Bill Winter: Simply the Best
Randall Trumbull & Jim Haught
Friends remember a man whose life and work touched so many others
"I've always known that my grandfather was an important man, but until now, I never knew the full meaning of that." — Vincent Winter
William J. "Bill" Winter, America's preeminent model aviation writer, editor, designer, and publisher, died December 12, 1998.
He leaves behind an enormous collection of published work and a seemingly limitless supply of friends and admirers. A few of those who knew this true aeromodeling legend have expressed their feelings about this remarkable man.
John Hunton was Winter's collaborator on many projects in recent years. "Bill had discussed with me his complete satisfaction with what he had accomplished in his life through model aviation, for he is truly one of the most respected men in the field," wrote Hunton.
One of particular interest was the RC Special, which appeared in the September 1980 issue of Model Aviation. That project defined their future writing collaborations. "He said it had to be low-key," said Hunton, "so I did everything—then he changed it all! He was the emotion and the artist behind it, and I was kind of the technical side of it."
Bill Evans, another collaborator, spoke happily of having known Winter. "I was fortunate enough to spend time with Bill over the past 10 years," said Evans. "He has given model aviation just an immeasurable amount." Evans also told of Bill's inquisitive nature about new designs. "If someone told Bill something couldn't be done, he'd say, 'Let's go try,'" Evans said. "That highlights working with Bill."
Carl Wheeley, publisher of Model Aviation, said working with him was very special—a very friendly relationship. "I am trying to think of the highlight … as I look back, I think it was all a highlight, working with Bill."
Steve Kaluf, AMA Technical Director, shared many hours flying with Winter and Steve's father, Bill, at their Fredericksburg, Va., flying site. "Bill didn't like to travel," Kaluf said. "Dad would often pick him up and bring him to Fredericksburg." Winter also was responsible for Steve's entry into the modeling industry; he wrote the first letter of recommendation years ago when Steve applied to the AMA. "That one point in a letter made a difference," Kaluf said.
Dave Brown, Academy of Model Aeronautics president, described Winter as "the epitome of the typical aeromodeler." "He thoroughly enjoyed modeling, and that really came through in his writing," Brown said. "He was a gentle, creative, lovable man who enriched lives with encouragement, help, and friendship, especially by example."
Don Srull and John Worth of the AMA executive office remembered Winter. Worth, who has known Winter since 1939 when he was just a kid at the Wakefield World Championships in New Jersey (where Winter timer Dick Kordas had a famous 43-minute flight), said they flew models together many times. After Winter retired, they had the chance to develop a friendship and business relationship. Worth said Winter built several models and would often give older airplanes to others to try something new. "He would say, 'Have some fun now,'" Worth said. "His airplanes always flew well. His designs appealed to the masses."
Joyce Hager, longtime AMA employee and current Executive Director, remembered Winter's intellectual side. "Whenever we spoke on the phone," said Hager, "he was just so deep. He would use such deep words and wit that I would almost be exhausted after speaking with him." Hager also recalled a lighter moment: "I remember when he would be smoking his pipe, and forgetting about it in a conversation, stick it in his pocket and burn a hole in his pants."
Norm Rosenstock, in a passage from his book Tales of an Ancient Modeler, wrote:
"Bill stood there, in the early morning light wearing a sleeveless sweater against the chill and the snap-brim gray hat, which was his familiar trademark in those days. He stood there like a stone statue. Both hands hanging at his sides, fists clenched. His face was grim and tense, as a study in concentration.
"Mere words can’t describe this man. To call him a visionary is not enough. To call him a legend in his own time is not enough. He is my friend … and my brother."
Rosenstock and Hunton were prime forces behind Winterfest, an annual gathering of Bill's friends at Hunton's Virginia flying field. As Rosenstock relates in "My Friend Bill": "It was Bill who decided that the event should be held on the first weekend in October, as Bill's intuition about the weather was perfect. We had four Winterfests (1995-98). Each one better than the last. Even Bill, who was quite sick by '98, seemed to come back each year renewed and invigorated."
Don Srull remembered Bill's relentless work on models. "He was always [working on] one if not several airplanes," Srull said. "He always did that, and I believe it kept him young for all these years." In later years, when Bill had trouble building, he used what he referred to as "the Purple Plan." "No matter how little of an activity it was, he would do one thing on a model airplane, even if it was just gluing a rib, or cutting a notch. He would always say, 'I gotta stick with that Purple Plan.'"
Winter's intuition about modeling impressed many of his friends. "There is no such thing as progress if we don't know where we came from," he wrote in a 1998 letter to Bill Hannan. "Progress begins with that remembering, and the rememberings of others gone, but not forgotten." Srull added, "He was a very innovative, very forward-seeing person. He was philosophical, and had a great intuition about where modeling would go. He was really a brilliant mind."
"No one else in all of modeling history has had Bill Winter's eye for the big picture," wrote Dave Thornburg in Do You Speak Model Airplane? "When he retired from regular writing, the hobby lost an irreplaceable voice."
"I feel as though I have lost my best mentor," said Kaluf. "He had such an impact. It's sad that we won't see any new writing and designs of Bill's. There's not a day goes by that I don't think of him."
Mark and Vincent Winter created the Bill Winter web site (http://members.aol.com/wjwinter/), which has an overview of Bill's life, as well as sections on his articles, books, and kits.
Thanks to the many friends, business associates, and relatives of Bill Winter who gave so freely of their time, photographs, and research materials for this article.
Editor's note: Perhaps one of the greatest measures of Bill Winter's passing is the almost overwhelming sense of void it has created. Virtually all of us who were associated with Bill in any fashion can feel his absence keenly.
"My only contact with Bill was through occasional letters and phone calls during my time on the MA staff. And although he was (and is) a true giant in model publishing, and I was a rookie by comparison, the tone of his communication was never condescending. He freely shared his thoughts and ideas in a manner that was free of pretense.
"A single word of praise ('Excellent!') he wrote on a card accepting Candle in the Wind, my first published design, in 1975 ranks among my proudest moments. Wow! I wrote something that Bill Winter liked! I thought.
"Even as Bill's physical health began to decline, his mind remained as sharp as ever. His perspective on model publishing was unmatched; his advice sound; his reasoning unfazed. And with all due respect to the other editors and publishers in modeling, let's not kid ourselves: If Bill was still with us, he would be better at his work than the rest of us put together. He cannot be replaced, or even emulated. His body of work, which we are fortunate to have, stands alone.
"He was the best." — Jim Haught
Bill Winter in Model Aviation
- For Openers 1/78–8/80
- Just for the Fun of It 10/80–12/86
- RC Special (w/John Hunton) 9/80
- Le Crate 7/84
- Conversion from Glow to Electric 9/85
- Spoilers for RC Power 2/86
- Lanzo's RC-1 12/86
- Simitar Slow Motion (w/Bill Evans) 1/87
- Heron 3/87
- RC Special Then & Now (w/John Hunton) 3/90
- RC Special (w/John Hunton) 4/88
- Krackerjac Mk. I and II (w/John Hunton) 11/90
- Akro Bat Jr. (w/John Hunton) 4/91
- Jumpin' Geo (w/John Hunton) 11/91
- Lite Bipe (w/John Hunton) 8/92
- Aria (w/John Hunton) 9/92
- Aria: The Long Wing (w/John Hunton) 3/93
- Raptor (w/John Hunton) 4/94
- Flicker (w/John Hunton) 6/95
- Q.E.D. (w/John Hunton) 3/96
- Soft Touch (w/John Hunton) 7/96
- Goblin (w/John Hunton) 7/97
- Osprey (w/John Hunton) 4/98
- Ascender (w/John Hunton) 7/98
- Jackpot (w/John Hunton) 10/98
- Duster (w/John Hunton) 3/99
Article reprints available from the AMA Library.
Bill Winter's Publishing Career
Street and Smith
- Air Trails — Model shop editor 1937
- Air Trails — Associate editor 1937–43
- Air Trails — Editor 1943–46
Air Trails Model Annual
- Editor 1944–46
Air Progress
- Managing editor 1942–43
Air Age, Inc.
- Model Airplane News — Editor 1950–60
Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
- Flying — Production director 1960–61
Radio R/C Inc.
- Grid Leaks — Editor 1962–66
Potomac Aviation Publications, Inc.
- American Aircraft Modeler — Editor and publisher 1966–71
Junior American Modeler
- Editor and publisher 1971–74
Sport Modeler
- Editor and publisher 1974–75
National Aeronautics Association
- National Aeronautics — Editor 1973–74
Academy of Model Aeronautics
- Model Aviation — Editor 1961–62, 1976–80
William J. Winter
1912–1998
William J. Winter was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, and lived most of his life on Long Island, New York, before moving to northern Virginia in 1966 to head Potomac Aviation Publications in Washington, D.C.
He wrote more than 250 articles and edited or wrote more than 20 books on aviation history and technology, sport flying, model airplane construction, and electronics. He designed and built more than 400 flying models.
A licensed full-scale pilot, he flew more than 20 light aircraft, often reviewing them for publication. He was inducted into the halls of fame of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), Kits and Plans Antiquitous, the National Free Flight Society, the Society of Antique Modelers, and the Vintage Radio Control Society.
His wife of 61 years, Alice Sylvia Dixon, died in 1994.
He is survived by six sons: William J. Winter, Robert J. Winter, Walter D. Winter, Stephen P. Winter, Michael J. Winter, and Mark K. Winter; and three daughters: Rosemary McCoy, Alice S. Ritchie, and Jane V. Palenski. There are 31 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Winter Field
Rixeyville, Virginia
A gentle breeze, from the west Causing upslope lift—the best.
Up and over the ridge, climbing to soar. Upturned faces, stiff necks, then sore.
Finding a cloud to frame the plane Wondering if it could ever land again.
This was the field that Bill Winter loved. Now he sees it from above. — John Hunton
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
