Gordon Roberts entered this world on April 9, 1927, and left it on March
31, 2012. He was the only child of Arthur and Elsie Roberts. Following the
early loss of his father, Gordon was raised by his mother and his maternal
grandmother, Agnes Green. They lived in the town of Fenton, in a district of central
England collectively known as Stoke-on-Trent, a region noted for coal mines, fi ne clay,
earthenware, and exquisite bone china.
Gordon loved sports and competition. He played cricket in the summer and rugby
in the fall. With cricket, he enjoyed the casual intricacies of the game. In rugby, he
relished the hardy, sometimes rough, physical challenges of the game. His love of
competition foreshadowed much of what he would accomplish.
Gordon discovered aeromodeling in his teens and joined the Five Towns Model
Aeroplane Club. He became a member of the Society of Model Aeronautical
Engineers (SMAE), England’s equivalent of the AMA.
Before World War II, he built and fl ew models with the Five Towns Club at
Meir Aerodrome, a small local fi eld. Gordon met Eric Clutton and began a lifelong
friendship. Both had studied
at schools previously attended
by Reginald Mitchell, one of
England’s great aeronautical
engineers, who designed the famous
Spitfi re. Mitchell died in the 1930s, but
the Spitfi re went on to inspire the world
as England struggled for its life in the dark
days of the war.
Shortly after the war began, Meir
became an auxiliary airfi eld. It was
approximately 400 acres and barely large
enough for military use, but when the
nearby Grindley Lane Aircraft Factory was
converted to repair damaged aircraft, Meir
became busy.
Grindley Lane produced the impressive
Beaufi ghter for the Royal Air Force. By
1943, it began assembling American
aircraft, such as the P-51 and the B-24,
which had been shipped to England in
crates.
Although too young for military service,
Eric was given work at the Aerodrome.
In his mid-teens, Eric was bright and
responsible and was eventually allowed
to taxi newly assembled Mustangs from
Grindley’s production area to the airfi eld
where military pilots ferried them to their
bases!
Years later, skeptics challenged Eric’s
tales of being entrusted to taxi Mustangs,
but he produced photos and statements
from eyewitnesses, including Gordon, to
substantiate his claims. Eric eventually
became one of England’s top designers
of full-scale sport aircraft. Both he and
Gordon gained fame as model aircraft
designers and builders.
Gordon excelled in school. He was
inspired by chemistry and began a lifelong
pursuit of chemical research and problem
solving. After graduating from college, he
spent three years in the ceramics industry
where he became a British ceramic
research associate. He was respected
for his astute and meticulous research
which resulted in a number of new and
improved ceramic glazes.
Success led him to begin graduate
studies at Leeds University. He became an
expert in isotopic tracer techniques, which
he used to explore and better understand
the fusion processes in glass. He completed
his studies at Leeds with high distinction
and received his Ph.D. in chemistry.
While at Leeds, Gordon came to the
attention of a prominent visiting lecturer
from Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland’s Ferro
Corporation was searching for a senior glass
chemist and contacted the visiting professor
who enthusiastically recommended Gordon
for the position. Ferro hired him and he
moved to Cleveland with his family.
At Ferro, Gordon’s research resulted
in numerous patents and worldwide
recognition in the glass industry. He retired
from Ferro at age 70, but remained a part-time consultant to the
company.
Gordon helped found the Cleveland Free Flight Society
(CFFS). Dave Stott and Bob Thompson had started the modern
Flying Aces Club (FAC) in New England and the FAC’s
successes electrifi ed the CFFS.
Gordon began designing, building, and fl ying world-class
models that soared like homesick angels in FAC competitions.
His penchant for detail and scientifi c training enabled him to
excel in FF model construction and fl ight.
Gordon’s stellar achievement in modeling was his
participation in FAC competition. He casually referred to
FAC fl ying as “game,” but one which he played with unusual
verve. When competing, the mild-mannered Englishman
became a tiger! To him, the prospect of winning was the only
point of participating in a contest.
Gordon was a relentless FAC competitor. After 16 victories,
he was awarded the prestigious Blue Max medal. He rapidly
rose through the ranks and became the FAC’s fi rst air marshal
and was admitted to the FAC Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2011
he received the FAC’s only Ace of Aces medal, in recognition
of his spectacular achievement of more than 500 FAC fi rstplace
awards!
Despite his many FAC successes, Gordon never became a
Grand Champion in the FAC national competition. At the
FAC Nats he was pitted against other worthy opponents.
Legends such as Don Srull, Dave Reese, and Jack McGillivray
made decisive winning diffi cult at the national level.
Gordon was a successful competitor because of his hard
work, determination, and his unique scientifi c background.
As a chemist he knew the most sophisticated means of
weighing things. When it came to building models, he
accurately determined the weight of balsa and converted it to
a pounds-per-foot standard, allowing him to select the lightest,
yet strongest, pieces of balsa; even his largest models were
unusually light when compared to those of his competitors.
He chose simple subjects with good proportions and
minimal drag. Debut, one of his most famous Embryo
Endurance designs, fl ew so well that it was named a Model of
the Year by the National Free Flight Society (NFFS).
Because of the Debut’s outstanding performance, many
fl ew out of sight and were lost. He eventually built nearly
two dozen of them. A Debut was cremated with Gordon’s
remains and now soars with him in eternity.
After meeting Gordon in the mid-1970s, my friendship
with him deepened when, as a lawyer, fellow modeler, and
friend, I helped him deal with his divorce and transition to
single life. When my first marriage came apart, Gordon came to
my aid, offering me friendship, understanding, and housing in
his new condominium. I stayed there for nearly six months.
You can call a person your friend for years, but you are not
well acquainted until you become roommates. Gordon was
delightful company. He prepared splendid suppers for us with
the order and precision of a trained professional. His kitchen
was meticulously run and often tidied even while dinner was in
process.
In sharp contrast, Gordon’s hobby area was like the portrait
of Dorian Gray. He loved building models, but he cared little
about keeping his modeling area tidy. He was prolific and had
dozens of models littering the furniture and floor of his small
recreation room.
When Gordon took a two-week vacation a month after I
moved in, I naïvely saw an opportunity to organize and display
his collection of models. I began by
neatly placing small straight pins in the
walls of his recreation room. From each
straight pin I carefully hung a model,
making a small pinhole in the tail end of
each fuselage.
It took several days, but I felt that I
had created a neat and colorful display of
Gordon’s models hung on the walls like
butterflies. For good measure, I cleaned
the room’s carpet and attempted to
more comfortably arrange the furniture.
When Gordon came home and saw my efforts, he was nearly
catatonic with rage. He took great offense at the tiny punctures
in his models and nearly evicted me on the spot! Realizing the
magnitude of my offense, I quickly apologized and promptly
returned the models to their proper places.
The incident taught me much about Gordon and about
myself. It also made it clear that if I chose to date, I could not
bring ladies to Gordon’s place; I am sure they would have found
the sight of his modeling area disturbing.
After recovering from his displeasure, Gordon encouraged me
to begin building models with him and even offered to expand
his workbench for that purpose. I didn’t accept his kind offer
and eventually, I moved to my own apartment.
When I met and married my wife, Linda, Gordon was best
man at our wedding. Linda and I have been happily married
for nearly 30 years and have been blessed with three wonderful
children. Helen Brady, one of Linda’s friends, was a widow and
businesswoman in charge of the Gwinn Estate in the Cleveland
suburb of Bratenhal. Helen seemed the opposite of Gordon.
He was soft spoken and mild mannered (unless provoked as
mentioned previously); Helen was outspoken and almost brash.
Despite these differences, Linda and I invited Helen and Gordon
on a blind date to see Liberace perform at Cleveland’s Front
Row Theatre.
The two were instantly attracted and married a year later.
Gordon moved to Gwinn for several years and rented out his
condo. When Helen retired, the two moved back to the condo
and lived in harmony until Helen’s death in 2002.
In his fi nal years, Gordon added painting to his list of leisure
time pleasures. He preferred paint-by-number types, but his skill
at neatly painting the numbered spots led him to produce many
exceptional pieces, which he framed and gave as gifts to family
and friends.
He also enjoyed working crossword puzzles and did so
almost daily.
Gordon also continued to build model airplanes at an
impressive rate. Two weeks before his death, Jim Hyka, Russ
Brown, Rich Weber, and I visited him. We showed him two
CDs of old aviation movies and had pizza.
Our visit lasted more than four hours and Gordon was tired.
Even so he invited us to come down to his workshop and see
his latest creation. Despite the seriousness of his illness, he
continued to fi nd happiness and peace in model building.
There is an expression that typifi es the Brit’s attitude in
adversity: be calm and keep moving! Gordon did both and
inspired me by his example.
Well done, dear boy. Well done!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/09
Page Numbers: 113,114,115,116
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/09
Page Numbers: 113,114,115,116
Gordon Roberts entered this world on April 9, 1927, and left it on March
31, 2012. He was the only child of Arthur and Elsie Roberts. Following the
early loss of his father, Gordon was raised by his mother and his maternal
grandmother, Agnes Green. They lived in the town of Fenton, in a district of central
England collectively known as Stoke-on-Trent, a region noted for coal mines, fi ne clay,
earthenware, and exquisite bone china.
Gordon loved sports and competition. He played cricket in the summer and rugby
in the fall. With cricket, he enjoyed the casual intricacies of the game. In rugby, he
relished the hardy, sometimes rough, physical challenges of the game. His love of
competition foreshadowed much of what he would accomplish.
Gordon discovered aeromodeling in his teens and joined the Five Towns Model
Aeroplane Club. He became a member of the Society of Model Aeronautical
Engineers (SMAE), England’s equivalent of the AMA.
Before World War II, he built and fl ew models with the Five Towns Club at
Meir Aerodrome, a small local fi eld. Gordon met Eric Clutton and began a lifelong
friendship. Both had studied
at schools previously attended
by Reginald Mitchell, one of
England’s great aeronautical
engineers, who designed the famous
Spitfi re. Mitchell died in the 1930s, but
the Spitfi re went on to inspire the world
as England struggled for its life in the dark
days of the war.
Shortly after the war began, Meir
became an auxiliary airfi eld. It was
approximately 400 acres and barely large
enough for military use, but when the
nearby Grindley Lane Aircraft Factory was
converted to repair damaged aircraft, Meir
became busy.
Grindley Lane produced the impressive
Beaufi ghter for the Royal Air Force. By
1943, it began assembling American
aircraft, such as the P-51 and the B-24,
which had been shipped to England in
crates.
Although too young for military service,
Eric was given work at the Aerodrome.
In his mid-teens, Eric was bright and
responsible and was eventually allowed
to taxi newly assembled Mustangs from
Grindley’s production area to the airfi eld
where military pilots ferried them to their
bases!
Years later, skeptics challenged Eric’s
tales of being entrusted to taxi Mustangs,
but he produced photos and statements
from eyewitnesses, including Gordon, to
substantiate his claims. Eric eventually
became one of England’s top designers
of full-scale sport aircraft. Both he and
Gordon gained fame as model aircraft
designers and builders.
Gordon excelled in school. He was
inspired by chemistry and began a lifelong
pursuit of chemical research and problem
solving. After graduating from college, he
spent three years in the ceramics industry
where he became a British ceramic
research associate. He was respected
for his astute and meticulous research
which resulted in a number of new and
improved ceramic glazes.
Success led him to begin graduate
studies at Leeds University. He became an
expert in isotopic tracer techniques, which
he used to explore and better understand
the fusion processes in glass. He completed
his studies at Leeds with high distinction
and received his Ph.D. in chemistry.
While at Leeds, Gordon came to the
attention of a prominent visiting lecturer
from Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland’s Ferro
Corporation was searching for a senior glass
chemist and contacted the visiting professor
who enthusiastically recommended Gordon
for the position. Ferro hired him and he
moved to Cleveland with his family.
At Ferro, Gordon’s research resulted
in numerous patents and worldwide
recognition in the glass industry. He retired
from Ferro at age 70, but remained a part-time consultant to the
company.
Gordon helped found the Cleveland Free Flight Society
(CFFS). Dave Stott and Bob Thompson had started the modern
Flying Aces Club (FAC) in New England and the FAC’s
successes electrifi ed the CFFS.
Gordon began designing, building, and fl ying world-class
models that soared like homesick angels in FAC competitions.
His penchant for detail and scientifi c training enabled him to
excel in FF model construction and fl ight.
Gordon’s stellar achievement in modeling was his
participation in FAC competition. He casually referred to
FAC fl ying as “game,” but one which he played with unusual
verve. When competing, the mild-mannered Englishman
became a tiger! To him, the prospect of winning was the only
point of participating in a contest.
Gordon was a relentless FAC competitor. After 16 victories,
he was awarded the prestigious Blue Max medal. He rapidly
rose through the ranks and became the FAC’s fi rst air marshal
and was admitted to the FAC Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2011
he received the FAC’s only Ace of Aces medal, in recognition
of his spectacular achievement of more than 500 FAC fi rstplace
awards!
Despite his many FAC successes, Gordon never became a
Grand Champion in the FAC national competition. At the
FAC Nats he was pitted against other worthy opponents.
Legends such as Don Srull, Dave Reese, and Jack McGillivray
made decisive winning diffi cult at the national level.
Gordon was a successful competitor because of his hard
work, determination, and his unique scientifi c background.
As a chemist he knew the most sophisticated means of
weighing things. When it came to building models, he
accurately determined the weight of balsa and converted it to
a pounds-per-foot standard, allowing him to select the lightest,
yet strongest, pieces of balsa; even his largest models were
unusually light when compared to those of his competitors.
He chose simple subjects with good proportions and
minimal drag. Debut, one of his most famous Embryo
Endurance designs, fl ew so well that it was named a Model of
the Year by the National Free Flight Society (NFFS).
Because of the Debut’s outstanding performance, many
fl ew out of sight and were lost. He eventually built nearly
two dozen of them. A Debut was cremated with Gordon’s
remains and now soars with him in eternity.
After meeting Gordon in the mid-1970s, my friendship
with him deepened when, as a lawyer, fellow modeler, and
friend, I helped him deal with his divorce and transition to
single life. When my first marriage came apart, Gordon came to
my aid, offering me friendship, understanding, and housing in
his new condominium. I stayed there for nearly six months.
You can call a person your friend for years, but you are not
well acquainted until you become roommates. Gordon was
delightful company. He prepared splendid suppers for us with
the order and precision of a trained professional. His kitchen
was meticulously run and often tidied even while dinner was in
process.
In sharp contrast, Gordon’s hobby area was like the portrait
of Dorian Gray. He loved building models, but he cared little
about keeping his modeling area tidy. He was prolific and had
dozens of models littering the furniture and floor of his small
recreation room.
When Gordon took a two-week vacation a month after I
moved in, I naïvely saw an opportunity to organize and display
his collection of models. I began by
neatly placing small straight pins in the
walls of his recreation room. From each
straight pin I carefully hung a model,
making a small pinhole in the tail end of
each fuselage.
It took several days, but I felt that I
had created a neat and colorful display of
Gordon’s models hung on the walls like
butterflies. For good measure, I cleaned
the room’s carpet and attempted to
more comfortably arrange the furniture.
When Gordon came home and saw my efforts, he was nearly
catatonic with rage. He took great offense at the tiny punctures
in his models and nearly evicted me on the spot! Realizing the
magnitude of my offense, I quickly apologized and promptly
returned the models to their proper places.
The incident taught me much about Gordon and about
myself. It also made it clear that if I chose to date, I could not
bring ladies to Gordon’s place; I am sure they would have found
the sight of his modeling area disturbing.
After recovering from his displeasure, Gordon encouraged me
to begin building models with him and even offered to expand
his workbench for that purpose. I didn’t accept his kind offer
and eventually, I moved to my own apartment.
When I met and married my wife, Linda, Gordon was best
man at our wedding. Linda and I have been happily married
for nearly 30 years and have been blessed with three wonderful
children. Helen Brady, one of Linda’s friends, was a widow and
businesswoman in charge of the Gwinn Estate in the Cleveland
suburb of Bratenhal. Helen seemed the opposite of Gordon.
He was soft spoken and mild mannered (unless provoked as
mentioned previously); Helen was outspoken and almost brash.
Despite these differences, Linda and I invited Helen and Gordon
on a blind date to see Liberace perform at Cleveland’s Front
Row Theatre.
The two were instantly attracted and married a year later.
Gordon moved to Gwinn for several years and rented out his
condo. When Helen retired, the two moved back to the condo
and lived in harmony until Helen’s death in 2002.
In his fi nal years, Gordon added painting to his list of leisure
time pleasures. He preferred paint-by-number types, but his skill
at neatly painting the numbered spots led him to produce many
exceptional pieces, which he framed and gave as gifts to family
and friends.
He also enjoyed working crossword puzzles and did so
almost daily.
Gordon also continued to build model airplanes at an
impressive rate. Two weeks before his death, Jim Hyka, Russ
Brown, Rich Weber, and I visited him. We showed him two
CDs of old aviation movies and had pizza.
Our visit lasted more than four hours and Gordon was tired.
Even so he invited us to come down to his workshop and see
his latest creation. Despite the seriousness of his illness, he
continued to fi nd happiness and peace in model building.
There is an expression that typifi es the Brit’s attitude in
adversity: be calm and keep moving! Gordon did both and
inspired me by his example.
Well done, dear boy. Well done!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/09
Page Numbers: 113,114,115,116
Gordon Roberts entered this world on April 9, 1927, and left it on March
31, 2012. He was the only child of Arthur and Elsie Roberts. Following the
early loss of his father, Gordon was raised by his mother and his maternal
grandmother, Agnes Green. They lived in the town of Fenton, in a district of central
England collectively known as Stoke-on-Trent, a region noted for coal mines, fi ne clay,
earthenware, and exquisite bone china.
Gordon loved sports and competition. He played cricket in the summer and rugby
in the fall. With cricket, he enjoyed the casual intricacies of the game. In rugby, he
relished the hardy, sometimes rough, physical challenges of the game. His love of
competition foreshadowed much of what he would accomplish.
Gordon discovered aeromodeling in his teens and joined the Five Towns Model
Aeroplane Club. He became a member of the Society of Model Aeronautical
Engineers (SMAE), England’s equivalent of the AMA.
Before World War II, he built and fl ew models with the Five Towns Club at
Meir Aerodrome, a small local fi eld. Gordon met Eric Clutton and began a lifelong
friendship. Both had studied
at schools previously attended
by Reginald Mitchell, one of
England’s great aeronautical
engineers, who designed the famous
Spitfi re. Mitchell died in the 1930s, but
the Spitfi re went on to inspire the world
as England struggled for its life in the dark
days of the war.
Shortly after the war began, Meir
became an auxiliary airfi eld. It was
approximately 400 acres and barely large
enough for military use, but when the
nearby Grindley Lane Aircraft Factory was
converted to repair damaged aircraft, Meir
became busy.
Grindley Lane produced the impressive
Beaufi ghter for the Royal Air Force. By
1943, it began assembling American
aircraft, such as the P-51 and the B-24,
which had been shipped to England in
crates.
Although too young for military service,
Eric was given work at the Aerodrome.
In his mid-teens, Eric was bright and
responsible and was eventually allowed
to taxi newly assembled Mustangs from
Grindley’s production area to the airfi eld
where military pilots ferried them to their
bases!
Years later, skeptics challenged Eric’s
tales of being entrusted to taxi Mustangs,
but he produced photos and statements
from eyewitnesses, including Gordon, to
substantiate his claims. Eric eventually
became one of England’s top designers
of full-scale sport aircraft. Both he and
Gordon gained fame as model aircraft
designers and builders.
Gordon excelled in school. He was
inspired by chemistry and began a lifelong
pursuit of chemical research and problem
solving. After graduating from college, he
spent three years in the ceramics industry
where he became a British ceramic
research associate. He was respected
for his astute and meticulous research
which resulted in a number of new and
improved ceramic glazes.
Success led him to begin graduate
studies at Leeds University. He became an
expert in isotopic tracer techniques, which
he used to explore and better understand
the fusion processes in glass. He completed
his studies at Leeds with high distinction
and received his Ph.D. in chemistry.
While at Leeds, Gordon came to the
attention of a prominent visiting lecturer
from Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland’s Ferro
Corporation was searching for a senior glass
chemist and contacted the visiting professor
who enthusiastically recommended Gordon
for the position. Ferro hired him and he
moved to Cleveland with his family.
At Ferro, Gordon’s research resulted
in numerous patents and worldwide
recognition in the glass industry. He retired
from Ferro at age 70, but remained a part-time consultant to the
company.
Gordon helped found the Cleveland Free Flight Society
(CFFS). Dave Stott and Bob Thompson had started the modern
Flying Aces Club (FAC) in New England and the FAC’s
successes electrifi ed the CFFS.
Gordon began designing, building, and fl ying world-class
models that soared like homesick angels in FAC competitions.
His penchant for detail and scientifi c training enabled him to
excel in FF model construction and fl ight.
Gordon’s stellar achievement in modeling was his
participation in FAC competition. He casually referred to
FAC fl ying as “game,” but one which he played with unusual
verve. When competing, the mild-mannered Englishman
became a tiger! To him, the prospect of winning was the only
point of participating in a contest.
Gordon was a relentless FAC competitor. After 16 victories,
he was awarded the prestigious Blue Max medal. He rapidly
rose through the ranks and became the FAC’s fi rst air marshal
and was admitted to the FAC Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2011
he received the FAC’s only Ace of Aces medal, in recognition
of his spectacular achievement of more than 500 FAC fi rstplace
awards!
Despite his many FAC successes, Gordon never became a
Grand Champion in the FAC national competition. At the
FAC Nats he was pitted against other worthy opponents.
Legends such as Don Srull, Dave Reese, and Jack McGillivray
made decisive winning diffi cult at the national level.
Gordon was a successful competitor because of his hard
work, determination, and his unique scientifi c background.
As a chemist he knew the most sophisticated means of
weighing things. When it came to building models, he
accurately determined the weight of balsa and converted it to
a pounds-per-foot standard, allowing him to select the lightest,
yet strongest, pieces of balsa; even his largest models were
unusually light when compared to those of his competitors.
He chose simple subjects with good proportions and
minimal drag. Debut, one of his most famous Embryo
Endurance designs, fl ew so well that it was named a Model of
the Year by the National Free Flight Society (NFFS).
Because of the Debut’s outstanding performance, many
fl ew out of sight and were lost. He eventually built nearly
two dozen of them. A Debut was cremated with Gordon’s
remains and now soars with him in eternity.
After meeting Gordon in the mid-1970s, my friendship
with him deepened when, as a lawyer, fellow modeler, and
friend, I helped him deal with his divorce and transition to
single life. When my first marriage came apart, Gordon came to
my aid, offering me friendship, understanding, and housing in
his new condominium. I stayed there for nearly six months.
You can call a person your friend for years, but you are not
well acquainted until you become roommates. Gordon was
delightful company. He prepared splendid suppers for us with
the order and precision of a trained professional. His kitchen
was meticulously run and often tidied even while dinner was in
process.
In sharp contrast, Gordon’s hobby area was like the portrait
of Dorian Gray. He loved building models, but he cared little
about keeping his modeling area tidy. He was prolific and had
dozens of models littering the furniture and floor of his small
recreation room.
When Gordon took a two-week vacation a month after I
moved in, I naïvely saw an opportunity to organize and display
his collection of models. I began by
neatly placing small straight pins in the
walls of his recreation room. From each
straight pin I carefully hung a model,
making a small pinhole in the tail end of
each fuselage.
It took several days, but I felt that I
had created a neat and colorful display of
Gordon’s models hung on the walls like
butterflies. For good measure, I cleaned
the room’s carpet and attempted to
more comfortably arrange the furniture.
When Gordon came home and saw my efforts, he was nearly
catatonic with rage. He took great offense at the tiny punctures
in his models and nearly evicted me on the spot! Realizing the
magnitude of my offense, I quickly apologized and promptly
returned the models to their proper places.
The incident taught me much about Gordon and about
myself. It also made it clear that if I chose to date, I could not
bring ladies to Gordon’s place; I am sure they would have found
the sight of his modeling area disturbing.
After recovering from his displeasure, Gordon encouraged me
to begin building models with him and even offered to expand
his workbench for that purpose. I didn’t accept his kind offer
and eventually, I moved to my own apartment.
When I met and married my wife, Linda, Gordon was best
man at our wedding. Linda and I have been happily married
for nearly 30 years and have been blessed with three wonderful
children. Helen Brady, one of Linda’s friends, was a widow and
businesswoman in charge of the Gwinn Estate in the Cleveland
suburb of Bratenhal. Helen seemed the opposite of Gordon.
He was soft spoken and mild mannered (unless provoked as
mentioned previously); Helen was outspoken and almost brash.
Despite these differences, Linda and I invited Helen and Gordon
on a blind date to see Liberace perform at Cleveland’s Front
Row Theatre.
The two were instantly attracted and married a year later.
Gordon moved to Gwinn for several years and rented out his
condo. When Helen retired, the two moved back to the condo
and lived in harmony until Helen’s death in 2002.
In his fi nal years, Gordon added painting to his list of leisure
time pleasures. He preferred paint-by-number types, but his skill
at neatly painting the numbered spots led him to produce many
exceptional pieces, which he framed and gave as gifts to family
and friends.
He also enjoyed working crossword puzzles and did so
almost daily.
Gordon also continued to build model airplanes at an
impressive rate. Two weeks before his death, Jim Hyka, Russ
Brown, Rich Weber, and I visited him. We showed him two
CDs of old aviation movies and had pizza.
Our visit lasted more than four hours and Gordon was tired.
Even so he invited us to come down to his workshop and see
his latest creation. Despite the seriousness of his illness, he
continued to fi nd happiness and peace in model building.
There is an expression that typifi es the Brit’s attitude in
adversity: be calm and keep moving! Gordon did both and
inspired me by his example.
Well done, dear boy. Well done!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/09
Page Numbers: 113,114,115,116
Gordon Roberts entered this world on April 9, 1927, and left it on March
31, 2012. He was the only child of Arthur and Elsie Roberts. Following the
early loss of his father, Gordon was raised by his mother and his maternal
grandmother, Agnes Green. They lived in the town of Fenton, in a district of central
England collectively known as Stoke-on-Trent, a region noted for coal mines, fi ne clay,
earthenware, and exquisite bone china.
Gordon loved sports and competition. He played cricket in the summer and rugby
in the fall. With cricket, he enjoyed the casual intricacies of the game. In rugby, he
relished the hardy, sometimes rough, physical challenges of the game. His love of
competition foreshadowed much of what he would accomplish.
Gordon discovered aeromodeling in his teens and joined the Five Towns Model
Aeroplane Club. He became a member of the Society of Model Aeronautical
Engineers (SMAE), England’s equivalent of the AMA.
Before World War II, he built and fl ew models with the Five Towns Club at
Meir Aerodrome, a small local fi eld. Gordon met Eric Clutton and began a lifelong
friendship. Both had studied
at schools previously attended
by Reginald Mitchell, one of
England’s great aeronautical
engineers, who designed the famous
Spitfi re. Mitchell died in the 1930s, but
the Spitfi re went on to inspire the world
as England struggled for its life in the dark
days of the war.
Shortly after the war began, Meir
became an auxiliary airfi eld. It was
approximately 400 acres and barely large
enough for military use, but when the
nearby Grindley Lane Aircraft Factory was
converted to repair damaged aircraft, Meir
became busy.
Grindley Lane produced the impressive
Beaufi ghter for the Royal Air Force. By
1943, it began assembling American
aircraft, such as the P-51 and the B-24,
which had been shipped to England in
crates.
Although too young for military service,
Eric was given work at the Aerodrome.
In his mid-teens, Eric was bright and
responsible and was eventually allowed
to taxi newly assembled Mustangs from
Grindley’s production area to the airfi eld
where military pilots ferried them to their
bases!
Years later, skeptics challenged Eric’s
tales of being entrusted to taxi Mustangs,
but he produced photos and statements
from eyewitnesses, including Gordon, to
substantiate his claims. Eric eventually
became one of England’s top designers
of full-scale sport aircraft. Both he and
Gordon gained fame as model aircraft
designers and builders.
Gordon excelled in school. He was
inspired by chemistry and began a lifelong
pursuit of chemical research and problem
solving. After graduating from college, he
spent three years in the ceramics industry
where he became a British ceramic
research associate. He was respected
for his astute and meticulous research
which resulted in a number of new and
improved ceramic glazes.
Success led him to begin graduate
studies at Leeds University. He became an
expert in isotopic tracer techniques, which
he used to explore and better understand
the fusion processes in glass. He completed
his studies at Leeds with high distinction
and received his Ph.D. in chemistry.
While at Leeds, Gordon came to the
attention of a prominent visiting lecturer
from Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland’s Ferro
Corporation was searching for a senior glass
chemist and contacted the visiting professor
who enthusiastically recommended Gordon
for the position. Ferro hired him and he
moved to Cleveland with his family.
At Ferro, Gordon’s research resulted
in numerous patents and worldwide
recognition in the glass industry. He retired
from Ferro at age 70, but remained a part-time consultant to the
company.
Gordon helped found the Cleveland Free Flight Society
(CFFS). Dave Stott and Bob Thompson had started the modern
Flying Aces Club (FAC) in New England and the FAC’s
successes electrifi ed the CFFS.
Gordon began designing, building, and fl ying world-class
models that soared like homesick angels in FAC competitions.
His penchant for detail and scientifi c training enabled him to
excel in FF model construction and fl ight.
Gordon’s stellar achievement in modeling was his
participation in FAC competition. He casually referred to
FAC fl ying as “game,” but one which he played with unusual
verve. When competing, the mild-mannered Englishman
became a tiger! To him, the prospect of winning was the only
point of participating in a contest.
Gordon was a relentless FAC competitor. After 16 victories,
he was awarded the prestigious Blue Max medal. He rapidly
rose through the ranks and became the FAC’s fi rst air marshal
and was admitted to the FAC Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2011
he received the FAC’s only Ace of Aces medal, in recognition
of his spectacular achievement of more than 500 FAC fi rstplace
awards!
Despite his many FAC successes, Gordon never became a
Grand Champion in the FAC national competition. At the
FAC Nats he was pitted against other worthy opponents.
Legends such as Don Srull, Dave Reese, and Jack McGillivray
made decisive winning diffi cult at the national level.
Gordon was a successful competitor because of his hard
work, determination, and his unique scientifi c background.
As a chemist he knew the most sophisticated means of
weighing things. When it came to building models, he
accurately determined the weight of balsa and converted it to
a pounds-per-foot standard, allowing him to select the lightest,
yet strongest, pieces of balsa; even his largest models were
unusually light when compared to those of his competitors.
He chose simple subjects with good proportions and
minimal drag. Debut, one of his most famous Embryo
Endurance designs, fl ew so well that it was named a Model of
the Year by the National Free Flight Society (NFFS).
Because of the Debut’s outstanding performance, many
fl ew out of sight and were lost. He eventually built nearly
two dozen of them. A Debut was cremated with Gordon’s
remains and now soars with him in eternity.
After meeting Gordon in the mid-1970s, my friendship
with him deepened when, as a lawyer, fellow modeler, and
friend, I helped him deal with his divorce and transition to
single life. When my first marriage came apart, Gordon came to
my aid, offering me friendship, understanding, and housing in
his new condominium. I stayed there for nearly six months.
You can call a person your friend for years, but you are not
well acquainted until you become roommates. Gordon was
delightful company. He prepared splendid suppers for us with
the order and precision of a trained professional. His kitchen
was meticulously run and often tidied even while dinner was in
process.
In sharp contrast, Gordon’s hobby area was like the portrait
of Dorian Gray. He loved building models, but he cared little
about keeping his modeling area tidy. He was prolific and had
dozens of models littering the furniture and floor of his small
recreation room.
When Gordon took a two-week vacation a month after I
moved in, I naïvely saw an opportunity to organize and display
his collection of models. I began by
neatly placing small straight pins in the
walls of his recreation room. From each
straight pin I carefully hung a model,
making a small pinhole in the tail end of
each fuselage.
It took several days, but I felt that I
had created a neat and colorful display of
Gordon’s models hung on the walls like
butterflies. For good measure, I cleaned
the room’s carpet and attempted to
more comfortably arrange the furniture.
When Gordon came home and saw my efforts, he was nearly
catatonic with rage. He took great offense at the tiny punctures
in his models and nearly evicted me on the spot! Realizing the
magnitude of my offense, I quickly apologized and promptly
returned the models to their proper places.
The incident taught me much about Gordon and about
myself. It also made it clear that if I chose to date, I could not
bring ladies to Gordon’s place; I am sure they would have found
the sight of his modeling area disturbing.
After recovering from his displeasure, Gordon encouraged me
to begin building models with him and even offered to expand
his workbench for that purpose. I didn’t accept his kind offer
and eventually, I moved to my own apartment.
When I met and married my wife, Linda, Gordon was best
man at our wedding. Linda and I have been happily married
for nearly 30 years and have been blessed with three wonderful
children. Helen Brady, one of Linda’s friends, was a widow and
businesswoman in charge of the Gwinn Estate in the Cleveland
suburb of Bratenhal. Helen seemed the opposite of Gordon.
He was soft spoken and mild mannered (unless provoked as
mentioned previously); Helen was outspoken and almost brash.
Despite these differences, Linda and I invited Helen and Gordon
on a blind date to see Liberace perform at Cleveland’s Front
Row Theatre.
The two were instantly attracted and married a year later.
Gordon moved to Gwinn for several years and rented out his
condo. When Helen retired, the two moved back to the condo
and lived in harmony until Helen’s death in 2002.
In his fi nal years, Gordon added painting to his list of leisure
time pleasures. He preferred paint-by-number types, but his skill
at neatly painting the numbered spots led him to produce many
exceptional pieces, which he framed and gave as gifts to family
and friends.
He also enjoyed working crossword puzzles and did so
almost daily.
Gordon also continued to build model airplanes at an
impressive rate. Two weeks before his death, Jim Hyka, Russ
Brown, Rich Weber, and I visited him. We showed him two
CDs of old aviation movies and had pizza.
Our visit lasted more than four hours and Gordon was tired.
Even so he invited us to come down to his workshop and see
his latest creation. Despite the seriousness of his illness, he
continued to fi nd happiness and peace in model building.
There is an expression that typifi es the Brit’s attitude in
adversity: be calm and keep moving! Gordon did both and
inspired me by his example.
Well done, dear boy. Well done!
