Written by MB (11/2009); Transcribed by JS (12/2009)
Max A. Blose Timeline
1945: Started a small club of six members in the basement of my parents’ home in Richmond, Indiana for the fellowship of building and flying small stick airplanes.
1948: Flew Control Line models, both Stunt and Speed. Competed most in Control Line Stunt. 1954-1956: U.S. Army 495th Missile Battalion, testing and development of Nike “Ajax” guided missile at Fort Bliss, Texas.
1957: Received the amateur radio license number K9PFZ; later changed to K5ZPY upon moving to Texas. Member of American Radio Relay League from 1957.
1959-1972: Moved to Texas as a field engineer of German Klischograph and Hell Scanners for graphic arts, greeting cards, newspapers, etc.
1959: Started flying Radio Control aircraft single-channel escarpments. Build my first two radios, a 400-cycle tone on six meters, then later an analog proportional radio. Flew competition in Pattern A, B, etc, as well as IMAC.
Magazine articles include
1966: RCM Annual, only a one-time issue from RCM. It was about a transistor field strength meter for Radio Control
1969: RCM, Pattern airplane Tarman article, with a full-page color picture of my wife, Sally. Plans were available from RCM
1972: Article on how to make an air compressor from available parts 1965: Founded MALCO with Leon York and produced Radio Control kits called the Der-Flug (a trainer), the A-Tak (a .40-size Pattern-type airplane), and the MALCO Eagle (a 115/132-inch sailplane.)
Edited the Heart of Texas Miniature Aircraft Club, Inc. (Hot Mac) club newsletter for 27 years. Became a Contest Director (CD) in 1970; active CD in Pattern, Big Bird, Sailplane, and Old Timer events, at the Hot Mac Jet Rallies, and later the Greater Southwest Jet Rally and Fun Fly contests.
1974-1985: Product Manager for Marathon Battery Company, in charge of nickel-cadmium sealed cells and batteries.
Appointed an Associate Vice President (AVP) of District VIII in 1991 when Gil Horstman was transferred to the state of Washington for his job. Served as an AVP for 18 years. 1985: Started B&P Associates for the service, repair, and building of nickel cadmium battery packs for models, x-rays, standby batteries, and aircraft batteries, as well as manufactured model kits such as the Perfection, Associate, and Association.
1995: Bought the Waco Hobby Stop to try and revitalize it for the club in the area. 18 years as President of Hot Mac; was involved in most of the building of the Hot Mac flying field in Waco.
Enjoying instruction, building, and exchanging of ideas about model aviation. March 22, 2008: Received AMA Distinguished Service Award
Max A. Blose
Max Blose started building and flying small stick planes in 1945 at the age of 10. He started a small club of six members in the basement of his parent’s home in Richmond, Indiana for the fellowship of building and flying planes.
In 1948, he became interested in flying Control Line models, both Stunt and Speed, and competed most in U-Control Stunt.
In 1954, Max joined the U.S. Army; assigned to the 495th Missile Battalion, stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. For two years there, he developed and tested Nike Ajax guided missiles. After the Army, he married and moved to Dublin, Texas, where he was a field engineer on German Klischograph and Hell scanners for graphic greeting cards, newspapers (RC Modeler), etc.
In 1959, Max started flying Radio Control aircraft with a single-channel escapement. He built his first two radios, first a 400-cycle tone transmitter on the 6-meter band, and then later an analog proportional radio. During this time, he also flew competition in Pattern A, B, etc. In 1961, Max and his family moved to Hamilton, Texas. He continued to fly and promote Radio Control flying at the local airport. Max has an extensive background in electronics, so he was always looking for things to design and build other than airplanes. He would come up with things like field strength meters, wind meters, and even air compressors.
Magazine articles authored by Max Blose include: ▪ ▪ ▪
R/C Modeler Annual, 1966 (a one-time issue from RCM), “Transistor Field Strength Meter for Radio Control”
R/C Modeler, 1969, “Pattern Airplane Tarman” with full-page color picture of his wife Sally, with plans available through RCM
R/C Modeler, 1972, “How to Make an Air Compressor from Available Parts”
In 1970, Max became a Contest Director and joined a small club in Waco. He drove the 130 mile round trip once a month for the club meetings. He would make the trip whenever they held an event and most of the time would direct the contests.
In 1973, Max founded MALCO with Leon York and produced Radio Control kits called DerFlug, a trainer A-Tak that was a .40-size Pattern-type plane, and the Malco Eagle, a 115/132inch sailplane. In 1974, Max realized that it would be hard to make a living in kit manufacturing. He went to work as a product manager for Marathon Battery Company, in charge of nickel-cadmium sealed cells and batteries, gaining even further experience that would help in model aeronautics. Max and his family moved to Waco in 1975 to be closer to work and the club he had been involved with for the past five years. After moving to Waco, he took on the job of the club’s newsletter editor/publisher and held this post for the next 27 years, not missing even a single month of publication.
In 1985, Max started B&P Associates, servicing, repairing, and building nickel-cadmium battery packs for Radio Control model planes, x-rays, standby batteries, and full-scale aircraft batteries. Under his leadership, B&P manufactured model kits such as Perfection, Associate, and Association.
In 1987, Max developed a self-contained starter with an attached battery. This starter model immediately became popular with a great demand for its production. It remains popular amongst modelers and is widely used in the Pattern community.
In 1991, he was appointed AMA District VIII Associate Vice President, following in the footsteps of Max’s good friend, Gil Horstman, who had transferred to Washington State. He faithfully held this position for 18 tireless years, serving the central Texas area, District VIII of the AMA; until stepping down in 2007. During his tenure as AVP for District VIII, he served under the leadership of no less than four District VIII Vice Presidents.
In 1995, he bought the Waco Hobby Stop with the vision to try to revitalize it for the benefit of the club in this area. Traditionally, hobby shops could not stay in business. However, revenue from B&P Associates would keep the Waco Hobby Stop viable. The Waco Hobby Stop remains open and under the leadership of Max to this day and is patronized by modelers from several central Texas cities, towns and clubs.
As the hobby shop did well, he would close on Wednesdays in order to hold training days at the flying field. Always wanting to help new pilots, he spent hours helping new people get into the hobby and learn to fly.
For a total of 18 years over the span of many, Max held the position of President of the Heart of Texas Miniature Aircraft Club (HOTMAC). During his tenure, he was continuously active in the building of a majority of the HOTMAC flying field that is present today in Waco. Max was Contest Director at all Pattern events held in Waco until 1989, when his son Todd took over. Max continued being the contest director on several other events over the years for the club. He was instrumental in securing the Greater Southwest Jet Rally to be hosted annually by his club. This jet rally has grown to become one of the foremost events of the jet community. In 1995, the club field lease was in jeopardy. Max was instrumental in having the lease transferred to the city of Waco. In doing it so, it allowed HOTMAC to retain the fyling field and pay less for the yearly lease.
In 2005, Max, with a small group of former HOTMAC members, started a new Radio Control club, the Texas Model Aeronautics Foundation (TMAF). TMAF was started to ensure that anyone could learn to fly. Max also wanted to make sure that the foundation would be involved with area schools because he believes that the kids will keep the hobby going and anyone that wants to learn should be give the opportunity to learn!
Under the leadership of Max and this small group, they were able to locate their club to an area that once served as an army airfield, graciously leased to them by the city of Valley Mills, Texas. Max has envisioned the TMAF to be a premier model aeronautic facility.
Over the years, Max has received many awards and honors for his contribution to the AMA and model aeronautics: 1978: AMA Superior Service Award
1986: Dedication Award from HOTMAC for years served as president 1988: Appreciation Award from HOTMAC for years of service as newsletter editor 1988-1991: Generous Support award from RC Report 1991: AMA Superior Service Award 1994: An Aero Honor Society for Newsletter Editors award 1996: Attended the AMA’s Celebration of Eagles 1998: AMA Superior Service Award 2005: AMA Grand Event Award Make and Take 2007: AMA Distinguished Service Award
The bottom line is that Max Blose has spent the majority of his life instructing, building, exchanging ideas, and above all, promoting model aviation and every aspect of it. I couldn’t imagine model aeronautics without the great influence and experience that Max has imparted on all of us and this great hobby.
Max A. Blose Photographs
April 15, 2007: Max Blose with Perfection, Extra 260, and Double Vision
Todd (left) and Max Blose
March 20, 2007: Max Blose with an Extra 330.
Max A. Blose was inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 2020. The following is updated biographical information included in his Hall of Fame nomination, submitted by Todd Blose, Max’s son, as well as photos of the ceremony where Max Blose was presented with his AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame plaque.
In 2017, Texas Model Aeronautics Foundation Club members named the TMAF Flying Field after Max as a show of appreciation for his lifelong efforts to the R/C hobby and the AMA.
Ceremony for 2020 AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame recipient Max Blose. (Photo provided by Todd Blose) Lawrence Harville (left) and Max Blose (right) at the ceremony for 2020 AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame recipient Max Blose. (Photo provided by Todd Blose)
Max Blose (left) and Todd Blose (right) at the ceremony for 2020 AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame recipient Max Blose. (Photo provided by Todd Blose)
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