Graupner modellbau history
1930
GRAUPNER company is founded in Stuttgart/Wangen. Johannes Graupner takes over the department “Cannstatt fretsaw patterns” from his former employer and sets up on his own. He transfers his company’s seat to Kirchheim/Teck and starts working in rented rooms with only a few employees. This branch, however, is not sufficient for the determined businessman. He looks for further possibilities to expand the line and realizes the youths’ growing interest in aircraft and ship model-building.
1935
GRAUPNER puts the first kits of gliders called “Graubele” on the market. By aircraft competitions, he succeeds in filling the young people with enthusiasm for model-building. The company moves to rooms of their own in the same year. In the meantime, the firm has grown to about 20 employees. GRAUPNER is the only company to supply model-building products exclusively through hobby shops to ensure qualified technical consultation for the distribution of its products.
1938
In summer, Johannes Graupner extends his delivery line with kits an manuals for shipmodels.
1953
The sudden death of its founder in December constitutes a bad blow for the company. The son, Hans Graupner, takes over the management at the age of twenty-four. At the beginning, his mother supports him in any possible way. Being an active aircraft model pilot himself and having an antenna for current requirements in the model-building branch, Hans Graupner fulfils his tasks successfully. General interest in model-building and the demand for it is growing from year to year. The company is extended continuously.
1954
The first federal UHU competition takes place on Braunschweig/Waggum airport on 1st August 1954 during the German Model Flight Championships in free flight of the German Aeroclub.
1956
Price of the GRAUPNER aircraft kit DER KLEINE UHU is DM 4.80 (1956). In the first year, 30,000 young people take part in the competitions.
1957
The company of GRAUPNER takes over the distribution of the Japanese O.S. engines. O.S. company is the leading producer of model combustion engines worldwide.
1961
The Russian ambassador Smirnov comes to see the GRAUPNER booth n the Nuremberg Toy Fair.
1962
The company bursts at the seams. Production rooms are built up in Henriettenstraße in Kirchheim/Teck. This is the beginning of the cooperation with GRUNDIG in R/C sector.
1963
The first traditional slope soaring competition “Teckpokal”.
1967
GRAUPNER presents the first prototype of a wankel rotary engine together with O.S. company and the Wankel Institute in Lindau.
1969
Warehouse and administration offices are also transferred to Henriettenstraße.
1976
Foundation of the subsidiary company of “EBAGEC” in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Essential step to secure the balsa supply. A fully automatic shelf unit is built up in the warehouse to increase the storing capacity considerably.
1983
Start of cooperation with company of JR in Japan in the R/C sector. Launching of the successful range of computer radios mc-18, mc-20 and mc-24.
1987
The electric flight sector enjoys large-scale popularity thanks to the presentation of the model ELEKTRO-UHU and through the yearly UHU competitions, where ELEKTRO-UHU is also accepted now.
1995
GRAUPNER acquires the internationally known helicopter model firm HEIM and integrates it into business.
1998
GRAUPNER is the first company of the branch with a homepage of its own.
2000
GRAUPNER company celebrates is 70th anniversary. By integrating GM-RACING, an internationally leading firm in car model-building, the product line is extended with highquality electronic speed controllers, high-performance car motors, GMVIS treated and selected accu cells and competition RC cars. On the Nuremberg Toy Fair, GRAUPNER presents the new model turbine JetCat P80 and the JetTrainer HOTSPOT.
2001
Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder visits the GRAUPNER booth on the Nuremberg Toy Fair. Jutta Kleinschmid, winner of the 2001 Parisï€Dakar rallye, presents the GRAUPNER Mitsubishi Pajero 1:10 car model in Nuremberg. GRAUPNER presents the first fuel cell-powered radio-controller car model. 25th anniversary of subsidiary company of EBAGEC in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Presentation of a single-shaft turbine for helicopter models on the Dortmund Show.
2002
The company of GRAUPNER presents the first series-produced helicopter model with turbine power system. The Voith-Schneider drive unit for ship models is presented in cooperation with the firm "Voith Schiffstechnik" in Heidenheim.
2003
GRAUPNER, exhibitor at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg for the 50th time. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Felix Wankel, GRAUPNER offered a limited Gold edition of the model engine.
Mr Gerhard Stratthaus, Finance Minister for the Baden-Württemberg region visited GRAUPNER.
The 14th World Championship in category F3B (radio controlled sailplane models) took place at the Hahnweide in Kirchheim/Teck, Germany. GRAUPNER was the main sponsor of this competition.
More than 3,500 model shops participated in the competition “R/C modelling”. GRAUPNER, the winner was awarded by “markt intern”, a German trade association, being the Number 1, the most competent partner for hobby shops.
2004
At the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, GRAUPNER presented the first mass-produced Turboprop power unit. Moreover the Gold edition of the r/c system mc-24 was presented as a novelty.
Hans Graupner received the “Stauffer” prize, an award from the Baden-Württemberg region.
In Germany, the first, automatically running warehousing system for small parts, called OSR (Order – Storage & Retrieval) starts working at GRAUPNER.
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