AMA History Project Biographies, club and company histories

Academy of Model Aeronautics · National Model Aviation Museum

The people, clubs and companies that built model aviation, in their own words.

Search 1,062 biographies of modelers, designers and contest fliers, plus the histories of 62 clubs and 26 companies, preserved by the AMA History Project.

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Histories: 1,150
Pages: 4,653
Earliest birth: 1850

Biographies

1–24 of 1,062 entries ·

1 page

Julie Abel

Biography

Julie Abel, of Florissant, MO, is at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Bunnel, Florida, where her major is Aviation Maintenance Management. She built her first model airplane in 1973 and in time became an avid competitor. In high school, for a science fair project, she constructed a wind tunnel and developed a full range of experiments that…
8 pages

Robert F Aberle

1938–2023 · AMA 215

Career: 1950s: Attended all his local and regional Free Flight contests as a teenager 1973: Began writing for Flying Models magazine and became a regular contributor to the magazine. Served first as contributing editor of Flying Models magazine for a while then served as technical editor of Flying Models for 20 years 1975: Began serving on the AMA…
2 pages Autobiography

Alan Abriss

1952– · AMA 53207

Career: 1959: First built and flew a Guillow’s Neuport 28. 1975: Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography, School of Visual Arts, New York City 1985: Joined Brooklyn Skyscrapers, NYC 1990-2004: Produced videos of National Championships 1998-2001: Editor of Flyoff, Brooklyn Skyscraper’s club newsletter Contest Director for local contests…
3 pages

Arthur A. (Art) Adamisin

1927–2019 · AMA 427

Career: 1960s-1970s: Stunt competitor Helped coach his sons to success in model competition; his wife and daughter were also involved 1967: Contest director in the Detroit, Michigan area 1968: Co-event director with his wife, Better, at the Nationals (Nats) 1983, 1985, 1987: U.S. FAI Team Trials Event Director 1984: Event director for the FAI F2B…
4 pages

James E Adams

1921–2003 · AMA 463

Career: Worked for North American until his retirement in 1984; spent some time in the military and some time working for Curtiss Wright Technical Institute as well Attended the first Society of Antique Modelers (SAM) Champs Editor of SAM Speaks for eight years, two of which he was also SAM president 1963/1964: Was one of the original members of…
13 pages Autobiography

James Alaback

1925–2009 · AMA 4483

Career: 1992-2002: Monthly column in Flying Models Wrote articles for Model Aviation, Engine Collectors Journal, Flying Aces, Air Wars, Model Builder, & Flying Models Aerospace Museum Consultant for San Diego Aerospace Museum One of the Founders of Model Engine Collectors Association (MECA) Assisted in forming Society of Antique Modelers (SAM)…
2 pages

Peter Albin

Biography

Peter Albin Professional musician with Big Brother and the Holding Company by Jay Smith Jay Smith: How did you become involved with model aviation? Peter Albin: My older brother was a major influence by letting me see how he built and flew a U-Control [Control Line] model, powered by a Fox .35 in the early 1950s. He also designed and built model…
6 pages Autobiography

Jack Albrecht

1926–2024 · AMA L2063

Career: 26 years in the Military Service 20 years worked in Hobby Industry, for Kraft & Airtronics Member of the AMA Frequency Committee Honors: 1975: Hall of Fame, D.C.R.C Club Award 1992: AMA Distinguished Service Award 1997: Vintage Radio Controlled Society Hall of Fame 1997: Howard McEntee Award 1998: Model Aviation Hall of Fame The chair of…
4 pages Autobiography

John Stewart Alcorn

1932–

Career: Won Best Aircraft Award for model of DeHavilland DH9A model at the EMPSIUSA Nationals Built model of Wedell-Williams#44 for Smithsonian’s Exhibit, On Miniature Wings 1993: Wrote book entitled Scratch Built!: A Celebration of the Static Scale Airplane Modeler's Craft, published by Schiffer 1999: Collaborated and edited book called The…
4 pages

Lt. Harold W. Alden

1897–1951

Career/Honors: Served as an assistant to Mr. Enyart in the operation of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA)/American Academy of Model Aeronautics (AAMA) 1975: Model Aviation Hall of Fame 1979: National Free Flight Society Hall of Fame 1996: Society of Antique Modelers Hall of Fame The following biography was taken from an article written…
6 pages

George Aldrich

1932–2001 · AMA L47

Video link: One of the National Model Aviation Museum’s special Fly By report, Nobler, is on YouTube here. “In this episode of Fly By, Claire discusses the one of the most popular Control Line Precision Aerobatics models of its time and how its owner used it to become one of the more successful CL Stunt Pilots.” – Published on YouTube by the…
2 pages Autobiography

Stan Alexander

Autobiography

Stan Alexander Nashville, Tennessee, has been my home for almost my entire life. I started flying model airplanes at about the age of 8. Most of my early efforts were Sterling kits; some were Scale and others were Stunt models. I got involved in Boy Scouts, and really learned to fly CL with a Cox PT-19 at the church where the troop met in the Una…
6 pages

Richard C. Allen

1928–2020 · AMA 9174

Career: 1951: Started flying Radio Control 1953: Tied with Walt Good for third place in Radio Control at his first Nationals meet First president and founding father of the Aeroguidance Society (AGS) Designed model airplanes including the Lancer (with Ralph Jackson), the Stark Shark, Junkers J-10 Tin Donkey, the Mini MAX 1200Z and the Miles…
2 pages

Richard P. Allison

1945–2012

After retiring from Pattern in 2003, Rick took up Big Birds and Scale, flying last at the 2011 Huckfest, in Wenatchee, WA. Rick became involved with the local RC club as a leader and newsletter editor, beginning his modeling writing career. Rick’s first nationally published articles were in the NSRCA newsletter, the K-Factor, as District 8 VP in…
3 pages Autobiography

James H. Alvis Sr.

1929– · AMA 472960

Information submitted by JHA (3/2003); partially written & Edited by SS (3/2003), updated by JS (11/2007) Career: November 13, 1953: Received his private pilot’s license Pieced together a good Free Flight model using parts from various other planes Served as the Mid-Mississippi Radio Control club’s safety officer from 1994 to 1996 and president…
2 pages Autobiography

David P. Andersen

1940– · AMA 16331

Career: 1962-: Active member of the Twin City Radio Controllers; has served as president and vice president First Minnesota pilot to qualify for the League of Silent Flight (182nd worldwide) Co-founder and original performer in the Blue Eagles air show team Co-founder of the Scale Flyers of Minnesota Current secretary and newsletter editor of the…
6 pages

Donald W. Anderson

Biography

Don Anderson began modeling in 1969 while attending the University of Illinois, where he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. He began working toward his MBA and decided to go into the wholesale Radio Control business. Don founded Great Planes Model Distributors, which bought products from Radio Control manufacturers and resold them…
8 pages

Mel Anderson

1902–1986 · AMA 176458

Career: 1919: Designed his first motor at age 17; it was the first front rotor valve induction motor 1931: Made his first gas engine 1935: Worked with Bill Atwood for Major C. C. Moseley to help design and manufacture the popular Baby Cyclone engine 1936: Built and flew the first model airplane powered by two gasoline engines 1938: Set a world…
2 pages

Melinda Leigh Anderson

Biography

Melinda Leigh Anderson, of Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, is presently a freshman at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. A check for $1,250 has been mailed to the school on her behalf. Melinda is directing her efforts toward a degree in aeronautical engineering. In 1988, she had the exciting and satisfying experience of being a member…
2 pages

Ralph N. Andrae

1938–1999

Ralph Andrae is possibly best remembered for inventing and patenting a retractable landing gear for Radio Control models. Ralph was born in Chicago in 1938. Growing up near O’Hare Airport, he spent many hours sitting in a field adjacent to the airport watching the aircraft of the day come and go. At the age of eight, Ralph was already designing…
3 pages

Matt Andren

Biography

Matt Andren: A Lifetime of RC Flight I have encountered Matt Andren at RC events across the country for many years. When I bought my first Discus Launch Glider (DLG) three years ago, he showed up at the Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) with a micro DLG he had cobbled together. I had to have one! I later saw the final version of that…
1 page

Nathan P. Andress

Biography

Nathan P. Andress of Winnemucca, Nevada, received $1,000 to help defray his expenses at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. Nathan attended Albert Lowry High School in his hometown, from which he graduated with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.979 and ranked number two in a class of 137 students. Nathan was a member of the…
6 pages

Louis J. Andrews

1916–1995 · AMA L16

Career: Worked on developments and prototypes for Chance Vought/Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, Connecticut, during World War II After World War II worked for Guillow’s Company as a design and manufacturing engineer; designed the Trixter series of Control Line stunt planes 1947: Won third place at the New York Mirror Meet in Stunt event…
2 pages

Merrick S. Andrews

1914–1992

Merrick S. “Pete” Andrews was 78 years old when he left us. During his lifetime, he accomplished much in the field of model aviation. Growing up in Philadelphia, he was vitally interested in Indoor and Outdoor Free Flight, and as his skills progressed, he focused more and more on Indoor flying and the competition scene. His skills made him…