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This advertisement* from the July 1972
issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine might be the very first appearance
(half a century ago)
for the recently incorporated "Tower Hobbies." Unlike other full-page and multiple-page
ads that would soon follow, this early example is all text, with the exception of
the now very recognizable company logo. According to the
Tower Hobbies History
webpage, "In 1971, founder Bruce Holecek started Tower Hobbies with little more
than a passion for RC and $800 savings." It also says the TowerHobbies.com website
was launched in 1995, making it one of the very earliest commercial World Wide Web
(WWW) entities. The
Wayback Machine on Archive.org made its first capture on December 29, 1996,
almost exactly twenty-six years ago! Do you remember the spinning biplane? Animated
GIF's were a big deal back in the day. A Top Flite P-40 Warhawk cost $32.50 at the
time, which in today's hyper-inflation era works out to
$230.92. That's an increase factor of about 7.1x (810%) in 26 years. Two years
ago the cost would have been
$201.85, which represents an increase of 14.4% in just two years! Two years
year before that (2018) the equivalent price would be
$195.49, which is about a 3.2% increase, so inflation has more than doubled
in the last two years compared to the previous two.
* I took the liberty of colorizing it in the manner later to come.
Tower Hobbies Advertisement
 Tower Hobbies
P.O. BOX 148 Riverside, Illinois 60546
Kits: Top Flite P-40 Warhawk $32.50, P-51 Mustang, Kwik Fil III $30.00, SE5A
$32.95, Contender $25.25, Nobler $22.25, Headmaster $12.75, Top Dawg $10.95; Goldberg
Sr Falcon, Skylane 62 $25.50, Falcon 56, Ranger 42 $13.50, Skylark 56 $15.50, Jr
Skylark $6.75, Skylane 42 $7.95, Sr Falcon or Skylane 62 wing kit $10.95, Retracts
(3) $14.75, (2) $7.95; Midwest Aristo Cat, Sky Squire $22.50, Lil Esquire, Bebe
Jodel, Lil Tri Squire, Astra Mite, Whiz Kid, Cessna 150 or Hossier Hotshot $8.95,
Nieuport 17, Fokker D-7 $15.50, Lil "T" $12.75, Ez Juan $20.95, Flea Fli +10 $17.95,
Das Lil Stick $16.25; Sterling Lancer Rimfire, 1-34 glider $19.50, 1-26 glider $14.50,
Fledgling $18.50; Andrews Sport master, Aeromaster $29.50, Trainermaster $24.50,
Minimaster $20.95, A-Ray $19.45, H-Ray $13.95, S-Ray $11.95; Bridi Kaos $39.00,
RCM Trainer $35.95; Du-Bro Sea-Bird, Sportsman, Skymaster $44.25, Whirlybird 505
$90.00; Dumas Triton, Hi-Pro glider $29.95, Mod Pod $11.25, Evolution, Sport Evolution
$15.75, Hi-Low Evolution $17.25; J&J Eyeball $39.50, Banshee $38.95, Amer Eagle
$26.25; Jensen Ugly Stick $39.00, Wing kit $14.50; Lanier Invader $45.00, Colt $47.25,
all other Laniers at 25% off retail; Kyosho Skyraider, Texan, Mustang, Warhawk $31.95;
VK Navajo, Cherokee $27.75, Nieuport $31.50, Babe $19.75, Fokker $34.00; Vic's Son-o-jet.
Ercoupe $55.95, Cosmic Wind, Mosquito $47.95; Marks Windward Glider $18.00. Engines:
Fox .15 $12.00, .25 $14.75, .36 $16.50, .40 $18.00, .60 Falcon $25.00, .60 Eagle
$35.50; K&B .40 FR or RR $24.25; Veco .19 $20.75, .61 $42.75; Enya .09 III $10.25,
.15 TV $13.75, .29 TV $18.25, .29 BB TV $23.25 •. 60 BB TV $43.75; Webra .40 $45.00,
.61 $57.50 (Special); Merco Blackstreak .61 $37.00, .49 $33.75, .35 or .29 $20.75;
HP Bluehead .61 (with muffler) $56.25; OS Max .35 $20.50, .60 GP $39.95; Supertiger
ST .60 $35.25; Radios, Kraft 20% off retail; MRC 713 $126.25, F710 $237.75, F723
$150.00, F724 $225.00; Micro Craft G45 $199.95; Goodies: Devcon $1.60; Robart Supershoe
$2.25, Hinger Point (6) $.75, (15) $1.55; Universaal Wheels 2.75 $4.25, 3.75 $6.30;
Polytherm Heat Gun $28.00; Bell Huey Cobra Helicopter $280.00; MIIDA Electronic
Calculator (AC/DC) $179.95
Monokote
Opaque $5.00
Transparent $5.60
Metallic $6.50
No Minimum - No Limit
Solarfilm
Opaque $4.50
Transparent $5.00
Metallic $6.00
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Posted December 24, 2022
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