Tower Hobbies was once the largest mail‑order retailer in the radio control hobby world. From a $800 college startup in 1971 to a multi‑million‑dollar RC empire, it connected small towns across America to the full universe of model airplanes, engines, radios, and kits.
But what happened?
In this documentary‑style video, we explore the rise and fall of Tower Hobbies — from its legendary 400‑page catalogs and toll‑free phone ordering system to the bankruptcy of Hobbico in 2018 and the end of an era in American hobby history.
This is the story of: • The mail‑order catalog that democratized the RC hobby • The growth of Great Planes and Hobbico • The impact of Amazon and online retail • Offshore manufacturing and HobbyKing competition • And how the culture of waiting, planning, and building slowly disappeared
If you grew up flying RC airplanes, circling items in the Tower catalog, or waiting for that brown box from Champaign, Illinois — this story is part of your history.
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