Written by JS (11/2009); Formatted by JS (01/2010)
Born Edward Thomas Pachasa in Newark, NJ, Ed has one of the more recognizable names in model aviation. Most know him as Ed Packard (surname changed in 1950) and most know the company he built from a home business: Cleveland Model and Supply Company.
Moving to Cleveland, Ohio in his youth, Ed began a model airplane sales career early. He sold his first model, the Skylark, at the age of 13. His business slowly grew into a family affair named A. Pachasa & Sons. Ed worked for full-scale airplane manufacturers Glenn Martin and Tony Fokker while continuing this own business on the side until it could provide a livable income. Ten years later, he owned his own massive manufacturing business, Cleveland Model and Supply. Kits produced by the company included innovative (at the time) print wood-and-glue construction. Business was at its highest in 1944. It is claimed that at several points over the lifespan of the company, they employed a staff of more than one hundred.
From 1968 through 1996, business was solely by means of mail-order catalog. The company no longer manufactured kits. Instead, it sold a few older kits and mostly plans developed by a vast group of volunteers. In 1996, Ed retired, selling the company to John Jacox, a Cleveland product collector of many years.
In recognition of his contribution to the world of model aviation, Ed was inducted into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Western Reserve Aviation Hall of Fame in 1990.
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