Brand Portrait of Carson Model Sport: In Seventh Heaven

It usually begins in childhood. Once you’ve managed to keep control of a plane in the skies or a car on the road, you’ll get the passion for model building– and then all roads lead to Carson. A brand portrait. More…

Peter Ostermann doing what he loves most.

Men like to play. Maybe not all of them, but a lot. Everybody knows someone who is infamous for buying their son or nephew a model train or auto racing set – and then playing with it themselves. Or the fellow who can't help but get fired up when working with the kids on puzzles, chess or power Bobby Car riding. It's no surprise, really, since many men remain young and fanciful at heart for their entire lives. The idea that men can take that craving for play and make a career of it – now that's a bit more unusual. At Carson Model Sport, one of the brands in the Simba Dickie Group, three such specialists have come together. The three product managers do professionally what fascinates them in their leisure time. Product Manager Markus Söllner's heart belongs to racecars, colleague Basti Niethammer takes it a step further by participating in official championship races, while Senior Product Manager Peter Ostermann is crazy for anything that flies. The trio's passion ensures that Carson is perpetually one of the top names in RC model construction. There's a model for everyone in the catalog, from newcomer to world champ.

Unexpected dimensions

The Carson success story may be entering its second decade, but a new age has just begun: brushless technology for electric motors. Innovative motors featuring the technology have only been available internationally for a year or so now. The Carson team immediately recognized the potential involved and sought to implement the new technology into its own models. Maybe they moved a bit too fast, though: the move backfired at first. "When we turned on the first reconfigured car, everything blew up in our face," is how team leader Peter Ostermann remembers that disastrous first attempt. "The driveshafts were shattered, the entire chassis fell to pieces. We completely underestimated the brute propulsive power." That meant back to the drawing board for a redesign of the chassis geometry, including new materials capable of handling the power motor. The entire drive train is now made of hardened steel. Nobody had thought it possible for electric motors to produce that kind of power. Combustion motors had served as the benchmark to that point, particular in terms of speed. Yet the Porsche GT-3RS Brushless in 1:10 scale for example can drive at 55 km/h.

Record holder: The Porsche GT-3RS. Test pilots: Basti Niethammer and Peter Ostermann (r) check a buggy.

New technology – new joy

Brushless technology has been around in model airplanes for a bit longer. But flying is less a matter of speed and more of stable flying characteristics. The speedy electric motors does however offer many benefits. It is nowhere near as roaringly loud as combustion models, a major factor in strife between hobby enthusiasts and neighbors. Brushless motors buzz about quietly. The biggest change is the elimination of model plane fuel, a methanol/oil mixture that can be hard to come by (only in specialty stores and restricted to buyers 16 years and older). Buggy fans seeking breathtaking loops, jumps and uphill hijinks were initially speechless at the energy provided by the new models. Even the warm-up phase is shorter. Switch on the remote controller and off you go. The unexpected acceleration adds a new dimension to model sport.

Carson, trendsetters

One of the great things about Carson is that "we use the same chassis for all models in a series," explains Peter Ostermann. Specialized dealers love this, since it means that they don't have to stock a different batch of replacement parts every time a model is adapted. So while the core is in place, everything else can be varied "enabling us to experiment." The wheel doesn't have to be reinvented for each new model, only the design, color and extras. This is handled in coordination with the man on the ground in Hong Kong, Christian König, who oversees the products at the production facilities. The Carson committee showed its deft touch again, launching a 'mega-trend', as Ostermann confidently calls the development of the 'e-Stormracer extreme." This first buggy featuring a brushless motor is spot on. Trucks are the kings of off-road, while the buggies are usually found on racetracks – although they are naturally also capable of hitting the forests, meadows and beaches too. What’s more, most of the roughly 50 Carson models are RTR vehicles – Ready To Run!

A Crash is not a broken leg

Some ecstatic fans drive their high-tech models only in the living room, just so they don’t get dirty. For the wild boys who want their vehicles to see the world, the logistics center of the Simba Dickie Group in Sonneberg, Germany offers both replacement parts and repair services. There's also driving and endurance training on the main racetrack.

Another group of model building fans merits mention: truck enthusiasts. They aren't in it for turns, speed or daring jumps. "They want to be able to precisely maneuver their trucks with gigantic trailers, and they build up entire landscapes for their vehicles," Ostermann says. Or they file their bulldozing skills to perfection with true-to-life replicas of the Liebherr Laderaupe backhoe.

Cool entry-level model: The Stormracer FD is a RC buggy in 1:10 scale.

The dream of flight

And then there are the planes. Helicopters, part of the Carson program since 2007, are a magical draw for many. Advanced technology makes it possible for even an inexperienced hand to gain mastery of the flying object, which in turn has driven sales. Plastic models are available for as little as ten euros; more ambitious pilots can easily spend out several hundred euros. All Carson sets include a flight simulator. A bit of practice on the computer can be key in avoiding unintended flight maneuvers.

Peter Ostermann knows his way around the little flight joystick. As a former glider and motor plane pilot, one of his great joys in life is spending time on the weekend performing aerobatics out in a meadow. Ostermann loves the classics, the old-time glider models with a wingspan of over three meters. And he dreams "one day of developing a trailblazing innovation ahead of all of the competition."

On paper, Carson Model Sport is just a small part of the overall framework of the Simba Dickie Group. But it's importance is much bigger. And who knows what these men are capable of setting into motion. These men who still like to play.