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.
- Histories
- 1,150
- Pages
- 4,653
- Earliest birth
- 1850
Company histories
1–24 of 26 entries ·
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3 pages Company
3D Hobby Shop
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, September 2009 issue. About Us: 3D Hobby Shop “Our goal is simple: to be the premier supplier of airframes,” said Ben Fisher—who owns 3D Hobby Shop (3DHS)—during a telephone interview I conducted with him. Some might consider that to be a bold statement.…
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3 pages Company
A2Z Corp.
Company history
Don DeLoach wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, July 2011 issue. About Us: A2Z Corp. “You’re crazy,” responded A2Z Corp. owner Tim Goldstein’s wife, Karen, when he approached her with the news in 2006. “We’ve just bought a major model airplane kit manufacturer – Peck-Polymers,” he said. No doubt that…
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3 pages Company
Aeroworks
Since 1994
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, January 2010 issue. About Us: Aeroworks Aeroworks is known for producing quality models for both sport flying and competition. If you attend the Nats, International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) competitions, 3-D events, or even fun-flys, chances are…
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3 pages Company
Airborne Models
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, July 2012 issue. About Us: Airborne Models World Models Manufacturing Company has been in existence for more than 15 years and has produced a wide range of aircraft for gas, glow, and electric power. Although the company is headquartered in Hong Kong, its…
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4 pages Company
Atlanta Hobby
Since 1994
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, September 2012 issue. About Us: Atlanta Hobby Cliff Whitney has been involved with the hobby for virtually his entire life. His father was a U Control pilot and like a good majority of people, Cliff learned to fly CL on a PT-19 Cox trainer when he was…
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3 pages Company
Balsa USA
Since 1968
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, January 2011 issue. About Us: Balsa USA Almost anyone who is interested in RC kits of World War I aircraft is probably familiar with Balsa USA. The company has been producing an expanded line of WWI models since the 1990s, but its story starts much longer…
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3 pages Company
Bob Smith Industries
Since 1983
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, November 2010 issue. About Us: Bob Smith Industries If you’ve ever shopped for CA or epoxy at your local hobby shop, you’ve probably seen and purchased adhesives labeled with the store name. This private branding was Bob Smith’s idea. He and his brother…
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2 pages Company
Comet Model Airplane and Supply Company
Since 1929
Comet Model Airplane and Supply Company Bill Bishop founded the Comet Model Airplane and Supply Company, another Chicago-based company, in 1929. He started it to make money for purchasing a full-scale glider. Little did he know how big the company would grow. Sam Goldberg and Louis Kapp came into the business shortly afterward to help. The first…
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3 pages Company
Du-Bro
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, July 2009 issue. About Us: Du-Bro Celebrates 50 Years It is probably safe to assume that most modelers are not only familiar with the Du-Bro name, but also use the company’s products. Just a listing of all the items it sells would easily fill this space…
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3 pages Company
Extreme Flight RC
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, July 2010 issue. About Us: Extreme Flight RC Chris Hinson, who owns Extreme Flight RC, is just as comfortable with a transmitter in his hands as he is with a guitar. Chances are you will see him with both at any event he attends. Although Chris loves both…
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3 pages Company
Higher Plane Productions
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, March 2010 issue. About Us: Higher Plane Productions Higher Plane Productions and its popular slogan, “Fly Low, Roll Tape,” is the brainchild of Fred Midgett, who is most often found behind the camera, catching all the action. His passion for flight, which…
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3 pages Company
Knife Edge Software
Since 1995
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, May 2010 issue. About Us: Knife Edge Software Knife Edge Software is the company behind the hugely popular RealFlight line of RC flight simulators. I interviewed Jim Bourke, Knife Edge Software’s general manager, to learn about his personal RC experiences…
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4 pages Company
Landing Products, Inc., maker of APC Propellers
Company history
Landing Products Inc., makers of APC Propellers Landing Products started making propellers in 1989 in an old barn near Sacramento, CA. Fred Burgdorf, the founder, acquired a primitive Numerically Controlled (NC) Eagle milling machine and a first-generation Apple MacIntosh personal computer. He connected the two with a data cable and began to…
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3 pages Company
A Main Hobbies
Since 2004
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, September 2011 issue. About Us: A Main Hobbies Business success stories of companies that literally started out of a garage are few and far between these days, but A Main Hobbies is one. Kendall Bennett and his wife Kelly started the company from the…
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4 pages Company
Megow Company
Company history
Charlie Reich wrote and submitted the following history to the AMA History Project in 2005.This was also submitted to SAM Speaks for publication. Megow’s By “Ol Charlie” Norm Rosenstock, the Historian for AMA, called me last fall requesting, “Charlie, we need another biography for AMA’s museum archives as we have nothing on file for Fred Megow nor…
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3 pages Company
Model Aero
Since early 2000s
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, May 2012 issue. About Us: Model Aero If the name Model Aero doesn’t ring a bell with you, the name Polaris should if you enjoy float flying. The Polaris is based on the North Star design by Laddie Mikulasko and was adapted to an electric-powered foam model…
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3 pages Company
Mountain Models
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, November 2012 issue. About Us: Mountain Models When I started flying electric aircraft approximately 10 years ago, one of my first was a Mountain Models Dandy Sport purchased at the Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF). I would later own a Switchback…
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5 pages Company
Paul K. Guillow Incorporated ("Guillow's", previously NuCraft Toys)
Since 1926
Visit some of the biographies in the History Project’s online listing and you will notice a trend. Many modelers state they started on, or at least grew up on, Guillow’s kits. Among them are Jerry Smith, Lou Andrews, Bob Aberle, Mark Bibbey, Herb Kothe, Emil Caluory, Danny Lutz, and Gene Wallock. How about you? Paul K. Guillow Incorporated, or…
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2 pages Company
Polk’s Model Craft Hobbies/ Polk’s Hobbies
Company history
Polk’s Model Craft Hobbies / Polk’s Hobbies The story of Polk’s Model Craft Hobbies/ Polk’s Hobbies is less a story of a hobby shop and more a story of two brothers, Irwin and Nathan Polk. The Polk brothers’ lives seemed to run along the same track. There was not much that one did without the other, or much one did that was not duplicated by the…
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4 pages Company
Precision Aerobatics
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, November 2014 issue. About us: Precision Aerobatics The name Precision Aerobatics, or simply PA, is associated with a well-known manufacturer of lightweight, versatile, electric-powered aircraft that are popular among devotees of 3-D flight. Although many…
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3 pages Company
RAM Products
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, March 2014 issue. About Us: RAM Products LED lights and the occasional sound system have become popular accessories on our aircraft. One of the oldest and largest suppliers of these items is RAM Products, owned by Ralph Warner. Ralph was interested in…
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3 pages Company
RTL Fasteners
Company history
Jay Smith wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, July 2013 issue. About Us: RTL Fasteners “I’ve always had a fascination with airplanes,” Rich Bastone, owner of RTL Fasteners, shared with me. That interest led him to model aircraft approximately 25 year ago when he made his first flight with a Cox PT-19…
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1 page Company
Sterling Models, Inc.
Company history
Sterling Models: Proud Recognition Sterling Models, Incorporated, of Philadelphia, has recently explored new and innovative advertising and promotional avenues. A uniquely successful adventure to acquaint the public with the satisfaction of aeromodeling was the sponsorship of “Real Sporty,” a Formula I Racer. Designed and built by Paul Musso, a…
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3 pages Company
Stevens AeroModel
Company history
Don DeLoach wrote the following, published in the About Us section of Model Aviation magazine, March 2013 issue. About Us: Stevens AeroModel As a 10-year-old son of a military officer, Bill Stevens had no idea he’d someday be the owner of an electric RC kit manufacturing company. He began flying at that age with Cox plastic CL ARFs sporting the…