subjects and high-performance or sport-oriented radio-controlled aviation. The company was identified with Illinois, with Champaign given as its base in the available reference material. Its history formed part of the wider American model-aviation ecosystem supported by specialty manufacturers, hobby shops, clubs, events, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The Academy later established a Carl Goldberg Vital People Award to recognize contributions to model aviation, providing an institutional link between Goldberg's legacy and the broader hobby community. A major corporate change occurred on August 24, 2007, when Great Planes Model Manufacturing purchased Carl Goldberg Products. Product development was already in progress during the negotiations. One model released in December 2007 has consequently been treated as a boundary-case product: it may represent the last release under the prior owner or the first release under Great Planes. The episode illustrates how product continuity can outlast a change in corporate ownership, particularly in a specialist hobby business where designs and tooling may remain in production during a transaction. Following the acquisition, the brand became associated with the wider Hobbico group through Great Planes. Hobbico announced a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on January 10, 2018. In June of the same year, the company announced a Chapter 7 filing and liquidation. The supplied reference material does not document a definitive independent relaunch, formal discontinuation, or current owner for Carl Goldberg Products after that liquidation. Accordingly, the brand's current status cannot be stated with certainty. Its historical identity, however, is clear: it was a long-running American radio-controlled model-aircraft manufacturer whose name remained linked to kit aircraft, ARF models, and the legacy of its founder.

• 2018

  Hobbico enters bankruptcy and liquidation

  [1]Carl Goldberg Productsen.wikipedia.org

  Hobbico first files for Chapter 11 protection in January and later files for Chapter 7 and liquidates in June.

• 2007

  Acquisition by Great Planes Model Manufacturing

  [1]Carl Goldberg Productsen.wikipedia.org

  Great Planes Model Manufacturing purchases Carl Goldberg Products on August 24, creating a change in ownership.

• 2007

  Transition-period aircraft release

  [1]Carl Goldberg Productsen.wikipedia.org

  A model released in December was developed during the ownership negotiations and is regarded as either the final release of the previous owner or the first under Great Planes.

• 1985

  Death of founder Carl Goldberg

  [1]Carl Goldberg Productsen.wikipedia.org

  Carl Goldberg dies at age 73. The brand continues as a model-aircraft business after the founder's lifetime.

• 1955

  Carl Goldberg Products is founded

  [1]Carl Goldberg Productsen.wikipedia.org

  Carl Goldberg forms the company, which develops a business in radio-controlled model aircraft and related components.

A specialist model-aviation brand focused on radio-controlled aircraft kits, partially assembled aircraft, and associated components for hobbyists and sport fliers.

• Model aircraft kits

  Radio-controlled airplane kits

  Traditional kits for constructing radio-controlled aircraft. These products were aimed at model-aircraft hobbyists who wanted to build an airframe, install control and propulsion equipment, and configure the completed model for flight. The available reference identifies radio-controlled airplane kits as a core part of the company's manufacturing activity, although it does not provide a complete catalog or individual kit specifications.

• ARF model aircraft

  Almost Ready to Fly models

  Partially assembled radio-controlled aircraft designed to reduce the construction burden compared with traditional kits. Almost Ready to Fly models generally allow hobbyists to complete final assembly and install or configure flight systems before operation. Carl Goldberg Products manufactured this type of model as part of its effort to serve customers seeking a faster route from purchase to flying.

• Scale radio-controlled aircraft

  Bücker Jungmann

  A Carl Goldberg model based on the Bücker Jungmann aircraft design. It represents the brand's participation in scale-oriented radio-controlled modeling, where the appearance and character of a full-size aircraft are adapted for hobby flying. The supplied reference confirms the model's association with the company but does not provide production dates, dimensions, or detailed equipment specifications.

• Sport and aerobatic radio-controlled aircraft

  Staudacher S-300 GS

  A Carl Goldberg model associated with the Staudacher S-300 GS design. Its inclusion in the company's model history reflects the brand's coverage of sport and aerobatic radio-controlled aircraft in addition to more conventional kit subjects. Detailed release information and technical specifications are not established by the supplied reference.

• 2018

  Hobbico files for bankruptcy and liquidationOther

  Background

  The corporate group associated with the brand faced financial distress.

  Action taken

  Hobbico filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2018 and later filed for Chapter 7 and entered liquidation in June.

  Aftermath

  The available material does not establish whether Carl Goldberg Products remained active, was discontinued, or was transferred after the liquidation.

  Source

• 2007

  Sell the company to Great Planes Model ManufacturingM&A

  Background

  Carl Goldberg Products entered an ownership transition in the specialist model-aircraft market.

  Action taken

  Great Planes Model Manufacturing purchased the company on August 24, 2007.

  Aftermath

  Product development continued across the transaction, with a December 2007 model occupying an uncertain position between the two ownership periods.

  Source

1. 1Carl Goldberg Productsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Carl Goldberg biography, Academy of Model Aeronautics History Projectmodelaircraft.org