Museum News & Views
Contact
Michael Smith National Model Aviation Museum Curator Tel.: (765) 287-1256 Ext. 500 michaels@modelaircraft.org
AS I WRITE THIS, I am amazed that 2003 is nearly over and, by the time this issue of Model Aviation is in your hands, the events surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' historic flight will have concluded.
Years in the planning, the many activities and events surrounding this anniversary have brought the story of the Wright brothers and early aviation directly into the homes of millions as never before. Whether those attempting to re-create the historic flight at Kitty Hawk are successful or not, the knowledge and data they have gained in recreating the Wright Flyers will be well worth the effort.
As you read this, the museum's exhibit, "Spinning Tops to Whirling Props," will have officially opened. As you may have read in previous issues of Model Aviation, this exhibit highlights the accomplishments of the Wrights, while a special hands-on component—a reproduction of the center section of the 1905 Flyer III—provides an opportunity for visitors to learn how the brothers controlled their aircraft. For more information, please visit the museum's portion of the AMA Web site at http://modelaircraft.org/museum/index.asp.
Website Improvements
Writing about the Web page, the National Model Aviation Museum's section has been greatly improved. While some of it is still under construction, the site will eventually allow those of you who will never be able to visit the museum the opportunity to see some of the collection.
If you had visited the museum section of the Web page in the past, all you would have seen was a single page listing the museum's hours and admission, links to our artifact donation form, information on the museum patron program, and directions to the facility. Now there is much more information, including:
- Exhibits
- New acquisitions to the collection
- The library
- Theater
- Restoration shop
- Museum store (including online shopping)
- Educational programs
- The museum Patron Program
- Instructions for donating artifacts to the National Model Aviation Museum
Information online regarding the History Program includes a list of individuals for whom we have completed biographies. Finally, there is a general museum information page with hours, prices, directions, and other practical details.
Student Aviation Art Contest
The winners of our first student aviation art contest are posted on the Web site. The contest was open to students in the Muncie, Indiana, area from grades kindergarten through 12. We did not receive any entries from grades six through 12; however, for the first year of an event such as this we were excited to receive nearly 450 pieces of artwork.
All of the artwork was temporarily placed on display in the museum's main gallery, and on Saturday, November 8, 2003, the awards were presented. We awarded first through third places in two categories:
- Grades kindergarten through two
- Grades three through five
We also awarded a Best in Show prize. The turnout for the presentations was high — all but one child was present. When combined with families who were visiting as part of a Tiger Cub Scout tour, it made for a busy day in the museum.
New Acquisitions
As a final bit of news, the museum's collection of radio-controlled aircraft used for purposes beyond recreation has significantly grown during the past year. Acquisitions include:
- An OQ-2A World War II target drone (an article will appear later)
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) trainers
- A prototype for a proposed full-scale amphibian aircraft
For our many visitors—especially parents with children—these aircraft provide a glimpse of potential careers. For some parents who might otherwise not want to spend money on such "toys," these aircraft show that model aviation, while exciting for their youngsters, can lead to future job opportunities.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
