Carl Goldberg and Top Flite

LAST EDITED ON Jul-21-03 AT 10:20 PM (CDT)
 
I can't remember where but I read about Carl Goldberg was with the company
Top Flite and then he left and started his own company Carl Goldberg Models.
Do you guys know any little history tidbits about this past venture?

Thanks,

The way that I recall the story was that Sid Axelrod and Carl Goldberg met when they were either partners or important employees of the same company, Comet. I'm pretty sure that Sid was the only owner of Top Flite, but he did sell several kits that Carl designed for him. Comet kept going quite a few years after Sid left, and was out of business from about the time that CGM (Carl Goldberg Models) got started.

.
Kiwi

Goldberg designed the TF Jigtime kits. They were rubber jobs, at 69 cents each. I built a bunch of them. They were all balsa, and they had interlocking parts, and nice color printed on them.

Around 1956 or 1967, he started his own company. The first three models were quite similar in design to the TF Jigtimes, and cost $1 each. They were the Ranger 21, Spirit of St Louis, and the Shoestring, as I recall (I could check in an old mag ad). Later, the control line models arrived, and the Ranger 28, which was a stick and tissue, easy to build larger version of the Ranger 21.

Currell wrote:

"....Around 1956 or 1967, he started his own company. The first three models were quite similar in design to the TF Jigtimes, and cost $1 each. They were the Ranger 21, Spirit of St Louis, and the Shoestring, as I recall (I could check in an old mag ad). Later, the control line models arrived, and the Ranger 28, which was a stick and tissue, easy to build larger version of the Ranger 21.

Currell"
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Currell,

It took Mr. Goldberg quite a while to get that that company off the ground. Or was he just a slow decision maker?

I believe that you omitted the Cessna 180 from the list of those CG Rubber powered kits. That one flew a great deal better than my Monogram Speedee Bilt Cub.

OS: Yes, that was the 4th one. Currell

To get these and the Jigtimes, or any all wood rubber job to fly well, you need to sand the balsa within an inch of its life. There should be little of the printed color left on the balsa.

In fact, there used to be a rule when having a contest with models like this, and it said...you have to have at least 20% (or some low %) of the original color trim on the model remaining.

Also, a bigger prop than supplied in the kit, and more "rubba".

Sand the inside of the fuse too, I guess. Currell

Oh, and you guys just keep forgetting the Rascal don't you!

Grins!

John

Goldberg brought out the 1/2a "Little Toot" they also had another bi-plane, I think for
a .19 engine, just saw it on ebay today and the auction ended can't remember the name.

Yeah, why not sand the inside instead of the outside, and save the color?

LAST EDITED ON Jul-22-03 AT 07:37 AM (CDT)
 
Carl Goldberg did several things with his kits that Top Flite didn't. He gave modification instructions to attain longer flights which included more rubber, sanding and doping the models. On the Ranger 28 he developed a whole new construction technique using all die-cut parts that built up into a "stick&tissue" model. In that kit he added the option of covering the bottom of the wing to omprove performance. The coloration was also kept to a minimum using only blue lines to highlight control surfaces, windows, doors, etc.

JAKE, the Rascal 18 & 30 were the results of Carl's efforts at Top Flite, the Rangers were there CG counterparts. While we're at it he also designed a very beautiful gas free flight for Top Flite called Cumulus, sort of a Sailplane/Zipper modernized with fully cowled engine and slimmed down fuse (pencil bomber).

I built all the Top Flite and CG sheet rubber models and the larger Ranger and Rascal. They really were nice for kids because with few exceptions they would "fly". I learned alot about triming with them and later had a ball flying them quite well. I still have a Ranger 28 that's almost 40 years old. Its been recovered 3 times and on a calm evening I take it out in the back yard a consistantly fly 2 minute flights while I sit in a lawn chair and enjoy.

An aside; I never really knew Carl Goldberg but had the pleasure of meeting him several times. He was one of those genuine nice folks you don't meet many of anymore. I remember in particular my first meeting. I was in the work hangar at the 70 or 71 Nats with my face in the cabin of a Taibi Powerhouse changing ignition batteries when I heard a voice that said something like "real nice workmanship". I looked up and it was Carl and he was talking to me. I was in my early 20's at the time and to recieve a compliment like that from a man of his stature was really unforgetable.

Actually there were 3 men that started Top Flite Models. Carl did leave after a few years but it was Sids partner who was responsible for getting The concept of Monokote to the public. I'm really having a senior moment here as I can't remember his name for the life of me. He used to do the demo's at the trade shows.
A little history on CGM is that he was almost broke and out of business when he introduced the Goldberg Shoestring U/C model. According to his bio if that model would have failed he would have had to fold up shop.
Dennis

Not sure about the relationship between CG Models and Top Flite.

But in 1963, we flew R/C in south Chicago. Carl and his people were there testing a Shoestring R/C, while I was flying a 3-channel Esquire R/C (I had not then yet learned aerobatics). At the time, I thought that Carl had his own outfit and was producing R/C kits.

Floyd Carter
SAM #188

Yes, Floyd, the Falcon series and the Skylarks were either on the market or soon-to-be about that time. The Shoestring wasn't far behind. I had one of the 'Strings in about 1968 and it had been on the market a while. Those were the days for CGM. You could get 1/2A beginner things, free flight power or rubbeer, the VooDoo, CL stunters, RC trainers in wood or foam, RC sport models, or a Formula 1 racer, all from the same company. The kits weren't always the very best, but they flew great and held up to younster abuse. Fond memories, for sure.

> Actually there were 3 men that started Top Flite Models.
>Carl did leave after a few years but it was Sids partner who
>was responsible for getting The concept of Monokote to the
>public. I'm really having a senior moment here as I can't
>remember his name for the life of me. He used to do the
>demo's at the trade shows.
>A little history on CGM is that he was almost broke and out
>of business when he introduced the Goldberg Shoestring U/C
>model. According to his bio if that model would have failed
>he would have had to fold up shop.
>Dennis

GMA was one of the guys who helped pioneer moneykote. I recall him saying he drove around all over the place with a moneykoted model baking in the trunk of his car- to see what the stuff would do- before releasing it to the GDP.

John