Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Tower Hobbies 1980 Catalog
This video is a discussion of the catalog mail order company called Tower Hobbies and the Tower Hobbies 1980 catalog.
Tower Hobbies was started in 1971. It was a new concept to supply modelers with supplies. At that time, with no internet or email, modelers had to procure all of their needed items at the local hobby shop.
Tower Hobbies started the concept of purchasing a wide range of model airplane, cars and boats along with needed supplies, and collect them in a central warehouse. Tower Hobbies even produced their own RC transmitters. Modelers would phone in their orders and the items were delivered via the post office. Tower Hobbies is now owned by Horizon Hobby.
Tower Hobbies created a huge, organized and comprehensive catalog every year. It truly was "the Bible" for modelers in the 1980s. In this video I will go over some of the main sections of this 1980 catalog.
1980 Tower Hobbies catalog: archive.org/details/1980-1981-tower-hobbies-rc-catalog/page/382/mode/2up
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:20 - Overview
01:16 - Tower Hobbies history
04:14 - Initial contact with Tower Hobbies
05:17 - RC pricing discussion
06:25 - 1980 Tower Hobbies catalog review
Tower Hobbies 1980 Catalog
This video is a discussion of the catalog mail order company called Tower Hobbies and the Tower Hobbies 1980 catalog.
Tower Hobbies was started in 1971. It was a new concept to supply modelers with supplies. At that time, with no internet or email, modelers had to procure all of their needed items at the local hobby shop.
Tower Hobbies started the concept of purchasing a wide range of model airplane, cars and boats along with needed supplies, and collect them in a central warehouse. Tower Hobbies even produced their own RC transmitters. Modelers would phone in their orders and the items were delivered via the post office. Tower Hobbies is now owned by Horizon Hobby.
Tower Hobbies created a huge, organized and comprehensive catalog every year. It truly was "the Bible" for modelers in the 1980s. In this video I will go over some of the main sections of this 1980 catalog.
1980 Tower Hobbies catalog: archive.org/details/1980-1981-tower-hobbies-rc-catalog/page/382/mode/2up
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:20 - Overview
01:16 - Tower Hobbies history
04:14 - Initial contact with Tower Hobbies
05:17 - RC pricing discussion
06:25 - 1980 Tower Hobbies catalog review
