IT IS PROBABLY safe to assume that
most modelers are not only familiar with
the Du-Bro name, but also use the
company’s products. Just a listing of all
the items it sells would easily fill this
space; there are nearly 1,200. To build
that kind of inventory takes time. In Du-
Bro’s case, it has taken 50 years of ideas
and innovations.
Dewey Broberg started the company
in 1959 with a single product. The goal
was to provide aeromodelers something
they needed and to back it up with
dedication and a focus on customer
service. The business quickly took off,
and Dewey found himself transitioning
from running a side business to a fulltime
company.
It didn’t take long for Du-Bro to
outgrow the rented storage room. Dewey
bought a 5,000-square-foot facility that
he moved the company into in the early
1960s.
As the facility expanded, so did Du-
Bro’s product line. Dewey not only
continued producing airplane-related
parts and accessories, but he also added
Slot Cars. Some of the Slot Car products
74 MODEL AVIATION
he introduced included both clear and
painted Lexan car bodies and different
types of car chassis.
An even bigger expansion took place
in 1967, when Du-Bro moved into a
20,000-square-foot facility. Then in the
1970s, the company introduced its
helicopter line after David Gray, a
designer for Du-Bro, made the historic
flight with an RC helicopter.
The Whirlybird was popular, but the
helicopter line was dropped in the late
1970s because of both product liability
concerns and sales. In the 1970s, Du-Bro
also released an ARF of sorts; it had a
foam wing, plastic sheeting, and a
vacuum-formed fuselage, and it sold for
approximately $40.
In 1982, Dewey decided to start a Du-
Bro fishing division, which stemmed
from the family’s love of the activity. The
Pro Series took off, and it continues to be
a strong segment of the company.
In 1993, Dewey’s love of the Florida
Keys, with its fishing and warm weather,
prompted his decision to retire. His
children—Jim, Gayle, and Kathy—having
already worked in the business, made a
seamless transition to running Du-Bro.
The company introduced its archery
division in 1997. This part of the business
was born out of Jim’s enjoyment of
the need for a spin checker that was filled
by simply modifying the company’s
popular pinpoint propeller balancer. The
archery line, as did the fishing line,
continued to grow as Du-Bro found ways
to fulfill sportsmen’s needs.
In 2002, Du-Bro pioneered “Inside
R/C”: a national television series on The
Outdoor Channel. Hosted by Krista
Gibson, the company looked at the show
as a way to give back to the pastime that
it had been so much a part of and a way
to bring all that the hobby had to offer to
mainstream viewers.
The show gave as many as 26,000,000
homes each week a firsthand look at
different areas of the model hobby
industry. It ran until 2006, when Du-Bro
decided to cease production.
This company prides itself not only on
being family owned, but also on
producing almost everything it sells at its
own facility. That includes injection
molding, blow molding, rotational
molding, rotational foam molding, screw
machining, thread rolling, drilling,
tapping, tooling, punch pressing,
assembling, vacuum-forming, packaging,
advertising, marketing, and TV
production.
In the beginning, Dewey had to build
machinery to construct the products he
envisioned, because none existed at that
time. Later, Du-Bro saw the benefits of
having everything done at its facility.
The most important advantage is the
level of quality control the company has
over its products, and it can develop, test,
and modify products quickly. This system
also provides the flexibility to tailor
production runs to match market
requirements.
When interviewing Jim Broberg and
Brian Bychowski, head of marketing and
advertising, for this article, I had the
opportunity to share stories about my Du-
Bro product experience from my
beginnings in the hobby in the 1970s until
now. I can’t remember the first item I
made use of, but I know which ones I use
most often now.
I was eager to find out what Du-Bro’s
best-selling product is. The answer might
not surprise you; it’s the E/Z Connector,
which is used to join pushrods and cables.
I have purchased probably 40 sets for my
aircraft through the years.
With such a large number of offerings,
you might wonder where Du-Bro gets its
product ideas. Staff members cull new
July 2009 75
Win Du-Bro
Merchandise!
In celebration of Du-Bro’s 50th
anniversary, MA will give away 10
$50 Du-Bro merchandise
certificates. To qualify to receive
one of these prizes, answer the
following question.
What is the name of the product
that Du-Bro started selling in 1959?
(You can find the answer in the
company’s new catalog, at www.du
bro.com/hobby.)
Submit your answer along with
your full name, street address, email
address, and telephone number.
Send e-mail entries to jays@model
aircraft.org, and please put “About
Us” in the subject line. Send postal
mail entries to MA, Attn: Jay Smith,
5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN
47302.
Submissions will be accepted via
e-mail or US Mail through July 31,
2009. Winners will be selected on or
before August 14, 2009.
Entries are restricted to one per
person. Those that are lost, late,
misdirected, garbled, or incomplete
will be ineligible.
This contest is open to legal
residents of the US, the District of
Columbia, and military personnel
with APO/FPO addresses. AMA
employees are ineligible to win.
The 10 winners will be selected
in a random drawing, by an
employee or employees of the
AMA, from all eligible entries with
the correct answer. Winners will be
notified by telephone or e-mail.
Winners’ names and states of
residence will be published in a
future issue of MA and online at
www.modelaircraft.org. MA
—Jay Smith
Molding machines at the Du-Bro Products factory in Wauconda, Illinois.
The Broberg family at the iHobby Expo in Rosemont IL (L-R): Jim Broberg, Kathy
(Broberg) Weiland, Terry Weiland, Dewey Broberg, Chris Weiland, Mary Lou Broberg,
Gayle (Broberg) Lundgren.
concepts from several sources, including
modelers, the company’s research-anddevelopment
department, and
improvements they see possible to make
on current offerings.
Although the hobby segment is the
largest part of the business, Du-Bro’s
goods are used in several industries and in
products that are outside that realm. It
supplies items used by NASA (National
Aeronautics and Space Administration),
in musical instruments, in movies, in TV,
and in the military.
Du-Bro’s half century of commerce is a
testament to the vision of Dewey Broberg,
his family, and the employees.
Transitioning from a person selling one
product from a storeroom to a corporation
that employs 40 people and sells 1,200
products that are made in its 40,000-squarefoot
facility is quite an achievement.
Happy anniversary, Du-Bro! MA
—Jay Smith
[email protected]
See page 175 for “About Us”
submission guidelines.
07sig3.QXD 5/26/09 10:50 AM Page 75
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 74,75
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 74,75
IT IS PROBABLY safe to assume that
most modelers are not only familiar with
the Du-Bro name, but also use the
company’s products. Just a listing of all
the items it sells would easily fill this
space; there are nearly 1,200. To build
that kind of inventory takes time. In Du-
Bro’s case, it has taken 50 years of ideas
and innovations.
Dewey Broberg started the company
in 1959 with a single product. The goal
was to provide aeromodelers something
they needed and to back it up with
dedication and a focus on customer
service. The business quickly took off,
and Dewey found himself transitioning
from running a side business to a fulltime
company.
It didn’t take long for Du-Bro to
outgrow the rented storage room. Dewey
bought a 5,000-square-foot facility that
he moved the company into in the early
1960s.
As the facility expanded, so did Du-
Bro’s product line. Dewey not only
continued producing airplane-related
parts and accessories, but he also added
Slot Cars. Some of the Slot Car products
74 MODEL AVIATION
he introduced included both clear and
painted Lexan car bodies and different
types of car chassis.
An even bigger expansion took place
in 1967, when Du-Bro moved into a
20,000-square-foot facility. Then in the
1970s, the company introduced its
helicopter line after David Gray, a
designer for Du-Bro, made the historic
flight with an RC helicopter.
The Whirlybird was popular, but the
helicopter line was dropped in the late
1970s because of both product liability
concerns and sales. In the 1970s, Du-Bro
also released an ARF of sorts; it had a
foam wing, plastic sheeting, and a
vacuum-formed fuselage, and it sold for
approximately $40.
In 1982, Dewey decided to start a Du-
Bro fishing division, which stemmed
from the family’s love of the activity. The
Pro Series took off, and it continues to be
a strong segment of the company.
In 1993, Dewey’s love of the Florida
Keys, with its fishing and warm weather,
prompted his decision to retire. His
children—Jim, Gayle, and Kathy—having
already worked in the business, made a
seamless transition to running Du-Bro.
The company introduced its archery
division in 1997. This part of the business
was born out of Jim’s enjoyment of
the need for a spin checker that was filled
by simply modifying the company’s
popular pinpoint propeller balancer. The
archery line, as did the fishing line,
continued to grow as Du-Bro found ways
to fulfill sportsmen’s needs.
In 2002, Du-Bro pioneered “Inside
R/C”: a national television series on The
Outdoor Channel. Hosted by Krista
Gibson, the company looked at the show
as a way to give back to the pastime that
it had been so much a part of and a way
to bring all that the hobby had to offer to
mainstream viewers.
The show gave as many as 26,000,000
homes each week a firsthand look at
different areas of the model hobby
industry. It ran until 2006, when Du-Bro
decided to cease production.
This company prides itself not only on
being family owned, but also on
producing almost everything it sells at its
own facility. That includes injection
molding, blow molding, rotational
molding, rotational foam molding, screw
machining, thread rolling, drilling,
tapping, tooling, punch pressing,
assembling, vacuum-forming, packaging,
advertising, marketing, and TV
production.
In the beginning, Dewey had to build
machinery to construct the products he
envisioned, because none existed at that
time. Later, Du-Bro saw the benefits of
having everything done at its facility.
The most important advantage is the
level of quality control the company has
over its products, and it can develop, test,
and modify products quickly. This system
also provides the flexibility to tailor
production runs to match market
requirements.
When interviewing Jim Broberg and
Brian Bychowski, head of marketing and
advertising, for this article, I had the
opportunity to share stories about my Du-
Bro product experience from my
beginnings in the hobby in the 1970s until
now. I can’t remember the first item I
made use of, but I know which ones I use
most often now.
I was eager to find out what Du-Bro’s
best-selling product is. The answer might
not surprise you; it’s the E/Z Connector,
which is used to join pushrods and cables.
I have purchased probably 40 sets for my
aircraft through the years.
With such a large number of offerings,
you might wonder where Du-Bro gets its
product ideas. Staff members cull new
July 2009 75
Win Du-Bro
Merchandise!
In celebration of Du-Bro’s 50th
anniversary, MA will give away 10
$50 Du-Bro merchandise
certificates. To qualify to receive
one of these prizes, answer the
following question.
What is the name of the product
that Du-Bro started selling in 1959?
(You can find the answer in the
company’s new catalog, at www.du
bro.com/hobby.)
Submit your answer along with
your full name, street address, email
address, and telephone number.
Send e-mail entries to jays@model
aircraft.org, and please put “About
Us” in the subject line. Send postal
mail entries to MA, Attn: Jay Smith,
5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN
47302.
Submissions will be accepted via
e-mail or US Mail through July 31,
2009. Winners will be selected on or
before August 14, 2009.
Entries are restricted to one per
person. Those that are lost, late,
misdirected, garbled, or incomplete
will be ineligible.
This contest is open to legal
residents of the US, the District of
Columbia, and military personnel
with APO/FPO addresses. AMA
employees are ineligible to win.
The 10 winners will be selected
in a random drawing, by an
employee or employees of the
AMA, from all eligible entries with
the correct answer. Winners will be
notified by telephone or e-mail.
Winners’ names and states of
residence will be published in a
future issue of MA and online at
www.modelaircraft.org. MA
—Jay Smith
Molding machines at the Du-Bro Products factory in Wauconda, Illinois.
The Broberg family at the iHobby Expo in Rosemont IL (L-R): Jim Broberg, Kathy
(Broberg) Weiland, Terry Weiland, Dewey Broberg, Chris Weiland, Mary Lou Broberg,
Gayle (Broberg) Lundgren.
concepts from several sources, including
modelers, the company’s research-anddevelopment
department, and
improvements they see possible to make
on current offerings.
Although the hobby segment is the
largest part of the business, Du-Bro’s
goods are used in several industries and in
products that are outside that realm. It
supplies items used by NASA (National
Aeronautics and Space Administration),
in musical instruments, in movies, in TV,
and in the military.
Du-Bro’s half century of commerce is a
testament to the vision of Dewey Broberg,
his family, and the employees.
Transitioning from a person selling one
product from a storeroom to a corporation
that employs 40 people and sells 1,200
products that are made in its 40,000-squarefoot
facility is quite an achievement.
Happy anniversary, Du-Bro! MA
—Jay Smith
[email protected]
See page 175 for “About Us”
submission guidelines.
07sig3.QXD 5/26/09 10:50 AM Page 75