Compiled and formatted by JS (02/2016); Updated by JS (07/2023)
More information, including a timeline, photo scan, and articles, can be found in the Museum’s AMA History Project file on Mr. Everett.
•
In the early 1930s, Dick started building model aircraft and began participating in contests. Gliders were his favorite models.
•
He joined NACA in 1939, working in -and served as foreman at - the Prop Shop at Langley Field, Virginia, preparing high-speed, multi-blade propellers for wind tunnel testing. Later, he worked under Dr. Robert Gilruth in the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division.
•
Around this time, he served as Contest Director for the Brainbusters of Virginia.
•
His top designs were El Lobo (a hand-launched glider) and El Sobo (a towline glider). He also designed rubber-powered models.
•
In 1948, he moved to California and worked for Convair in San Diego. He was also a member of the San Diego Airliners club.
•
He competed in contests in California and surrounding states, and served as the Nats Contest Director in 1952 at the Los Alamitos Naval Air Station.
•
He also directed the World Wide U. S. Air Force Model Championships, held at Travis Air Force Base in 1955.
•
Dick has set several national records.
•
He wrote for Air Trails magazine from 1952 to 1963 as their west coast columnist.
•
He published many other articles in Model Builder, Flying Models, and Model Aviation magazines through the mid-1980s. (He passed away in 1985.)
•
He was inducted into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 1986.
The notes on the back of the print original of this photo states: “Dick Everett (seated) shows method of mounting motor to “Nacanauts” of Hampton, Va” and “DICK EVERETT, seated at worktable, leads group of Virginia Model Association members who were also among the initial modelers hired by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (N.A.C.A) at Langley Field, Va., in 1940.
This page is a text transcription of the original document, made automatically and may contain errors. .