At the AMA Convention in Ontario,
California, it is typical for an AMA meeting
to be held. Most of the time it is a “business
as usual” presentation, where current issues
are discussed and an up-to-date
announcement about the state of the
association is detailed. Imagine the
presidential “State of the Union” address on a
smaller scale.
The highlight of these meetings is when
local district members and association
representatives make awards presentations,
and the formal meeting then becomes a
family reunion where stories are shared about
what makes this hobby so great: its people.
One of AMA’s highest honors is the
Model Aviation Hall of Fame award. What
made the 2007 meeting remarkable was that
five District X Model Aviation Hall of Fame
inductees were honored.
One of the members to be inducted was
the late Bill Bennett, who recognized long
ago that model-aircraft pilots deserve the
same glamorous “air show” type of
recognition as the full-scale pilots enjoy.
Through Bill’s personal funding, the
Tournament of Champions (TOC) event
brought the best pilots in the world together
and put them in front of the best full-scale
aerobatic judges in the world to build what
many believe was the red-carpet event in
modeling.
As a result the TOC drew thousands of
spectators from around the world to watch
the outstanding (often groundbreaking)
aerobatics and see the latest innovations that
would soon become popular as a direct result
of that competition.
The presentation of awards opened with
the mention of Bill’s recognition ceremony at
William G. Bennett Airfield November 12,
2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
presentation was made during the Superfly V
event organized by District X Associate Vice
President Greg Clemensen. Bill’s personal
assistant Donny Weitz accepted the plaque in
his honor.
The catchphrase “tight turns” accurately
describes the Simitar model design’s
remarkable maneuverability. Through Bill
Evans’ research in slope flying, his Saracen
“tailless” glider was modified to fly with a
Cox .049. The aircraft’s performance was so
outstanding that it launched a series of more
than 75 Simitar models and 30 more that
were published as construction articles.
Several of the Simitar series’
characteristics made it superior in flight
performance to a conventional aircraft with
an aft-mounted horizontal stabilizer. A
Simitar would not stall, and it had a wider
speed range than conventional aircraft.
The Simitar design was aerodynamically
stable, and aerobatically it was able to
perform all the maneuvers a conventional
RC Aerobatics model could at the time. It
could also make tighter turns.
AMA President Dave Brown presented
Bill Evans with his Model Aviation Hall of
Fame award. In classic fashion, Bill accepted
the award with a speech that closed with the
phrase “tight turns,” which reminded us how
much fun the hobby still is to him.
Charles Mackey has been involved in
aeromodeling for more than 55 years. His
first contest was in Saint Louis, Missouri,
where he won CL Aerobatics and CL
Combat and took home the Grand Prize
trophy. Charles was a natural and continued
to place well in every competition he
entered.
He is best known for his many years of
employment with Cox Hobbies, serving in
many capacities until 1981.
“My model airplane experience gave me a
big edge at Cox,” he wrote.
The research for Charles’ book Pioneers
of Control Line Flying has helped preserve a
great portion of CL’s unique history. He has
written a number of biographies for the AMA
History Program and was appointed Associate
Historian of the program. In addition, Charles
was named to the ad hoc Model Aviation Hall
of Fame committee that rewrote the structures
and procedures for the program.
He has been looked up to as a hero to
many modelers, including AMA Associate
Vice President Jerry Neuberger who
presented him the Model Aviation Hall of
Fame honor with swelling eyes. In addition,
Eric Rule of RSM Distribution presented
Charles with a kit of his Blue Bird design. It is
an RSM tradition to present the first kit from
the production run to the model designer.
Charles “Chuck” Hollinger was one of the
first to recognize the importance of a high
Donny Weitz proudly accepted the late Bill Bennett’s Model Aviation Hall of Fame
award. Nelson Segel (R) is the sponsor/nominator for Mr. Bennett’s Hall of Fame
selection.
The Academy recently welcomed new Life Members
Christopher Hass (Rochester Hills MI), Matthew Fisher
(Fredericksburg TX), Gregory Alderman (Orwell OH),
Lowell Thompson (Phelan CA), Roxanne Cottrell (Mesa
AZ), Ed Willgress (Mundelein IL), Derek Braun (Chandler
AZ), Frank Phillips Jr. (Merrimack NH), and Glenn Corliss
(Leominster MA).
For information about becoming a Life Member, contact AMA
Headquarters at (800) 435-9262. MA
—AMA Membership Department
AMA Life Members, Welcome!
INtheAIR
10 MODEL AVIATION
Bill Evans accepts his Model Aviation Hall
of Fame award from AMA President Dave
Brown.
Charles Mackey accepts his Model
Aviation Hall of Fame award from
District X Associate Vice President
Jerry Neuberger.
In honor of her grandfather Charles
Hollinger, Natalie Faeney accepted his
Model Aviation Hall of Fame award
presented by AMA President Dave Brown.
Warren Williams accepts his Model
Aviation Hall of Fame award from AMA
President Dave Brown.
rubber-to-weight ratio. At the 1941 Nats he
flew a Cabin model with a thick pylon for
cross-section and a sticklike fuselage. It was
so lightweight that the aircraft couldn’t be
held in the traditional way. He developed the
technique of using aluminum tubing for the
rear motor anchor so it could be held with a
wire peg into the tubing.
Chuck has had plans published for a
number of models. They were not simply
built, but carefully thought out, going so far as
to construct a wind tunnel to confirm the
performance of his original airfoil designs.
“Chuck was interested in and got into
every type of model-airplane activity there
was and invented some of his own,” wrote his
old friend Francis Reynolds.
In honor of Chuck, his granddaughter
Natalie Faeney accepted his Hall of Fame
award, which was presented by AMA
President Dave Brown.
Warren Williams has been building and
flying models for more than 81 years. He has
competed in 12 Nats in five states and has set
five national records, one of which is still
current. He has gone to observe the FF Indoor
World Championships in Japan and Romania
and is an original member of the Thermal
Thumbers of Metro Atlanta.
Warren once built a Microfilm model with
a wingspan of more than 5 feet. The aircraft
flew for more than 20 minutes.
In the past 14 years more than 115,000
youth and adults have seen Warren’s models
fly in BEAMS (Boeing Employees’
Aerodynamic Modeling Society) programs
inside the Boeing hangar in Washington. The
crowd favorites are the ornithopters. Warren
has built and flown more than 250 indoor and
outdoor ornithopters of all sizes, from 10
inches to 28 inches, inspiring members to
build and fly their own models.
The last moving event of the AMA
meeting was the presentation of Warren’s Hall
of Fame award by AMA President Dave
Brown. MA
—MA staff
April 2007 11
Frequently Asked Questions About
AMA’s History Program
Q. What is the History Program?
A. The AMA History Program was developed in the late 1990s
to preserve the history of model aviation by compiling and
recording the biographies/autobiographies of modelers and the
histories of clubs, SIGs, companies, and other industry
associates.
Q. Who do I call for more information about the History
Program?
A. AMA Archivist and Assistant Historian Jackie Shalberg,
who can be reached at (765) 287-1256, extension 511, or at
[email protected], or AMA Historian Norm
Rosenstock, who can be reached at (561) 798-5154 (Florida
area code) or [email protected].
Q. How do I get started in writing a biography for the History
Program?
A. The History Program staff will supply a writing guide for
avid writers or a more rigid questionnaire form for those who
do not have time or do not want to write their own biographies
from scratch. You can find these forms online at www.modelair
craft.org/museum/history.asp.
Q. Do I have to write my own biography?
A. No. You can have another person write your biography or
you can contact the History Program personnel for other
options. A biography can be submitted as a taped interview,
done on the telephone with the historian/assistant historian, or
on a videotape. If you find yourself in the Muncie, Indiana,
area, you may make an appointment to be interviewed in person
by the assistant historian.
Q. Can I write someone else’s biography?
A. Yes; many people do this. Please submit the address of the
person for whom you are submitting the biography. That person
will be contacted before the biography is placed on the AMA
Web site so he or she can verify that the information can be
posted on the Web site and will be able to update and make any
changes to the biography before it is “published.”
Q. Where do I send finished biographies?
A. To the AMA History Program, c/o Jackie Shalberg, 5151 E.
Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302; as an E-mail attachment to
[email protected]; or faxed to (765) 281-7904,
Attn: History Program.
Q. What happens to the biographies and histories? Where can
I find them?
A. Biographies and histories are added to the museum Web
site under “History Program,” at www.modelaircraft.org/
museum/biolist.asp. They are also printed, bound, and placed in
the Lee Renaud Memorial Library at AMA Headquarters in
Muncie.
Q. Is the biography an obituary?
A. No. An obituary has an ending; our biographies are meant to
be ongoing and updated as people accomplish more. However,
we keep biographies of those who have passed on. MA
• This month’s construction article (plans 364) is for James Gilgenbach’s 40-size Pattern (RC
Aerobatics) design he calls the Neutron Star. With a weight that just exceeds 6 pounds and sleek lines,
this airplane is a real screamer.
• Larry Jolly reports that Mike Charles was a “very happy” Grand Champion when he won the $1,000
prize at the Pacific RC Soaring Association electric-power-only event.
“Those of us who love aeromodeling will be forced to alternative power sources,” wrote Larry.
• Assistant Executive Director Vince Mankowski informs us that the AMA building fund has reached
$68,590. The goal for groundbreaking is $100,000 of the new building in Reston, Virginia, with a final
goal of $160,000.
• Ron St. Jean proposes a new technique called “Structureless Foam Composites” (“SFC”). The worldfamous
designer of the Ramrod FF design shows how to cut wings from foam that are as strong and
light as balsa. He also describes his technique for covering and construction with SFC.
• James M. Petro’s article outlines his method of teaching kids to fly CL in school yards. Each step of his program is diagrammed
and explained so others can use his techniques to get our youth into the air.
• Fine Scale Modeler is to release its first publication as a test with the January issue. This magazine is aimed primarily at the plastic
builder, but Scale-flying model builders may find this an excellent source of data. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
25 Years Ago in MA: April 1982
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 9,10,11
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 9,10,11
At the AMA Convention in Ontario,
California, it is typical for an AMA meeting
to be held. Most of the time it is a “business
as usual” presentation, where current issues
are discussed and an up-to-date
announcement about the state of the
association is detailed. Imagine the
presidential “State of the Union” address on a
smaller scale.
The highlight of these meetings is when
local district members and association
representatives make awards presentations,
and the formal meeting then becomes a
family reunion where stories are shared about
what makes this hobby so great: its people.
One of AMA’s highest honors is the
Model Aviation Hall of Fame award. What
made the 2007 meeting remarkable was that
five District X Model Aviation Hall of Fame
inductees were honored.
One of the members to be inducted was
the late Bill Bennett, who recognized long
ago that model-aircraft pilots deserve the
same glamorous “air show” type of
recognition as the full-scale pilots enjoy.
Through Bill’s personal funding, the
Tournament of Champions (TOC) event
brought the best pilots in the world together
and put them in front of the best full-scale
aerobatic judges in the world to build what
many believe was the red-carpet event in
modeling.
As a result the TOC drew thousands of
spectators from around the world to watch
the outstanding (often groundbreaking)
aerobatics and see the latest innovations that
would soon become popular as a direct result
of that competition.
The presentation of awards opened with
the mention of Bill’s recognition ceremony at
William G. Bennett Airfield November 12,
2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
presentation was made during the Superfly V
event organized by District X Associate Vice
President Greg Clemensen. Bill’s personal
assistant Donny Weitz accepted the plaque in
his honor.
The catchphrase “tight turns” accurately
describes the Simitar model design’s
remarkable maneuverability. Through Bill
Evans’ research in slope flying, his Saracen
“tailless” glider was modified to fly with a
Cox .049. The aircraft’s performance was so
outstanding that it launched a series of more
than 75 Simitar models and 30 more that
were published as construction articles.
Several of the Simitar series’
characteristics made it superior in flight
performance to a conventional aircraft with
an aft-mounted horizontal stabilizer. A
Simitar would not stall, and it had a wider
speed range than conventional aircraft.
The Simitar design was aerodynamically
stable, and aerobatically it was able to
perform all the maneuvers a conventional
RC Aerobatics model could at the time. It
could also make tighter turns.
AMA President Dave Brown presented
Bill Evans with his Model Aviation Hall of
Fame award. In classic fashion, Bill accepted
the award with a speech that closed with the
phrase “tight turns,” which reminded us how
much fun the hobby still is to him.
Charles Mackey has been involved in
aeromodeling for more than 55 years. His
first contest was in Saint Louis, Missouri,
where he won CL Aerobatics and CL
Combat and took home the Grand Prize
trophy. Charles was a natural and continued
to place well in every competition he
entered.
He is best known for his many years of
employment with Cox Hobbies, serving in
many capacities until 1981.
“My model airplane experience gave me a
big edge at Cox,” he wrote.
The research for Charles’ book Pioneers
of Control Line Flying has helped preserve a
great portion of CL’s unique history. He has
written a number of biographies for the AMA
History Program and was appointed Associate
Historian of the program. In addition, Charles
was named to the ad hoc Model Aviation Hall
of Fame committee that rewrote the structures
and procedures for the program.
He has been looked up to as a hero to
many modelers, including AMA Associate
Vice President Jerry Neuberger who
presented him the Model Aviation Hall of
Fame honor with swelling eyes. In addition,
Eric Rule of RSM Distribution presented
Charles with a kit of his Blue Bird design. It is
an RSM tradition to present the first kit from
the production run to the model designer.
Charles “Chuck” Hollinger was one of the
first to recognize the importance of a high
Donny Weitz proudly accepted the late Bill Bennett’s Model Aviation Hall of Fame
award. Nelson Segel (R) is the sponsor/nominator for Mr. Bennett’s Hall of Fame
selection.
The Academy recently welcomed new Life Members
Christopher Hass (Rochester Hills MI), Matthew Fisher
(Fredericksburg TX), Gregory Alderman (Orwell OH),
Lowell Thompson (Phelan CA), Roxanne Cottrell (Mesa
AZ), Ed Willgress (Mundelein IL), Derek Braun (Chandler
AZ), Frank Phillips Jr. (Merrimack NH), and Glenn Corliss
(Leominster MA).
For information about becoming a Life Member, contact AMA
Headquarters at (800) 435-9262. MA
—AMA Membership Department
AMA Life Members, Welcome!
INtheAIR
10 MODEL AVIATION
Bill Evans accepts his Model Aviation Hall
of Fame award from AMA President Dave
Brown.
Charles Mackey accepts his Model
Aviation Hall of Fame award from
District X Associate Vice President
Jerry Neuberger.
In honor of her grandfather Charles
Hollinger, Natalie Faeney accepted his
Model Aviation Hall of Fame award
presented by AMA President Dave Brown.
Warren Williams accepts his Model
Aviation Hall of Fame award from AMA
President Dave Brown.
rubber-to-weight ratio. At the 1941 Nats he
flew a Cabin model with a thick pylon for
cross-section and a sticklike fuselage. It was
so lightweight that the aircraft couldn’t be
held in the traditional way. He developed the
technique of using aluminum tubing for the
rear motor anchor so it could be held with a
wire peg into the tubing.
Chuck has had plans published for a
number of models. They were not simply
built, but carefully thought out, going so far as
to construct a wind tunnel to confirm the
performance of his original airfoil designs.
“Chuck was interested in and got into
every type of model-airplane activity there
was and invented some of his own,” wrote his
old friend Francis Reynolds.
In honor of Chuck, his granddaughter
Natalie Faeney accepted his Hall of Fame
award, which was presented by AMA
President Dave Brown.
Warren Williams has been building and
flying models for more than 81 years. He has
competed in 12 Nats in five states and has set
five national records, one of which is still
current. He has gone to observe the FF Indoor
World Championships in Japan and Romania
and is an original member of the Thermal
Thumbers of Metro Atlanta.
Warren once built a Microfilm model with
a wingspan of more than 5 feet. The aircraft
flew for more than 20 minutes.
In the past 14 years more than 115,000
youth and adults have seen Warren’s models
fly in BEAMS (Boeing Employees’
Aerodynamic Modeling Society) programs
inside the Boeing hangar in Washington. The
crowd favorites are the ornithopters. Warren
has built and flown more than 250 indoor and
outdoor ornithopters of all sizes, from 10
inches to 28 inches, inspiring members to
build and fly their own models.
The last moving event of the AMA
meeting was the presentation of Warren’s Hall
of Fame award by AMA President Dave
Brown. MA
—MA staff
April 2007 11
Frequently Asked Questions About
AMA’s History Program
Q. What is the History Program?
A. The AMA History Program was developed in the late 1990s
to preserve the history of model aviation by compiling and
recording the biographies/autobiographies of modelers and the
histories of clubs, SIGs, companies, and other industry
associates.
Q. Who do I call for more information about the History
Program?
A. AMA Archivist and Assistant Historian Jackie Shalberg,
who can be reached at (765) 287-1256, extension 511, or at
[email protected], or AMA Historian Norm
Rosenstock, who can be reached at (561) 798-5154 (Florida
area code) or [email protected].
Q. How do I get started in writing a biography for the History
Program?
A. The History Program staff will supply a writing guide for
avid writers or a more rigid questionnaire form for those who
do not have time or do not want to write their own biographies
from scratch. You can find these forms online at www.modelair
craft.org/museum/history.asp.
Q. Do I have to write my own biography?
A. No. You can have another person write your biography or
you can contact the History Program personnel for other
options. A biography can be submitted as a taped interview,
done on the telephone with the historian/assistant historian, or
on a videotape. If you find yourself in the Muncie, Indiana,
area, you may make an appointment to be interviewed in person
by the assistant historian.
Q. Can I write someone else’s biography?
A. Yes; many people do this. Please submit the address of the
person for whom you are submitting the biography. That person
will be contacted before the biography is placed on the AMA
Web site so he or she can verify that the information can be
posted on the Web site and will be able to update and make any
changes to the biography before it is “published.”
Q. Where do I send finished biographies?
A. To the AMA History Program, c/o Jackie Shalberg, 5151 E.
Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302; as an E-mail attachment to
[email protected]; or faxed to (765) 281-7904,
Attn: History Program.
Q. What happens to the biographies and histories? Where can
I find them?
A. Biographies and histories are added to the museum Web
site under “History Program,” at www.modelaircraft.org/
museum/biolist.asp. They are also printed, bound, and placed in
the Lee Renaud Memorial Library at AMA Headquarters in
Muncie.
Q. Is the biography an obituary?
A. No. An obituary has an ending; our biographies are meant to
be ongoing and updated as people accomplish more. However,
we keep biographies of those who have passed on. MA
• This month’s construction article (plans 364) is for James Gilgenbach’s 40-size Pattern (RC
Aerobatics) design he calls the Neutron Star. With a weight that just exceeds 6 pounds and sleek lines,
this airplane is a real screamer.
• Larry Jolly reports that Mike Charles was a “very happy” Grand Champion when he won the $1,000
prize at the Pacific RC Soaring Association electric-power-only event.
“Those of us who love aeromodeling will be forced to alternative power sources,” wrote Larry.
• Assistant Executive Director Vince Mankowski informs us that the AMA building fund has reached
$68,590. The goal for groundbreaking is $100,000 of the new building in Reston, Virginia, with a final
goal of $160,000.
• Ron St. Jean proposes a new technique called “Structureless Foam Composites” (“SFC”). The worldfamous
designer of the Ramrod FF design shows how to cut wings from foam that are as strong and
light as balsa. He also describes his technique for covering and construction with SFC.
• James M. Petro’s article outlines his method of teaching kids to fly CL in school yards. Each step of his program is diagrammed
and explained so others can use his techniques to get our youth into the air.
• Fine Scale Modeler is to release its first publication as a test with the January issue. This magazine is aimed primarily at the plastic
builder, but Scale-flying model builders may find this an excellent source of data. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
25 Years Ago in MA: April 1982
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/04
Page Numbers: 9,10,11
At the AMA Convention in Ontario,
California, it is typical for an AMA meeting
to be held. Most of the time it is a “business
as usual” presentation, where current issues
are discussed and an up-to-date
announcement about the state of the
association is detailed. Imagine the
presidential “State of the Union” address on a
smaller scale.
The highlight of these meetings is when
local district members and association
representatives make awards presentations,
and the formal meeting then becomes a
family reunion where stories are shared about
what makes this hobby so great: its people.
One of AMA’s highest honors is the
Model Aviation Hall of Fame award. What
made the 2007 meeting remarkable was that
five District X Model Aviation Hall of Fame
inductees were honored.
One of the members to be inducted was
the late Bill Bennett, who recognized long
ago that model-aircraft pilots deserve the
same glamorous “air show” type of
recognition as the full-scale pilots enjoy.
Through Bill’s personal funding, the
Tournament of Champions (TOC) event
brought the best pilots in the world together
and put them in front of the best full-scale
aerobatic judges in the world to build what
many believe was the red-carpet event in
modeling.
As a result the TOC drew thousands of
spectators from around the world to watch
the outstanding (often groundbreaking)
aerobatics and see the latest innovations that
would soon become popular as a direct result
of that competition.
The presentation of awards opened with
the mention of Bill’s recognition ceremony at
William G. Bennett Airfield November 12,
2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
presentation was made during the Superfly V
event organized by District X Associate Vice
President Greg Clemensen. Bill’s personal
assistant Donny Weitz accepted the plaque in
his honor.
The catchphrase “tight turns” accurately
describes the Simitar model design’s
remarkable maneuverability. Through Bill
Evans’ research in slope flying, his Saracen
“tailless” glider was modified to fly with a
Cox .049. The aircraft’s performance was so
outstanding that it launched a series of more
than 75 Simitar models and 30 more that
were published as construction articles.
Several of the Simitar series’
characteristics made it superior in flight
performance to a conventional aircraft with
an aft-mounted horizontal stabilizer. A
Simitar would not stall, and it had a wider
speed range than conventional aircraft.
The Simitar design was aerodynamically
stable, and aerobatically it was able to
perform all the maneuvers a conventional
RC Aerobatics model could at the time. It
could also make tighter turns.
AMA President Dave Brown presented
Bill Evans with his Model Aviation Hall of
Fame award. In classic fashion, Bill accepted
the award with a speech that closed with the
phrase “tight turns,” which reminded us how
much fun the hobby still is to him.
Charles Mackey has been involved in
aeromodeling for more than 55 years. His
first contest was in Saint Louis, Missouri,
where he won CL Aerobatics and CL
Combat and took home the Grand Prize
trophy. Charles was a natural and continued
to place well in every competition he
entered.
He is best known for his many years of
employment with Cox Hobbies, serving in
many capacities until 1981.
“My model airplane experience gave me a
big edge at Cox,” he wrote.
The research for Charles’ book Pioneers
of Control Line Flying has helped preserve a
great portion of CL’s unique history. He has
written a number of biographies for the AMA
History Program and was appointed Associate
Historian of the program. In addition, Charles
was named to the ad hoc Model Aviation Hall
of Fame committee that rewrote the structures
and procedures for the program.
He has been looked up to as a hero to
many modelers, including AMA Associate
Vice President Jerry Neuberger who
presented him the Model Aviation Hall of
Fame honor with swelling eyes. In addition,
Eric Rule of RSM Distribution presented
Charles with a kit of his Blue Bird design. It is
an RSM tradition to present the first kit from
the production run to the model designer.
Charles “Chuck” Hollinger was one of the
first to recognize the importance of a high
Donny Weitz proudly accepted the late Bill Bennett’s Model Aviation Hall of Fame
award. Nelson Segel (R) is the sponsor/nominator for Mr. Bennett’s Hall of Fame
selection.
The Academy recently welcomed new Life Members
Christopher Hass (Rochester Hills MI), Matthew Fisher
(Fredericksburg TX), Gregory Alderman (Orwell OH),
Lowell Thompson (Phelan CA), Roxanne Cottrell (Mesa
AZ), Ed Willgress (Mundelein IL), Derek Braun (Chandler
AZ), Frank Phillips Jr. (Merrimack NH), and Glenn Corliss
(Leominster MA).
For information about becoming a Life Member, contact AMA
Headquarters at (800) 435-9262. MA
—AMA Membership Department
AMA Life Members, Welcome!
INtheAIR
10 MODEL AVIATION
Bill Evans accepts his Model Aviation Hall
of Fame award from AMA President Dave
Brown.
Charles Mackey accepts his Model
Aviation Hall of Fame award from
District X Associate Vice President
Jerry Neuberger.
In honor of her grandfather Charles
Hollinger, Natalie Faeney accepted his
Model Aviation Hall of Fame award
presented by AMA President Dave Brown.
Warren Williams accepts his Model
Aviation Hall of Fame award from AMA
President Dave Brown.
rubber-to-weight ratio. At the 1941 Nats he
flew a Cabin model with a thick pylon for
cross-section and a sticklike fuselage. It was
so lightweight that the aircraft couldn’t be
held in the traditional way. He developed the
technique of using aluminum tubing for the
rear motor anchor so it could be held with a
wire peg into the tubing.
Chuck has had plans published for a
number of models. They were not simply
built, but carefully thought out, going so far as
to construct a wind tunnel to confirm the
performance of his original airfoil designs.
“Chuck was interested in and got into
every type of model-airplane activity there
was and invented some of his own,” wrote his
old friend Francis Reynolds.
In honor of Chuck, his granddaughter
Natalie Faeney accepted his Hall of Fame
award, which was presented by AMA
President Dave Brown.
Warren Williams has been building and
flying models for more than 81 years. He has
competed in 12 Nats in five states and has set
five national records, one of which is still
current. He has gone to observe the FF Indoor
World Championships in Japan and Romania
and is an original member of the Thermal
Thumbers of Metro Atlanta.
Warren once built a Microfilm model with
a wingspan of more than 5 feet. The aircraft
flew for more than 20 minutes.
In the past 14 years more than 115,000
youth and adults have seen Warren’s models
fly in BEAMS (Boeing Employees’
Aerodynamic Modeling Society) programs
inside the Boeing hangar in Washington. The
crowd favorites are the ornithopters. Warren
has built and flown more than 250 indoor and
outdoor ornithopters of all sizes, from 10
inches to 28 inches, inspiring members to
build and fly their own models.
The last moving event of the AMA
meeting was the presentation of Warren’s Hall
of Fame award by AMA President Dave
Brown. MA
—MA staff
April 2007 11
Frequently Asked Questions About
AMA’s History Program
Q. What is the History Program?
A. The AMA History Program was developed in the late 1990s
to preserve the history of model aviation by compiling and
recording the biographies/autobiographies of modelers and the
histories of clubs, SIGs, companies, and other industry
associates.
Q. Who do I call for more information about the History
Program?
A. AMA Archivist and Assistant Historian Jackie Shalberg,
who can be reached at (765) 287-1256, extension 511, or at
[email protected], or AMA Historian Norm
Rosenstock, who can be reached at (561) 798-5154 (Florida
area code) or [email protected].
Q. How do I get started in writing a biography for the History
Program?
A. The History Program staff will supply a writing guide for
avid writers or a more rigid questionnaire form for those who
do not have time or do not want to write their own biographies
from scratch. You can find these forms online at www.modelair
craft.org/museum/history.asp.
Q. Do I have to write my own biography?
A. No. You can have another person write your biography or
you can contact the History Program personnel for other
options. A biography can be submitted as a taped interview,
done on the telephone with the historian/assistant historian, or
on a videotape. If you find yourself in the Muncie, Indiana,
area, you may make an appointment to be interviewed in person
by the assistant historian.
Q. Can I write someone else’s biography?
A. Yes; many people do this. Please submit the address of the
person for whom you are submitting the biography. That person
will be contacted before the biography is placed on the AMA
Web site so he or she can verify that the information can be
posted on the Web site and will be able to update and make any
changes to the biography before it is “published.”
Q. Where do I send finished biographies?
A. To the AMA History Program, c/o Jackie Shalberg, 5151 E.
Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302; as an E-mail attachment to
[email protected]; or faxed to (765) 281-7904,
Attn: History Program.
Q. What happens to the biographies and histories? Where can
I find them?
A. Biographies and histories are added to the museum Web
site under “History Program,” at www.modelaircraft.org/
museum/biolist.asp. They are also printed, bound, and placed in
the Lee Renaud Memorial Library at AMA Headquarters in
Muncie.
Q. Is the biography an obituary?
A. No. An obituary has an ending; our biographies are meant to
be ongoing and updated as people accomplish more. However,
we keep biographies of those who have passed on. MA
• This month’s construction article (plans 364) is for James Gilgenbach’s 40-size Pattern (RC
Aerobatics) design he calls the Neutron Star. With a weight that just exceeds 6 pounds and sleek lines,
this airplane is a real screamer.
• Larry Jolly reports that Mike Charles was a “very happy” Grand Champion when he won the $1,000
prize at the Pacific RC Soaring Association electric-power-only event.
“Those of us who love aeromodeling will be forced to alternative power sources,” wrote Larry.
• Assistant Executive Director Vince Mankowski informs us that the AMA building fund has reached
$68,590. The goal for groundbreaking is $100,000 of the new building in Reston, Virginia, with a final
goal of $160,000.
• Ron St. Jean proposes a new technique called “Structureless Foam Composites” (“SFC”). The worldfamous
designer of the Ramrod FF design shows how to cut wings from foam that are as strong and
light as balsa. He also describes his technique for covering and construction with SFC.
• James M. Petro’s article outlines his method of teaching kids to fly CL in school yards. Each step of his program is diagrammed
and explained so others can use his techniques to get our youth into the air.
• Fine Scale Modeler is to release its first publication as a test with the January issue. This magazine is aimed primarily at the plastic
builder, but Scale-flying model builders may find this an excellent source of data. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
25 Years Ago in MA: April 1982