May 2010 147
THE SOUTHEASTERN Modeler’s
Show, also known as the Perry Swap Meet,
was held March 4-5, 2010, at the Georgia
National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia.
The attendance was very good, and all the
tables for this yearly event were sold out in
December!
The event is advertised as the World’s
Largest Swap Meet, and I believe it! This
year, I had a hard time getting out of my
booth to look around. I had many people
come by and discuss AMA matters as well
as modeling stuff in general.
I was very pleased to have several of
my AMA District V associate vice
presidents (AVPs) attend and help out in
the AMA booth. The AVPs in attendance
were, Bob Dixon, Roger Marshall, and
Bob Whitney.
AMA Executive Director Jim Cherry
was able to spend some time with my
AVPs and helped them learn a little more
about AMA and the operation of AMA
Headquarters.
If you have not yet made it to this
show, it is something you have to do! One
gentleman with whom I spoke, got off the
phone with his buddy from up North, and
he told him that he would “not believe it1”
Well, I guess that says it all!
The Southeastern Modeler Show is held
the first weekend in March each year.
Make plans to visit next year!
Kris Dixon, of Dublin, Georgia, sent in
the following tribute about a fellow
modeler in his area.
“Through the years we have seen fliers
come and go in this hobby, but 2010
brought an end to one of our most envied,
model fixer, repairer, and story tellers of
the middle Georgia area.
“Merle Leonard, 88 years old this year,
who resides in Eastman, Georgia, has had
flying in his blood since his first RC
airplane, which he says he got as a Berkley
kit that was a hand-wound coil
escapement, and a single button controller,
in the fifth grade ‘around 1933’ he jokes
‘when I was 10 years old.’
“Originally from Hollywood California,
he flew CL, and built his first gasser, a de
Bolt Livewire with a .09 diesel motor. He
said ‘I can’t believe I remember that far!’
“Flying was what Mr. Merle loved
more than anything—that is until World
War II began, when he knew he was not
exempt from the draft with his 1-A
designation and that his draft number was
about to be called. He promptly enlisted
himself in the Air Force.
“Not quite done with college, the
military sent him to cadet school which
landed him here in Georgia. He attended
Middle Georgia College in Cochran,
finished his degree, soloed in a J-3 Cub,
married his wife of 66 years, the lovely
Betty, and was flying AT-6s, AT-11s,
Stearmans and B-24s. By 1944, he was a
right seat pilot on B29s and flew many
sorties. Oh, boy! The stories you can hear
in the shop.
“After the war he came back to his wife
in Georgia, and he went back into RC
modeling. His AMA number was Tobey12,
back when AMA would let you make up
your own number. He said, ‘That was our
call sign on the B-29.’
“Throughout the years he became wellknown
in the area for fixing and repairing
crashed airplanes. He also became a dealer
for Sig, MPi, and if you can remember,
Indy, which has now become Horizon
Hobby.
“Merle did magic with wrecked
models; they went into the shop a mess and
came out a few days later unbelievably
looking new! He held himself to such a
high standard the covering was always
wrinkle-free and wood as smooth as a
baby’s bottom.
“He stopped flying because of what he
calls ‘old age’ and just visited at the fields
and fly-ins with his little homemade trailer
and tried to sell some parts. He was a
member of several flying clubs in the area
for many years, and still considered an
honorary member at most of them.
“Merle has touched many lives from
my first .40-size trainer in 1994, which he
fixed several times, to Ryan Evans who
said, ‘Merle Leonard is not only a great
builder, but a good friend. I have known
him since I was 12 years old and he has
kept me flying ever since. Merle is always
honest and never late when he says it will
be ready! Without him I would not be
where I am today. I can only hope I will be
like him when I grow up!’
“Today, many people are shocked that
he will not be fixing airplanes anymore.
Although we know it has taken a toll on
him, he now enjoys his days resting,
feeding the fish, and sometimes he will
glue a rubber-band-powered model
together for his great grandchildren,
although he still visits the fly-ins and swap
meets on occasion.
“We would like to let him know that
without him hundreds of modelers would
not have gotten a start in the hobby, nor
would that many more have keep the
hobby going.
“Mr. Merle, thank you! Thank you for
the support the endless knowledge and
great friendship that you have given to
everyone in the hobby. You will defiantly
be missed! Tobey 12 out!”
District V
Tony Stillman, District V Vice President; [email protected]
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands
Tony Stillman
Vice President
102 Cherrywood Ct.
Brunswick GA 31525;
(912) 242-2407
www.amadistrict-v.org
Contest Coordinators
RC: Dick Tonan, 639
Knollwood Dr., La Vergne
TN 37086; dtonan@
mac.com
FF: Bob Thoren, 10002 Bluff Dr.,
Huntsville AL 35803; (256) 726-
1051; [email protected]
CL: Bob Whitney, 456 Garvey Rd.
SW, Palm Bay FL 32908;
[email protected]
Associate Vice Presidents
Alabama:
Florida:
Jim Saiff, Tampa FL; (813)
933-6906; jsaiffchipmunkrc1@
verizon.net
Ron Van Putte, Ft. Walton Bch. FL;
(850) 243-0207; [email protected]
Georgia:
Bob Dixon, Macon GA; rldixon3@
cox.net
Mississippi:
Paul Verger, Vancleave MS;
(228) 826-4892;
[email protected]
Puerto Rico:
Richard Prann, San Juan PR; (787)
777-2143; [email protected]
South Carolina:
Jim Fender, Batesburg SC; (803)
414-2591; [email protected]
Roger Marshall, Camden SC;
(803) 432-2347;
[email protected]
Tennessee:
Dick Tonan, La Vergne TN;
[email protected]
For additional district officers and
volunteers, please see a previous
issue of MA or visit the District V
Web site.
D i s t r i c t V V o l u n t e e r s
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Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/05
Page Numbers: 147