The addition will be located on the
northeast side of the museum building. It
will increase the structure’s space, providing
Academy staff with the opportunity to
improve educational programming in a firstrate
classroom atmosphere and meet a
bigger demand for school visits. This
facility will also serve the various needs of
AMA members.
McCullough began aeromodeling as a
young boy in 1935, and he entered his first
AMA Nats in 1941. Throughout the years,
he won many plaques and trophies based on
his keen flying ability.
He wrote articles, had published model
airplane plans, and edited for some of the
most famous aeromodeling magazines of his
time. He also designed and built model
airplane parts such as transmitters, receivers,
and escapements.
McCullough served as AMA president
from 1957 to 1958, held many other
positions with the AMA, and served on
than 100 trophies, including national
firsts in events including CL Scale,
rubber-powered Scale, gas-powered
Scale, and Towline Gliders. At one
time, they held three national records.
Doc designed and had published
more than 69 construction articles,
ranging from tiny CO2-powered sport
FF airplanes to 80-inch-wingspan, 15-
pound sport RC models. He wrote more
than 17 product reviews and how-to
articles. Eight of Doc’s designs are
kitted on royalty by Ace R/C, and two
more are kitted by other manufacturers.
Doc wrote for MA for
approximately 30 years. He authored
the bimonthly “Old Timers” column
from February 1978 until December
1990. In January 1991, the column was
changed to a broader format and named
“Flying for Fun.” Doc wrote it until his
retirement.
“Flying for Fun” generated approximately
20 letters each month, containing questions or
requests, all of which he made sure to answer.
In e-mail correspondence with MA Editor
Michael Ramsey, Doc wrote:
“It’s only fair to point out to you that I’ve
outlived an awful lot of editors through the
years! I go back to volume one, issue one with
Model Aviation and Bill Winter. Even more
freaky: I did a lot of stuff for Don McGovern,
Art Schroeder, and Dick Kid. Now that is
frightening!”
“Flying for Fun” columnist D.B. “Doc”
Mathews retired from MA after his February
2008 column. He spent approximately 30
years as a contributing editor for the magazine
but had to step down from the post to focus on
improving his health.
Born Dee B. Mathews, Doc was raised in
Kansas. He received a Bachelor of Arts in
General Science from Fort Hays Kansas State
University. He attended the University of
Missouri at Kansas City for his Doctor of
Dental Surgery degree.
Doc graduated from dental school in 1957
and served as a dental officer (Captain) in the
US Air Force. He spent 25 years in a private
practice in Greensburg, Kansas, and then
moved to Wichita in 1985, where he has
practiced dentistry since.
He is an avid modeler and has been so
almost continually for more than 60 years.
Doc has built and flown hand-launched
gliders, FF models, and RC aircraft. At age 7,
he was building and flying the classic Comet,
Megow, and Ace Wittman dime-store models.
For Doc’s 13th birthday, he received a
Vivell .35 gas engine. He flew his first CL
model when he was 14.
“The first time I ever saw a Control Line
model in flight, I had the handle in my hand!”
wrote Doc in his AMA History Program
autobiography.
He tried RC in 1953 but went back to FF
and CL until 1973. Through the 1960s and
1970s, Doc and his two sons competed
regionally and nationally. They won more
INtheAIR
AMA HEADQUARTERS AND MEMBER NEWS
July 2009 9
Doc Mathews Retires From MA
In his autobiography Doc wrote:
“I could go on and on with soupy stuff
about my lifetime fascination with building
and flying model airplanes, but the best way I
can express it is my desired epitaph: ‘He
brought some moments of good fun to a lot of
modelers.’”
In honor of Doc’s service to MA, the
“Flying for Fun” column was retired along
with him. AMA and Model Aviation thank
Doc for everything he has done throughout
the years. He will be missed as a columnist,
but his articles will continue to be read and
remembered. MA
—Ashley Rauen
AMA Communications Specialist
The AMA is excited to announce that, on
April 3, 2009, at the Toledo Weak Signals’
55th annual R/C Expo in Ohio, the Claude
McCullough Estate made a donation for the
construction of an educational facility. It is to
be built at the National Model Aviation
Museum, located at the AMA’s International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
several AMA committees. He was inducted
into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame in
1979 and the Society of Antique Modelers
Hall of Fame in 1991.
Final designs for the educational
facility will be completed by the time you
receive this issue of MA, and it is hoped
that groundbreaking will take place soon
thereafter. The goal is to have the facility
completed by the first part of the 2009 school
year. Updates will be highlighted on the
museum’s Web page at www.modelair
craft.org/museum.aspx.
The McCullough Estate donated
$150,000 to this venture. It is expected that
an additional $50,000 will be required to
complete the project. If you would like to
help fund the remaining costs, please call
the AMA at (765) 287-1256, to speak with
Michael Smith at extension 500 or Craig
Schroeder at extension 263. MA
—Michael Smith
National Model Aviation Museum Director
A conceptualized drawing of the McCullough
Educational Facility.
Educational Facility to Be Built at IAC
07sig1.QXD 5/22/09 11:45 AM Page 9
Dear Friends Bob and Rae Underwood
Are Honored
Under the guise of a dinner out with fellow
AMA Education Committee members on
Saturday April 25, 2009, Bob and Rae
Underwood arrived at the Horizon Convention
Center in Muncie, Indiana. What actually
awaited them was a surprise banquet honoring
their roughly 50 years of service to
aeromodeling and the AMA.
In his opening words, Academy President
Dave Mathewson referred to Bob and Rae as
“remarkable people.”
The ballroom was filled with smiles and
laughter. Strikingly obvious was that Bob and
Rae have dedicated their lives to family and
friends. In attendance were the Underwoods’
daughter, Cathy Underwood; their daughter,
Anne Soloman; her husband, Greg Soloman;
and their children, Alexandra, Nicholas, and
Benjamin.
AMA employees Rob Kurek, Erin Dobbs,
Yolanda Jones, April Hathaway, and Jack
Frost organized the event. The master of
ceremonies for the evening was Education
Committee Chairman Gordon Schimmel, and
several people took the podium to honor Bob
and Rae.
“Celebrations are an important ritual for
any organization to remind [us] about what is
really important,” he said. “That’s the people.”
Dave Brown, former AMA president,
referred to Bob as “[A] smiling, always
gracious man, [and a] tremendous resource.”
Throughout the evening, a slideshow that
Mark Lanterman, MA’s advertising
representative, generated was shown. It
highlighted many of Bob’s credentials and
included photos of the Underwood family.
Visit the AMA Web site to view this
slideshow.
During his speech, AMA Executive
Director Jim Cherry declared that Webster’s
should be consulted for dictionary revisions.
He said that when we look up the words
“friend,” “mentor,” “historian,” “confidant,”
and “perfect couple,” we should see pictures of
Bob and Rae.
From that point, several presentations of
certificates, honors, and memorabilia were
made. AMA bestows the Hall of
Partners Extraordinaire (HOPE)
award in recognition of a spouse’s
exceptional devotion, untiring
efforts, and loving support. Sally
Brown, the wife of Dave Brown,
presented this to Rae.
“A friend isn’t one special
thing; it’s one million different
things,” said Sally, who credited
Rae with helping her get through 12
years of being the Academy’s
president’s wife.
Rae’s first AMA Nats was in
Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 1974.
Bored and looking for something to
do, she was invited to help some of
the other modelers’ wives with
various tasks. Her devoted spirit led
her to go on to help at World
Championships, Nats, Scale
contests, etc.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Rae
of her volunteer work with the AMA.
Joyce Hager, AMA’s administrative
director, recalled attending many shows with
Rae and said she couldn’t have done it without
her.
“I couldn’t think of a better couple to work
with,” said Joyce of Bob and Rae. Then she
presented the couple with AMA’s
Distinguished Service Award.
The Outstanding Service Award for
Couples is “Presented in recognition and
appreciation of two individuals who, as a
team, have given of themselves to the
Academy in a consistent, selfless and
untiring manner for many years, providing
an unmatched example of volunteerism to
all.”
Dave Mathewson presented this honor
to Bob and Rae. It’s a perpetual plaque that
will be engraved with future recipients and
kept at AMA HQ.
AMA Education Coordinator April
Hathaway presented the Underwoods with two
photo collages comprising pictures of their
activities throughout their time with the
AMA.
In addition, all banquet attendees signed
the mat of a framed photo of Bob, Rae, and
their daughters that was presented to the
couple. The picture was taken at the 1980
Scale World Championships in Ottawa,
Canada.
Rob Kurek, AMA’s director of
publications, read a letter to the crowd from
Travis and Barbara McGinnis, who were
unable to attend. Travis has been Bob’s
partner in RC Scale and Aerobatics
competitions, and both men and their wives
were teachers.
Travis defined his relationship with Bob as
“a lifetime of friendship combined with a
passion for teaching and modeling.”
A letter was also read from longtime AMA
volunteers Ron and Jane Morgan, who could
not attend because of family obligations.
The President’s Award is “Presented in
recognition and appreciation of nearly 50 years
of contributions to the sport of model aviation
and the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
These contributions exemplify the true spirit of
association volunteerism and outstanding
performance as an AMA employee.” Dave
Mathewson bestowed this honor to Bob.
To close the gala, Bob and Rae recalled
fond memories of traveling to World
Championships with Stan Alexander and his
wife, Esther; moving in 1985 from teaching in
Saint Louis, Missouri, to Reston, Virginia, so
Bob could take a job as AMA’s technical
director; and of working with the Academy
since then. They recognized many people who
have been a part of their lives during their
involvement with the AMA.
The Underwoods closed the ceremonies as
it began, with smiles and laughter.
“We’ll continue to do whatever we can;
don’t hesitate to call if you need something,”
said Bob. “We’ll continue to muddle through
and enjoy the friendships.”
To learn more about Bob Underwood’s
history with the Academy, you can read his
autobiography at www.modelaircraft.org/
tuv.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
MA Editor
INtheAIR
10 MODEL AVIATION
As Bob and Rae Underwood enter the banquet hall,
they are embraced by their family. Bill Oberdeick photo.
Shown with the memorabilia they received, Bob and
Rae (center) are flanked by the AMA employees
who orchestrated the surprise event (L-R): Jack
Frost, April Hathaway, Erin Dobbs, and Rob Kurek.
Oberdeick photo.
Bob Underwood is compelled to
fight gravity’s pull as his wife, Rae,
smiles back at family and friends
cheering “Surprise!”
07sig1.QXD 5/26/09 8:45 AM Page 10
INtheAIR
July 2009 11
• This month’s cover shows Karen Hellyer holding the
Super Chicken: a Balsa USA Taube that Richard E.
Hellyer, her father, modified extensively. The technique
he used is described in an article in this issue.
• Bill Winter’s LeCrate (plans 446) is the featured RC
construction article. Its 05 motor for direct drive or gear
reduction provides the model with a flight time that exceeds
10 minutes. This three-channel design is well behaved and
can be built either as a cabin or parasol model.
• The other RC construction article is the 1/2A Miss America
by D.B. Mathews. It is a smaller version of Frank Zaic’s
immortal design, spanning 49 inches.
• James G. Ruggiero presents this month’s CL model: the Sorta Kanary (plans 447),
which has the appealing appearance of a full-scale biplane. The magazine includes fullsize
plans for this design.
• The PAT-1 (Piper Advanced Trainer) had the potential to become a commercial
success, but when the single prototype that was built crashed, it cast a shadow on the
design’s future.
Robert Womack revives this design in an FF Peanut Scale version that is a delight to
build and fly. The full-scale plans are in this issue.
• New products for this month include Ace R/C’s Voltmaster battery checker, which
costs $24.95 for a kit or $29.95 assembled. The company also offers its Olympic V
Radio System for $149.95. Kraft announces the release of its KP4KB four-channel
radio with servo reversing on all channels for $229.95. Royal Products is selling its .40
RC engine for $84.95. It’s the first of a line of power plants that the company intends to
introduce in 1984. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
25 Years Ago in MA: July 1984
This year alone, the Academy has given
more than $32,000 to clubs that have
participated in the Flying Site Development
Improvement Grant Program.
Even though the money has already been
awarded for 2009, you can apply for next
year. The 2010 applications have not been
completed; please keep checking back for
the updated application that will be posted
on the Academy’s Web site. Applying is
easy!
Congratulations to all clubs that received
grant money. To those that did not, we
extend our best wishes for a successful 2009
flying season and we hope you apply again
next year.
The winners are as follows. MA
District I
East Coast Swamp Flyers: $520.00
District III
Blennerhassett Area RC Club: $460.00
District V
Scenic RC Flyers: $500.00
Manatee County Radio Controllers: $600.00
District VI
Southeast Missouri Modelers Association:
$316.89
Radio Signal Modelers: $200.00
Peoria RC Modelers: $1,570.00
District VII
Kent Radio Aero Modelers Inc.: $450.00
River District RC Eagles: $100.00
District VIII
Central Arkansas Model Aviators
Association: $426.47
RC Field and New Orleans Model Aviation
Club: $900.00
Spring Area Radio Kontrol Society: $1,640.00
Wings Miniature Aircraft Society: $1,730.00
El Paso Radio Controllers: $3,000.00
Horizon City RC Flyers: $5,000.00
District IX
Laramie Barnstormers: $1,000.00
District X
Woodland Davis Aeromodelers: $5,000.00
Peninsula Channel Commanders: $1,040.00
Harbor Soaring Society: $3,250.00
Chino Valley Model Aviators: $350.00
Corona RC Club, Inc.: $500.00
District XI
Seattle Area Soaring Society: $5,000.00 MA
—Erin Dobbs
Programs Coordinator
Attend the VR/CS
Celebration of R/C
The Vintage R/C Society (VR/CS) is planning a major event for 2009! It will host
the Celebration of R/C September 22-26 at the AMA’s International Aeromodeling
Center in Muncie, Indiana.
This gathering will draw hundreds of modelers from across the US and Canada.
Many activities are planned that will focus on our RC history, to include open flying all
five days; flying categories for vintage models; and static displays featuring those
vintage models, vintage RC systems, vintage engines, and vintage kit manufacturers.
Following is the event schedule.
Tuesday September 22:
• Concours judging featuring Pioneer (pre-1955) and Classic models (pre-1965)
Wednesday September 23:
• Concours judging featuring Nostalgia models (1965-1974)
Thursday September 24:
• Bus trip to the Air Force museum (Dayton OH)
• Practice-flying
Friday September 25:
• Morning—Rudder Only (Class I) International Championships
• Afternoon—Class II Pattern
Saturday September 26:
• Morning: Class III Pattern
• Afternoon: Scale
• Evening banquet with speaker and special awards
• Pioneer, Classic, Vintage (pre-1974) Concours awards
• Pattern awards
• Scale awards MA
—Bob Noll, VR/CS President
[email protected]
2009 Flying Site
Grant Winners
Announced
07sig1.QXD 5/22/09 11:45 AM Page 11
cold winter months.
They could have
threatened to ground
the model’s progress
with extreme cold,
high winds, and deep
snows. At roughly
that time, the
decision was made to
head the SQuiRT
south to sunny
Florida.
However, those
Northern pilots are a
hardy bunch; they
continued to fly the
airplane, with snow
skis attached, in
roughly 20°
temperatures and with winds blowing as fast
as 15 mph. The SQuiRT continued its western
movement all the way to Lake Erie and then
headed south as quickly as possible to
warmer, sunnier climates.
Christmastime found the SQuiRT in
Gandeeville, West Virginia, being flown by
Chuck Westfall (pilot 84) in the coldest
temperatures on the tour so far: 17°. The
model celebrated New Year’s Eve with Marc
Johnston (pilot 85) on January 1, 2009, on a
beautiful winter day in Beckley, West
Virginia.
To commemorate the 97 flights of 2008,
Don Jiskra of Darien, Illinois, created a photo
collage showing all of that year’s pilots.
WAA-08 continued, taking a
southeasterly route and finally
arriving in sunny Florida on
March 22. There, Red Scholefield
(pilot 98) gave the SQuiRT a
long-overdue checkup and
inspected the four Apogee
batteries; he concluded that they
were doing fine. The model
headed west to Richard Feezel
(pilot 100) of Tallahassee,
Florida.
A decision was made to stop
progress and take the airplane to
the Southeast Electric Flight
Festival (SEFF), held May 1-3.
Richard and Steve Cooper (pilot
101) exhibited the model and a
few displays to help expose SEFF
attendees to the endeavor.
To help in that effort, Warren
at Grumpy Monkey Designs
made a 24 x 36-inch vinyl banner
sporting the WAA-08 logo. The
sign will travel with the SQuiRT
and will be displayed as each new
pilot flies it.
The level of enthusiasm,
camaraderie, and willingness to
help that the WAA-08 pilots have
INtheAIR
12 MODEL AVIATION
May 24, 2009, marked the one-year
anniversary of the SQuiRT’s maiden flight,
which began the Wings Across America
Adventure 2008 (WAA-08). In this endeavor,
a group of aeromodeling enthusiasts has
organized to pilot an RC model across the US.
After each person flies the airplane, he or
she delivers it by hand to the next pilot. This
creates a “chain” of people who will fly the
SQuiRT across the country and back to the
starting point.
On that warm spring evening last year, I
hand-launched the SQuiRT into calm air in
Gloucester, Virginia, for the beginning of a
14,000-mile journey, during which the
airplane would take off and land in all 48
contiguous states.
That first flight, which was uneventful by
any standard, has been followed by 130 more.
Much has happened in a year’s time, as the
adventure continues. The SQuiRT made its
way through Virginia, headed east into
Delaware, and turned north through New
Jersey and into the other New England states.
The WAA-08 model was stopped briefly
at the NEAT [Northeast Electric Aircraft
Technology] Fair, held September 12-14. Bill
Stevens, the SQuiRT’s designer, flew it
during one of the event’s noon
demonstrations and put it on display for the
gathering’s attendees.
The airplane’s journey continued into the
cooler months, crossing the Vermont border
into New York on November 10, which put it
in a race to avoid western New York state’s
Wings Across America 2008:
A Year Old and Going Strong!
The collage of the 2008 WAA pilots that Don Jiskra
created.
Some of the WAA-08 pilots with the SQuiRT and new banner
at SEFF 2009.
shown have been phenomenal. The interest
that some of the fliers have generated in their
communities has been amazing.
Jerry Branch (pilot 92) of Gilbert, South
Carolina, built a replica of the USS Hornet, to
re-enact the attack on Japan that Lieutenant
Colonel James H. Doolittle made with B-25B
bombers. The aircraft carrier was big enough
that the SQuiRT was able to take off from its
flight deck.
The event garnered local newspaper and
television coverage. Jerry definitely set the
standard for helping to promote aeromodeling
in his community, which is our goal for
WAA-08.
From Tallahassee, the airplane will
continue west to Dale Cavin (pilot 102) in
Marianna, Florida; travel into Texas; turn
north for a brief tour through Arkansas,
Missouri, and Oklahoma; go back down into
Texas; and then proceed westward.
A couple of short-term goals are for the
SQuiRT to make it out of the Colorado high
country before the fall snows, make it to the
Rocky Mountains, and arrive at FEAR (Fall
Electric Aircraft Rendezvous), which will be
held October 2-4 in Surprise, Arizona.
Following are some WAA-08 statistics as
of May 5, 2009. For more information or to
volunteer, go to www.waa-08.org.
• 5,475 miles have been traveled.
• 130 pilots have flown the WAA-08
SQuiRT.
• 61 AMA chartered clubs have supported
our adventure.
• 19 states have been visited.
• 365 pilots have registered.
• 215 AMA chartered clubs have been
represented.
• 35 pilots have registered in California—the
most in a state—followed by 23 in New York.
• 1 pilot registered in Delaware and
Vermont. MA
—Frank Geisler
District IV
07sig1.QXD 5/22/09 11:46 AM Page 12