AMA History Project Biographies, club and company histories

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.

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Histories: 1,150
Pages: 4,653
Earliest birth: 1850

People under R

1–24 of 65 entries ·

3 pages

Al Rabe

Biography

Al Rabe was active in Control Line Precision Aerobatics in the 1960s and 1970s, initiating a number of design and trim innovations that have become standard features of Stunt aircraft. He was a three-time National Champion in Stunt, published a number of design articles, and produced a column for American Aircraft Modeler. Al was a two-time…
2 pages

Sarah Radziunas

Biography

Sarah Radziunas from Northford, Connecticut, is the recipient of a $3,500 Charles Hampson Grant scholarship and an additional $250 Sig award. A graduate of North Branford High School, Sarah was in the National Honor Society, a member of the lacrosse team, and a four-year member of the school’s fencing team. She was selected to represent her school…
2 pages

Clay Ramskill

Biography

Clay Ramskill, a prolific writer and member of the modeling community, died on February 15, 2002. The following comes from Susan Ramskill and Seven Towers RC Club (STRCC) News, Clay Ramskill’s club newsletter: “I am saddened to inform you that Clay Ramskill passed away early this morning following a courageous 2-year battle with laryngeal cancer.…
1 page

Ocie Randall

Biography

Honors: 1973: Model Aviation Hall of Fame inductee 1978: NFFS Hall of Fame inductee 1969: AMA Distinguished Service Award 1959: AMA Fellowship Award The following brief biography was published in the November 1952 issue of Air Trails magazine. Ocie was inducted into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973. Ocie Randall… Here is another of those…
7 pages Autobiography

L. F. (Randy) Randolph

1925–2005 · AMA 10931

Career: Appointed to the AMA contest board by District VIII Vice President Frank Huffman Became an AMA Leader Member – Johnny Clemens, Bill Winter and John Worth signed his application District VIII Vice President Ted White appointed him contest coordinator; he held the job for 14 years Became an assistant vice president under District VIII Vice…
4 pages

Robert R. Randolph

1923– · AMA 5848

Career: Flew on five U.S. F1D World Championship Teams Served as team manager in 1988 and in 1996; all six of these U.S. teams won the World Championship for the USA Set seven F1D world records Has held the world record in all four F1D ceiling categories Has concentrated on indoor events for the last 35 years Exceeded 40 minutes on all six…
10 pages Autobiography

Jef Raskin

1943–2005 · AMA L88

Career: Started building models with his father at the age of four Built some of the first RC slope soaring models starting in 1968 Built the Western Wind, an all-cardboard slope soarer, in 1974; sold 2,500 models Began writing articles for modeling magazines in the late 1960s and continues to do so One of the first employees of Apple Computer; he…
8 pages

Joseph (Joe) Raspante

1908–1982 · AMA 670

04/2016, 01/2017) Honors: 1976: AMA Distinguished Service Award 1987: Model Aviation Hall of Fame The following was written by Norm Rosenstock, published in Model Aviation magazine, in the December 1987 issue. It was edited by Raspante’s son, Joe Raspante Jr, in 2016. Edits have been blended into the article for continuity and readability. Joe was…
1 page

Jim Rech

Biography

I’m 69 years old and have been modeling off and on for 60 of those years. I started with a 10cent Comet kit of an ME-10 (sorta flew) and progressed through Rubber Free Flight, Powered Free Flight, U-Control, and suffered through the early days of Radio Control semi-controlled flight. I became a Leader Member in 1962 with the Lincoln SkyKnights in…
3 pages Autobiography

William Redeker

1924– · AMA 9027

Career: 1937: Joined first model club in Cincinnati, Ohio 1939-1941: Flew in National Championships (Nats) 1940: Designed the “Demon” a class B Free Flight model Set a world’s record in class B Free Flight with the Demon Lifetime full-scale pilot Bill Redeker has always found airplanes interesting. For over 70 years, he has been modeling. It was…
8 pages Autobiography

Robert (Bob) Reder

1917– · AMA 586445

Career: Worked part-time for Comet Model Airplane and Supply Company while in high school; started working there full-time as a draftsman/designer after high school graduation Became chief engineer at Comet after working there full-time for several years While at Comet helped design identification model building programs during World War II…
2 pages

Carl Redlin

1931–

Carl Redlin Carl Redlin was born January 28, 1931, in Detroit, Michigan. He became interested in model airplanes during his grade school years building stick-and tissue, rubber-powered models, and Hand-Launch gliders. After seeing one of his models circling out of sight in a thermal, he was hooked. Carl became a Junior member of the Detroit Balsa…
2 pages

John Redman

Biography

I Am the AMA John Redman, Industry Professional JS: How did you get involved with model aviation? JR: I became involved with models thanks to my father. He sat with me and we built (he built and I messed things up) a ½A CL model. It was a Carl Goldberg Swordsman 18. I entered RC at age 10 with a Pilot Junior 100 kit purchased from Hobby Shack with…
2 pages

Charles W. Reed III

1924– · AMA 21971

Career: Since 1972, wrote, edited, assembled, printed and mailed the KC/RC newsletter Oversees the KC/RC annual pattern contest An avid competitor and skilled flier, he has competed at the national level for many years Served on the AMA Rules Committee as a representative of District VI The following biography was taken from a Model Aviation Hall…
7 pages Autobiography

Pete Reed

1931– · AMA 253

Career: A pioneer in early Radio Control models Converted a ground based reed transmitter to a hand held unit Starting in 1965 ran the New England Championships at Orange, Massachusetts Volunteered in 1965 to chaperone a group of Nationals (Nats) winners to the Pensacola National Air Station for the weekend Flew Radio Control off the flight deck…
17 pages Autobiography

Fred Reese

1939– · AMA 62541

Career: 1976 - : Contributing editor/monthly column in Radio Control Modeler (RCM) Produced 54 designs published in most model magazines Produced 38 designs that were kitted by, ACE RC, House of Balsa, Golden Age Models, Allied Models, Michigan Hobby Hanger and Norm Models Published articles in RCM and Model Aviation magazines Honors: 2000: AMA…
1 page

Christopher Register

Biography

Christopher Register, Elizabethtown, NC, began aeromodeling at the age of eight. He is now at the University of North Carolina (Wilmington), where he is majoring in Physics. He is also taking flight training with a goal of entering the commercial aviation field. With more than 20 model airplanes to his credit, he has been featured in Bill Winter’s…
11 pages Autobiography

George Albert Reich

1921–2008 · AMA 874

Career: Started modeling at the age of nine At age 16, competed and won “commercial” rubber meet 1969: Represented the U.S. in Wakefield in Austria for the fourth time Published articles on Wakefield modeling Holds records in: Rise Off Ground (R.O.G.) Fuselage, Gas Model R.O.G. Class C, Stick Model Class D, Wakefield rubber and again with…
3 pages

Lin Reichel

1927–2008

“In the Air” section of MA Lin Reichel: 1927-2008 Lin Reichel, Commander-in-Chief of the Flying Aces Club (FAC), passed away the evening of Monday, June 16, 2008. He had been the driving force behind the FAC since 1980, when he took over leadership of the club from co-founders Dave Stott and Bob Thompson. To read more about Lin and the impact he…
7 pages

Harold Charles (Red) Reinhardt

Biography

Career: Top stunt flyer on the East Coast in the 1950s Competed numerous times at the Mirror Model Flying Fair held in Long Island, New York; won the stunt event three times Won the Plymouth International Meet stunt division in 1950 flying his own design Had six model plane designs published in model magazines Honors: 2002: Precision Aerobatics…
2 pages

Wesley Reith

Biography

Wesley Rieth of Three Oaks, Michigan, received a $5,900 Charles Hampson Grant scholarship. He is enrolled in Hope College in Holland, Michigan and plans to pursue a degree in engineering. A graduate of River Valley High School, Wesley was active in band and choir, as well as theater. He participated in his high school marching band and concert…
3 pages

Lee Renaud

Biography

Lee Renaud, in a lifetime that was far too short, built for himself and the companies he worked with an enviable record of excellence in so many areas of this hobby. Starting in 1942, with a dull razor blade and a Joe Ott kit, Lee was to become a leader in the model aviation field. As a competitor from 1947 on, he set himself a pace and a high…
2 pages

Larry H. Renger

1942–

Larry has written a number of technical help and how-to articles that appeared in magazines including Flying Models, Model Airplane News, and Model Aviation. He has reviewed a number of kits for various publications and authored a column in Model Builder from 1976 through 1982. Larry’s many kits, ARFs, and RTFs were manufactured through M&P…
2 pages Autobiography

Duane Renken

1932–2022 · AMA L1000

Career: Flew regularly in local and regional contests Attended Nationals and Internationals Published work in Flying Models magazine, National Free Flight Society (NFFS) magazine and Power Book NFFS treasurer for a number of years Served as a member of the AMA financial review committee Involved in real estate ventures Listed in Who’s Who in the…