2002 Model Aviation Hall of Fame Inductees - 2003/02

2002 Model Aviation Hall of Fame Inductees

ESTABLISHED IN 1969, the Model Aviation Hall of Fame honors those men and women who have made significant contributions to the sport of aeromodeling. The list of members is long and distinguished. Contributions may be in volunteer or administrative activities, product development, competition performance, or a variety or combination of activities.

The selection committee is composed of past and present AMA presidents and one individual selected from each of the 11 districts by the respective vice presidents. Each year, the new class is inducted into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame, and the winners are announced in Model Aviation magazine.

Any AMA member can submit a Hall of Fame nomination. For a nomination form or further information, contact Michael Smith: (765) 287-1256, ext. 500.

The committee has selected the following modelers to the 2002 Model Aviation Hall of Fame.

Charlie Bauer, 72

Charlie Bauer began modeling in the mid-1930s. In 1939 he won his first contest with a Free Flight (FF) model Carl Goldberg helped him build. Early in his aeromodeling career Charlie was a member of the Chicago Vultures, a FF and Control Line (CL) model club. He continued flying CL model airplanes while in the service from 1952 to 1954.

After the service, Charlie worked for TopFlite Models designing models such as the J-3 Cub, the Elder 20 and 40, and the Hot Kanary. He designed the P-82 for Wing Manufacturing and the Fun Fighter series for Four Pi, Inc. While at TopFlite, Charlie produced MonoKote videotapes teaching thousands of modelers how to cover with MonoKote. He has given many club demonstrations on this topic throughout the Midwest.

Charlie found success in the National Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) competition as well. He was one of the first modelers to win with a ducted-fan CL model at the Nats and has won many trophies there throughout his career. Charlie was among the first modelers to use electronic control boxes in CL Scale. He has served as a club officer for the Chicago Aero Angels for many years and has served as AMA District VI vice president.

Dave Gierke, 61

Dave Gierke first began building model airplanes at age seven. He obtained his first engine and started flying CL in 1952, joining AMA in 1956 when he entered his first contest. Concentrating on CL Speed and Stunt, Dave wrote his first magazine article in 1967 for American Modeler. Over the next decade he designed, built, and competed with many new models in CL and Radio Control (RC); many of his designs were published in magazines.

Dave developed experimental apparatus and techniques to help understand and improve miniature engines, many described in his technical articles. In 1992 he became a contributing editor for Model Airplane News; his column "RPM" (Real Performance Measurement) provides answers to problems associated with engine design, operation, and maintenance. His book, 2-Stroke Glow Engines for RC Aircraft (1994), continues to receive enthusiastic reviews.

Dave won the High Appearance Points award for Stunt at two Nats and received first place 13 times at the Toledo Weak Signals RC Expo. As an educator, Dave credits model airplanes for helping motivate his high school students to science and engineering achievements throughout his 34-year career. He was honored as New York State's Teacher of the Year in 1978.

John Hunton, 70

John Hunton began modeling at age seven and competed in CL Speed, Jet Speed, Stunt, Combat, and FF between 1946 and the 1970s. After serving briefly as a tool design draftsman at the General Electric jet engine facility in Evendale, Ohio, he was a US Army artillery instructor from 1952 to 1954. In 1960 he graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and became a registered architect, working on many school buildings.

From 1975 to 1981, John was a test pilot of remotely piloted vehicles for the Melpar Division of E-Systems, where he was also an aeromechanical engineer. He left that position to become the senior architect specialist for the Central Intelligence Agency in 1981.

John designed the former AMA Headquarters in Reston, Virginia, and the present museum facility in Muncie, Indiana.

Howard "Hi" Johnson (deceased May 2, 1981)

Howard Johnson ran his own model airplane company starting in the 1960s—first called Hi Johnson Model Products and later Dynamic Models. He initially produced slot car accessories and gas-powered RC cars, then plastics and foam products for model airplanes. To help his business, Hi developed his own foam-cutting machines that produced straight, true wings. Dynamic Models also produced model engines, and Hi conducted research on lift and drag of airfoils.

Though he started his own business in the 1960s, Hi had manufactured airplane kits, engines, and components in the 1940s for firms including Burbank Manufacturing, the Henry Engineering Company, and Kehnhi Model Products. In 1956 he acquired tooling and license for Orwick engines. He was killed in a soaring accident in 1981 near Pearblossom, California.

L. F. (Randy) Randolph, 77

Randy Randolph got his start in model aviation when he received a model airplane on his ninth birthday. By summer 1942 he had a job as a shipping clerk for Johnny Clemens, which allowed him a discount on model supplies. Randy joined the US Navy in 1943 and returned to modeling in 1946, becoming a member of the newly formed Cliff Model Club and holding all club offices at one time or another.

In the early 1950s Randy moved to RC model airplanes, helped by his amateur radio license. He bought his first RC equipment with prize money from winning the Clipper Cargo event at the Nats. After a break to raise a family, Randy rejoined aeromodeling, became active in the Dallas RC Club (holding every elected position), and published the club's newsletter.

Randy has published more than 420 articles. He co-founded the Small Model Airplane Lovers League (SMALL) with Joe Wagner; the club has a website, an e-mail newsletter, and tens of thousands of members worldwide with no dues or officers.

Randy has served AMA as a Contest Board member, Contest Coordinator, and assistant vice president of District VIII. He is an AMA Leader Member and received AMA's Superior Service Award in 1986. He still proudly has the original AMA number issued to him in 1941.

Keith Shaw, 55

Keith Shaw began flying FF in the early 1950s and added CL in the mid-1950s. By the end of the decade he had designed and built his own vacuum tube RC control system, later evolving it into a quasi-digital system in 1964 and a home-designed four-channel digital system in 1967.

Keith began competing in 1964 and in 1975 became interested in electric flight. By 1980 he started to build, compete, and show the potential of electric flight at air shows. He has been a member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Electric Team Selection Committee since its inception and a member of the AMA Electric Contest Board since it was formed. He is also a Contest Director (CD) and club officer.

Keith has published eight how-to articles in national magazines, was a columnist for Model Airplane News, and is a current columnist for E-Zone, a virtual electric magazine. He has also been published in local and national newsletters.

Keith received his undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. He currently works for the University of Michigan as a research physicist/engineer in the biophysics research division.

Jack R. Sheeks, 69

Jack Sheeks started modeling around age eight or nine and flew his first contest after returning from service in the US Navy in the mid-1950s, winning second place with a Sterling Profile. He began building his own designs in 1961. His first published design, the Stuka Stunter, ran in Flying Models in 1963. Since then he has published roughly 70 articles and designs for Stunt, Sport Scale, and Scale models in CL and RC.

Jack has competed in most Nats over the last 40 years, judged Stunt and Scale, and won more than 25 national competition trophies. He placed first in Precision Scale at an FAI team trial, is a two-time winner of Old-Timer Stunt, and has placed second through fourth many times.

He competed with the US Scale Team in 1990, 1992, 1994, and 1996. Jack has been the CD of the Control Line Scale event at the Nats and FAI Stunt Team Trials, as well as many local and regional CL events. He has taught children and adults to build and fly CL, RC, and FF models, and for 11 years owned a hobby shop where he held club meetings, building sessions, and classes.

Robert D. Stalick, 65

Robert (Bob) Stalick began aeromodeling while in grade school and continued the hobby while working in education in Oregon. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1960 and took his first teaching job at Albany High School, where he joined with others to form the Willamette Modelers Club of Oregon (WMCO). Bob is a founding member and has served the club as secretary and treasurer.

Since 1962 he has been editor of the club's newsletter, WMC Patter—the longest-running continuous club newsletter in the Northwest—which features information on FF activities and club news. Bob became a Contest Director in the mid-1960s and has directed many of his club's outdoor and indoor contests. He has continued to serve as a contest director and contributor to free flight activities.

Bryant Thompson, 74

Bryant Thompson started building model airplanes in 1938, progressing from stick-and-tissue to CL models before enlisting in the US Air Force in 1947. In 1949 he won second place in CL Scale at the Nats with the first four-engine CL model flown at the Nats; two years later he flew the first six-engine B-36 at the Nats.

Bryant has competed in at least 15 Nats, placing high often and becoming a four-time member of the National Team Championship team. He has more than 130 trophies and plaques and was the Air Force worldwide champion for four years. During the 1960s he was involved in rocket modeling, setting eight national and one world record, and served as member and team manager of the 1970 FAI model rocket team.

While in the Air Force, Bryant organized many model clubs on various bases and served as a club officer throughout his life. He became a CD in 1955 and has directed Nats events including CL Stunt and served as CL manager and Nats manager. He coordinated the first Trans American Radio Control Race and worked as a CD for Air Force aeromodeling events after retirement.

Bryant has had three model airplanes published—the Chow Hound, Miss Max, and the Ringer—and has had RC scale boats published. He opened a small hobby shop near Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois, in 1965, later opened another shop in Champaign, Illinois, and after retiring from the Air Force worked in public relations for Midwest Products. In January 2000 he became product manager of Falcon Trading Company, a subsidiary of Midwest Products dedicated to the sale of imported Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF) RC aircraft.

Bryant has served AMA as District VI vice president and received AMA's Meritorious Service Award in 1985.

Abram Van Dover, 71

Abram Van Dover started in model aviation at age eight when his father bought him a kit of a Nieuport 28 WWI biplane. He did not join his first model club until 1961 while at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Abram began competing that year and placed well in his first local contest. He competed in his first Nats in 1985, placing ninth in FF Wakefield in 1985 and 1986.

Since 1961 Abram has directed approximately 50 contests at all levels, including Indoor and Outdoor FF events at the 1995 Nats. He has served as vice president and president of the Brainbusters Club in Newport News, Virginia, and has been the club's newsletter editor since 1981 when he retired from the US Army after 30 years of service.

Abram's writing has been published in Model Aviation and frequently appears in the NFFS Digest (the National Free Flight Society publication). He has taught model building at Denbigh High School since 1994 and at a 4-H camp since 1992. Abram graduated third in his class from the US Army Sergeant Major Academy in 1974 and retired as a Command Sergeant Major (E-9), spending most of his military career in Army aviation.

Mickey Walker, 71

Mickey Walker received a solid model of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis in 1936, sparking his love of model aviation. By 1941 he was building gas models, and in 1947 he entered his first gas model contest (winning first place in Class C Gas). He continued contest flying through the early 1950s and started flying RC in 1954, competing in RC into the early 1980s before shifting focus to Society of Antique Modelers (SAM) events.

Mickey was a charter member of the Thermal Thumbers Club of Metro Atlanta and founded the Senior Pattern Association (SPA). He has competed in SPA events every year since 1991. He joined AMA in 1941 and is now a CD and Leader Member. Mickey has served in numerous model airplane clubs and positions and started the Cobb County Radio Control (CCRC) Competition Team in 1970, later serving as president.

He has been president of SAM Chapter 47 since 1994 and editor of the Dixie Playboys, the chapter newsletter. In 1972 Mickey opened a hobby supply store in Cobb County, operating it until 1978. In 1985 he purchased rights to remanufacture the Cobey Walt engine and discontinued production in 1987.

Riley Wooten, 68

Riley Wooten began carving solid model airplanes from old orange crates in 1941, progressing to gas models and competing in CL Stunt and Combat by 1954. He entered his first Nats in 1956 and had particular success in Combat, winning six times in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Riley built and kitted the first foam (expanded polystyrene) Combat airplanes in the early 1960s; his designs won Open Combat at the Nats from 1965 through 1968. He also designed the popular Voodoo, kitted by Carl Goldberg Models in 1961.

Riley became an AMA Leader Member and CD in 1957 and has directed numerous local, regional, and state contests, serving as an Event Director at the Nats. He started several model clubs and served as officer or president of each. Riley has had articles and designs published in many model aviation magazines and founded Flite Line Products in 1963, producing CL kits and later RC kits. Flite Line built ready-to-cover RC models in Mexico under the name Model Magnifico in the early 1980s. He also started Lone Star Models, a mail-order balsa supplier, in 1981.

Additional inductees and past years (from source)

• 1989: Joseph Bilgri; W. L. "Woody" Blanchard; Frank Garcher; Earl F. Stahl; Cliff Weirick
• 1990: Joe Beshar; Paul Boyer; James "Jim" Cahill; Carl Fries; Milton Huguelet
• 1991: William "Bill" Bishop; Howard Bonner; Joseph W. Foster; Don Lowe; John Tatone
• 1992: Hurst G. Bowers; Charles Tracy; Earl Witt
• 1993: Merrick S. "Pete" Andrews; Robert A. Champine; Bud Romak; Norman Rosenstock; William Austin Wylam
• 1994: None
• 1995: Robert Boucher; Dr. Ralph C. Brooke; Vic Cunningham; Ed Izzo; Frank Hoover
• 1996: Joseph Bridi; William "Bill" Cannon Jr.; Art Laneau; Dave Platt; Bob Violett
• 1997: Roy Mayes; Francis McElwee; John C. Patton; Robert Underwood; Robert Wischer; Neil Armstrong
• 1998: Bob Aberle; Jack Albrecht; Everet Angus
• 1999: Arthur Adamisin; Edward Beshar; Roy L. Clough Jr.; Robert Durham; John Frisoli; C. Leslie Hard; Ronald Morgan; Harold Parenti; Robert Sileet; Wayne Yeager; Nick Ziroli Sr.
• 2000: Robert Bienenstein; Roland Boucher; Edward ___; Daniel Calkin; Joseph Elgin; Robert Gialdini
• 2001: Oba St. Clair; Joel Danner "Dan" Bunch; George Brown Jr.; Fred Reese; Stuart Richmond; J. C. Yates; Fred Marks; Francis Reynolds; Peter Waters; Herb Kolhe; James Alaback

2002 (inductees recap)

• Charlie Bauer
• Dave Gierke
• John Hunton
• Howard Johnson
• L. F. (Randy) Randolph
• Keith Shaw
• Jack R. Sheeks
• Robert D. Stalick
• Bryant Thompson
• Abram Van Dover
• Mickey Walker
• Riley Wooten

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.