How old is this Buster kit?

[frank mccune]

     Hi All:

     While looking for a Carl Goldberg Shoestring in my attic, I also found a Carl Goldberg Buster kit.  They are packaged in different  size and colour boxes.


      The Shoestring is in a film wrapped red and white box that has printing on 5 sides of the box. The box measures 2"x5"x25".

      The Buster is in a plain tan, faded white, box that has only a Buster picture on a stick on label on the right side of the top.  The Buster's box measurers 2"x5"X37".  The plans and the covering, tisssue paper, inside have turned a light beige colour.  None of the contents have been disturbed in the box.

      I am guessing that the Buster kit is much older as it looks older.  When was each kit manufactured?

      Thanks for any information about these kits.

                                                                                 Frank McCune

[Bill Little]

The plain tan box Buster is the newest kit.  It is one of the last runs that were made.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[bill bischoff]

Every Goldberg Buster kit I've seen has been in a long, thin, white box with a small black and red printed label. The Shoestring and Cosmic Wind were in shorter, fully printed multi color boxes. The reason for the different boxes is that the Buster had one piece, full length leading and trailing edges, while the others did not. I think all these kits hit the market in the mid '60, perhaps not all at once. The Shoestring in the plain box with the small label didn't come out until the other two kits had been discontinued. This may have been 1990 "ish".

[frank mccune]

     Hello All:

     You guys amaze me! Lol I knew that I would get an answer on this site.

      Well done and thank you.

                                                                        Stay well my friends,

                                                                        Frank McCune

[Dan McEntee]

  The Shoestring came out first. It is said that Goldberg Models was in financial difficulty and the release and sales of the Shoestring saved the company and the other two kits soon followed. I believe this can be found in Dave Thornburg's book "Do You Speak Model Airplane" where he credits the popularity of control line models for saving the hobby industry after WW-2 and keeping it thriving until R/C developed to a point where the average guy could participate. I have examples of all three in the original printed boxes. The transition to the plain box with a label after the Buster and Cosmic Wind were dropped was obviously a cost cutting measure. The box was probably the same as used by another Goldberg product at the time and eliminated the need to purchase another box for their inventory. All three are great classic kits and on my "One of these days" list.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[riley wooten]

Think I can help as I was involved with Carl about this time. Shoestring about 1960 or early 61, Voodoo later in 61.  The Buster used the Voodoo leading edge and as I remember the same box.  It came out about a year later.. Carl told me the Voodoo saved the company but probably both...... The Falcon 56 also used the same Voodoo LE (tilted slightly to form the airfoil) and was released a year or so later.  Probably 1963.................
rw

[Paul Smith]

I recently came upon a Falcon 56 that was dumped off at the senior citizen center like an unwanted child.  Carl started selling these for under $10.  This particular kit had a 1979 $26.95 price tag.  Something like this today would go for over $300.

I'm finishing it with an ST 51, two lines and 2.4 throttle as sport plane.

[Paul Smith]

Here's an ad for Carl's stuff in 1962.  Note the two digit postal code.

Of these, the Voodoo is the only CG kit I built.  The Falcon will be the second.  I preferred Flite Streaks and built many.