The Society of Antique Modelers owes its roots and continued existence to a group of talented individuals who, over time, have been dedicated to designing, building and flying model airplanes, and those who have supported the SAM movement, dedicated to keeping the art alive. To this end SAM maintains a 'Hall of Fame' wherein these individuals are honored and remembered.
Each year, current SAM members propose candidates to the SAM Board of Directors, who select the inductees for that year. The induction takes place during the Awards Banquet at the conclusion of the SAM Champs.

Navigation Aid - Go down to Christian Name begining with:- David - Gene - Jim - Ken and Criteria for HOF Selection

Bill (William) HALE - inducted 2010
Bill Hale was born and raised in the south end of Columbus, Ohio. He became interested in model airplanes at an early age with the small Megow rubber powered planes as so many kids did. In 1939 he acquired a Phantom 27 engine and ordered a Phantom Flash model kit from California. This was just the first of hundreds of gas models Bill was to build over the next 70 years. Bill’s father started a hobby shop beside their home while Bill was still in his teens, and Bill managed the shop through his school years. During World War 2, Bill was a proud member of the Marines, serving as an aircraft mechanic in the South Pacific. Returning to his beloved hobby, in 1949 he attended his first Nats at Olathe, Kansas and also the Plymouth International at Detroit. This was the start of a steady stream of Nats where, always competitive, he won many awards. A member of the Columbus Model Flyers, Bill helped to start the Central Ohio Free Flight Club and today is still the backbone of the club. In 1965, the club applied for a SAM Chapter, formed the COOTS (Central Ohio Old Timer Society) and became Chapter 6. While Bill has built and competed with all types of free flights, his first love has always been old timers. His planes have always had a distinctive color scheme, all yellow with black stripes on the wing. This has earned him the nickname, “Old Yellow.” He has designed many airplanes, the most popular being his Basic Yellow, a PeeWee 30 design. A prolific engine collector, Bill was a longtime member of MECA and for years could be seen manning their booth at the Toledo Show. An engine expert, Bill could be counted upon to always help any modeler with engine problems. Many modelers owe their flying success to Bill’s trimming tips. With increasing health problems, he has been forced to liquidate his huge engine collection and curtail his flying activities. The 2008 Nats was his finale and one of his most enjoyable as his three sons traveled to Muncie to be with their dad on his final flights. Bill Hale is well known and loved by free flighters all over the country.

Bob HOLMAN - Inducted 2006 top of this page
Bob Holman was born November 10, 1931 in San Bernardino California. His interest in model airplanes was kindled by a visit to his cousins in Indiana in 1943. They were flying rubber scale models. Bob's first modeling effort was an attempt to build a Stahl Blackburn Skua; Bob can't remember if he ever finished it. He then built a rubber scale Ryan Fireball (in 1945) which crashed on its first flight. By now Bob was 12, and he started to build kit after kit. His first motors were an OK CO2 motor, and an Ohlsson .23, followed by a McCoy Redhead .19. In high school, Bob saw a fellow flying a Zeek-and that led to the building of many Zeeks in all sizes. After service in the United States Marine Corps from 1951 to 1954, Bob moved to Florida, where he continued to fly Zeeks. In 1956, Bob came home to San Bernardino and joined the local FF club. Bob has run a plans business since 1960 when he set it up as an 'after work garage business'. It started shortly after Bob came home and found that his nephew had sold Bob's extensive collection of model magazines to a local resident-the sale was unauthorized and Bob went to the buyer and got his magazines back. But the buyer got Bob interested in drawing up model plans, so Bob took a drafting class at the local college. For Bob's final exam, he was supposed to turn in a drawing-Bob turned in a Fokker DVII. Most of his classmates turned in drawings of a house! Bob drew more plans and they started to sell well. As he did that, he got in contact with other fellows who were drawing plans including renowned scale designers Brian Taylor and Dennis Bryant of England. Bob started selling their plans in the United States. He also started cutting kits on a bandsaw for the various plans he had in stock, and learned how to make fiberglass parts from Bob Palmer, one of the first modelers to start building planes from fiberglass. Bob added more plans from more sources. Through the late 1980's many of Bob's plans and kits were for .60 sized scale ships.
In 1993, Bob decided to retire the old band saw and got a laser cutter, followed by a second, more powerful laser cutter in 1996. Bob realized that usin g a laser cutter made it possible for him to easily cut kits for the OT and Nostalgia era rubber and power ships. Bob started to redraw the plans for many of the popular OT designs, and then enlisted the aid of a fellow modeler, Bill Kaminsky, who is a CAD expert, for assistance in turning them into CAD designs to drive the laser cutters. In 1998, Bob met Jim O'Reilly, and started the relationship which has led to so many OT 'model of the year' plans and kits for the SAM Champs. Bob continues to sell the scale plans and kits, but OT plans and kits are half of his business today. You can find Bob at the many trade shows he attends, in each case manning a booth stocked with a large selection of Old Timer partial kits and plans. He's also an active competitor at SAM Champs and SAM contests in the West.

Robert DODDS - Inducted 1993
Bob's interest in aviation was kindled when his father held him up to look into the cockpit of Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis in about 1929. From then on, Bob says he dragged his father to every air show, and made him stay until the last act, and hold him up to look into every cockpit. Bob's first "model" was a cockpit mock-up he built in his basement, complete with an electric fan blowing over the nose to give the impression of flying.
Bob soon built a number of models from plans, including finally, a 10' Nimbus at age 17. But his Baby Cyclone-powered Miss America was the highlight. His first flights were in the street, with a 50' fishing line attached to the tail. Bob would let it take off while running
after it, and after a 6-foot gain in altitude, pull it back down to the ground.
Along the way, Bob served as Editor for the NFFS Symposium for 4 years running, and in the '60's presented his own paper on weight, C.G., and neutral point at the Lake Charles Nationals.
Although Bob's modeling escapades and skills are as interesting as any, his nomination to The Sam Hall of Fame is based primarily upon his personal service to SAM. Bob has given freely of that most precious commodity, many hours of his own time. Before Bob's term as Secretary/Treasurer, SAM had trouble retaining anyone in this critical job for very long. Due to the man-hours and dedication required, the work fell hopelessly behind, and our records at times got to be a mess. This was cleaned up when Bob took office, and has stayed current ever since.
We must also recognize Bob's wife Nan as a contributor in this official biography, because she has helped greatly, and donated much of her own time, especially when Bob had some health problems in recent years.
Bob is a graduate of M.I.T. and holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He is a WW II Navy veteran, and worked for many years as a Sales Engineer at Vickers Hydraulics, and as a Weights Engineer for Grumman Aircraft. Ref SS#114

Carl HERMES - Inducted 1994 top of this page
Carl first jumped into prominence as a model designer and builder when his beautiful elliptical-winged 'Hayseed' won the Ohio State model championship in Cleveland in 1941. This successful Class 'C' design with a 930 sq.in. wing was the forerunner to a number of similar designs, some of which were published.
Carl was a regular contributor to Frank Zaic's yearbooks, with his design emphasis moving toward Wakefield models. Before and during WW-II, he experimented with derivations of the original Hayseed. He produced a Class 'A-B', a larger Class 'B' and a small Class 'A'. He built another version that he called the Tinian Express after the island where he was stationed in the South Pacific. The Model was last seen disappearing in a thermal over the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Carl started his modeling career in Connecticut, and was one of the founders of the Bridgeport Aeronuts MAC. He attended New York University where he earned a degree in aeronautical engineering. After the war, Carl worked for Boeing and Lockheed Aerospace. He owned a full-scale KA-8 glider for many years, and was also a sailboater.. His modeling interest continued with Wakefield rubber models, and he became an active Wakefield competitor using his own designs, and was a member of the 1953 World Championship Team, along with Joe Foster and George Reich. He later was again named to the 1963 U.S. Wakefield Team, and wrote several technical articles on Wakefield designs, experimenting with solid balsa wings with movable trailing edges.
Bill Wargo once wrote: Carl was one of the most unselfish people I have ever known. He was always willing to help anyone at any time, no matter what. He was also one of the most unflappable. I can not recall ever having seen him upset over anything that had gone wrong, and I am very proud to have had Carl as a close friend.
Don Bekins said: Carl Hermes was a quiet, modest, unassuming person with a keen interest and talent in anything aeronautical. When Don converted his Hayseed to R/C, Carl traveled up to the SAM-27 field to see his old free flight rocket up, powered by an Ohlsson 60. Asked if he would like to try his hand at controlling the model, he demurred saying that he was a 'purist', a free flighter at heart! Ref SS#120

Carl SPIELMAKER - Inducted 1994 top of this page
Carl has been interested in model airplane engines all of his life, attempting his first engine while still in high school at age 17. That year was 1944. Using drawings from Popular Mechanics magazine, he tried to make his first model engine.
Carl has been chosen because of his pioneering work in the building of SAM. He started SAM Chapter 4 in the early days, and has been the driving force alone with his friend Bob Pattison in building the SAM legend in the Michigan area. His other claim to fame, and probably the most unheralded support to the SAM movement, is the long list of replica model engines he built to sustain the modelers' need for old time engines. The easiest way to describe Carl's efforts is just to go down the list by the year:
In 1953, he designed and built his own .15 displ., front rotor engine, notable for its copper-plated head.
In 1963, he built his first 'Golden Eagle', a .53 displacement engine. 30 engines were built.
In 1964, Carl built 40 copies of the Dallaire 'Peewee'. Many modelers attending the first 'CHAMPS' at Denver bought this engine for $40.00!
In 1965, Carl made 10 copies of the 'A' Marvin.
Starting in 1965, Carl produced Super Cyke cylinders for Ralph Morock's Remco Replicas. Over 7 years he made 1200 Super Cyke rods.
In 1965, he developed the Spielmaker-60'. Between 1968 and 1981, he made 65 motors.
In 1984, he built the Megow .19 Concept engine, and made 84 engines.
In 1986, he built 8 copies of the Edco Diesel. The last copy sold for 1200 dollars!
In 1987 he produced 35 copies of the 'Bantam-16', and 35 copies were made before production ceased.
His current project is the 'Denny' (round head) race car engine. Production was started in 1970 and is continuing.
In conclusion, let me say that Carl Spielmaker's sense of humor and his friendly smile are reason enougtto induct him into SAM's Hall of Fame. Carl is everybody's friend! Ref SS#120

Carl GOLDBERG - Inducted 1992
Probably the most famous modeler in history, the stories about Carl are legendary. His first model at age 15 , flew about 65 feet. He won a certificate at the 1928 National Airplane Championships, flying a twin-pusher. He won first place in the indoor event at the 1934 National Meet with a flight of 23 minutes, and 29 seconds and held many model flying records during his career.
His design concepts for gas models revolutionized the flying scene at competitions in 1939 and the following years. His designs such as the "Zipper"," Sailplane", "Interceptor" and "Mercury" were the first to demonstrate to the world how to handle the high power of model engines and gave his models stability in the climb. The "Pylon", on model airplanes will forever be associated with Carl Goldberg's name.
He opened a hobby shop in Chicago in 1935, then became chief designer of Comet Model Airplane Company, producing kits of his many great designs. He started his own company, Carl Goldberg Models in 1955, which has survived and now produces fine R/C model airplane kits. Until his untimely death, he was famous for having participated in every National Model Airplane Championship since 1928.
by Hardy Broderson (SS#106)

Carl V. CARLSON - Inducted 1993
In 1928, he set a world indoor record of 4 mins,. 19 sec. He also placed high enough in outdoor in the Chicago Tribune Contest to win a free trip to the 1928 Nationals, where he won 1st place in Outdoor Junior. He also had a number of wins and places in several other Nats and large contests of the era. As an Aeronautics student, he designed and built a wind tunnel in 1928, receiving recognition by the press, and boosting model aviation.
In 1930, he developed his 'Big Crate I' a Wall, Jr. powered eleven
foot biplane, which was the first gas powered model flown in a national contest, at the 1931 Nats in Dayton, Ohio. It was followed by Big Crates II and III. The Big Crate III won 1st, Open FF at the 1934 Akron Nationals.
He operated the Carlson Model Airplane Co, a kit manufacturing business for a couple of years. In 1932, he worked on the "Knight" engine with Gilbert Nelson. He used another of Mr. Nelson's engines, the "Gil" in Big Crates II and III. In 1935, he went to work for Joe Ott designing models for kits at The Whitman Publishing Co.
Carl is a Professional Engineer (P.E.). In 1937, he received a BS Aeronautical degree from the University of Michigan. Before and during WWII, he designed armament production machinery, and was Chief Engineer at Howard Aircraft in 1946. He operated a consulting engineering firm and was associated with R&D Construction, Chicago, designing support equipment for the Air Force, airlines, and major aircraft companies. Carl's most recent major project was the design of a patented paint hangar for the Douglas DC-9/MD80 at long Beach, CA.
In 1970„ Carl returned to building model airplanes with his son. At this time Carl, with help from Vic Cunnyngham, Sr. is building replicas of the Big Crate I and III for the AMA Museam in Muncie, Indiana.. Ref SS#114.

Charlie REICH - Inducted 2003 top of this page
Charles Wm. Reich was born in Mishawaka, Indiana on December 11, 1934. Shortly thereafter his family moved to a small farm in Granger Indiana. The aviation bug bit hard because there was a small airport nearby where young men got primary training prior to enlistment in the Army Air Corps. The farm was also under the flyway from the Detroit aircraft factories to the West Coast, and new bombers and fighters passed overhead each day. At age 8, Charlie started building solid aircraft models; at age 10 he saw a silk covered Playboy with an Ohlsson .60 and the die was cast. He saved for a year to buy his first model kit, a Playboy Jr., and the only engine he could afford, a Thor. Fortunately Santa realized that the Thor just didn't cut it, and a new Ohlsson .23 showed up in the Christmas stocking, so the Playboy saw the air for the first time shortly after Christmas.
Charlie's career was in the parts divisions of various automotive companies; he wound up as the National Vice President for parts for Mazda North America. The Japanese connection led to frequent travel to Japan where he visited the local hobby shops for motors, models and radios. Mazda North America was headquartered in Orange County, and Curt Steven's wife was the realtor who sold Charlie his house---and Curt then introduced Charlie to SAM. Charlie took early retirement in 1989 and moved to Oregon; in 1993 Curt called him and said 'come on down' to the 1993 SAM Champs at Taft.
At Taft, Charlie saw the Playboys and Comet Clippers of his youth, met John Pond and Don Bekins, and bought a trunk load of Klarich kits. The hook was firmly set. Charlie is a consummate public relations and publicity guy; his new friend Don Bekins became SAM President in 1994. Bekins, and all subsequent SAM Presidents, have called on Charlie to take photos, write articles, work trade shows, develop promotional materials to build SAM membership and assist in maintaining contacts with SAM chapters. The Editor of SAM Speaks has relied on Charlie for a stream of small 'Ol Charlie' articles and photographs of SAM contests. Charlie has written articles for national model magazines for three different SAM Champs each such article has spurred a small burst of new SAM members.
From 2003 to 2006, Charlie was Secretary of SAM. In that role Charlie worked on implementation of a new and updated computerized membership system. He also wrote a History of SAM booklet. He's worked on updating and publishing the Approved Designs List-Gas Models. He's published several SAM Member Roster booklets.
Charlie also played a leading role in the editing, drafting and publishing of the new 2006 SAM Rule book. As Secretary, Charlie has been the 'go to guy' for members whose Speaks subscriptions have gone awry in the mail. He's also been the first SAM officer to have contact with new SAM members. For the last dozen years, Charlie has been one of the key guys who make SAM work for all of us.

Chester LANZO - Inducted 1989
It is with a heavy heart my sad duty to report to the Society the death of Chester Lanzo. (1914- 1989) Chet died on Sunday, August 13 of heart failure. He was 75 years old.
To properly list all of Chet's accomplishments would take this entire journal. He was an electrical, instrumental, nuclear and laser engineer. He worked at NASA's Lewis Research Center as a nuclear engineer until he retired in 1974. As modelers, we all will remember him for his outstanding model designs and contributions to aeromodeling. Chet's memory will live on in the hearts of all modelers. His gift to us is the pleasure we derive from modeling and flying one of his designs. Chet was a modest, soft-spoken, gentle man. The closest I ever heard Chet come to bragging was his little saying when he saw one of his designs being flown by another modeler - 'a beautifully engineered model' he'd say and just beam.
Chet had literally hundreds of friends and acquaintances who were model enthusiasts. He was easy to meet and made everyone feel at ease.
I was privileged to attend the 50th Anniversary Wakefield at Taft, California with Chet and he literally spent half his time meeting new people and posing for pictures with different modelers - a great memory for him and all of us.
Chet had built a new 4-ounce Duplex and was test flying it with just a few turns. An unidentified modeler, who didn't know him, was giving him advice on trimming the model. Chet was very courteous and said, Well, I may try your idea. Thanks for your help. I thought at the time, 'What a gentle man'.
(Ed. note: From Tom McCoy's cover letter - 'As you know, Chet and I were flying buddies and this has been a tough job for me. I guess we all lost a good friend.') Tom McCoy. (ref SS#90)

David BAKER - Inducted 1990 top of this page
Sad news, David Baker, passed away on the 1st of February 1009, after a long illness. David was the leading light in UK SAM. David was a frequent visitor to the US SAM Champs and hosted many of our members to tours of the UK SAM scene. (uploaded Jan 2009) Link to a document with pictures describing the dispersal of David's vintage models (uploaded May 2009)

Donald G. GAROFALOW SAM80 - Inducted 1994 top of this page
Don started building models in 1927. These were rubber-powered, mostly scale, outdoor stick and twin pushers. His first success in competition was in 1932 and 1933 in local contests and meets sponsored by the Bamberger Aero Club. He graduated from high school in 1933, during the worst part of the great depression. During 1934, he worked for the Queen Anne Novelty Company, which was attempting to manufacture model kits. In 1934 he met John and Dan Frisoli of the Scientific Model Airplane Company.
From 1934 through 1936, he constructed models for these two companies. In all, he estimates that he made 65 model airplanes and 30 model boats. These models were used for photographs that were placed in their catalogs. Among others, he built gas model versions of the Starling, Miss America, Eaglet, Commodore, Red Zephyr, Mercury, Miss Philadelphia, Streamliner and the Flagship. He also made the prototypes of the rubber-powered 50inch Monocoupe and the 60inch Waco Custom.
His first design work for Scientific was the Red Flash. This kit was followed by the Flea, Firefly and the 24inch Valkyrie. He later did the kit designs for Korda's Victory and Goldstar. Later, he designed other rubber-powered kits for Scientific, such as the All American, Olympic, Zephyr, Spartan, Parachute Plane, Clarion, Fleetwing, Bullet, 30inch Miss World's Fair, Scientific ROG. Raven, Windsor, Blue Phantom, Air Raider, Skipper, Sky Scraper and Flying Yankee.
He also designed model plans such as the Bantam 25, Monocoupe 15 and Waco Biplane that were given as premiums for magazine subscriptions. His gas model designs for Scientific were: the Ensign, Varsity and the Larkey.
During 1938-1941, he operated the Best by Test Model Airplane Company and designed the Airflow 40, Hawklet and the ROG Mite.
After the war, he worked in businesses that made wind tunnel models, and in 1961 he began free lance model work under the name: Supercraft Models, and produced models for various aerospace corporations. This business continues operation under his son's guidance. Ref SS#120

Ernie Shailor - Inducted 2010
Born in Greenfield (Dearborn) on July 18, 1923, son of Ernest Shailor, sign maker. One of three children, Dorothy, the oldest, Ernie, and Bill.
When World War II broke out, he avoided the draft since he was blind in his right eye. This occurred earlier when, experimenting with a single-bladed propeller, it flew off, striking him in the eye. His brother, Bill, was not so fortunate. Bill was killed in Germany in 1944. This devastated Ernest, Sr. Ernie left school and opened up a sign making shop in their garage, “Shailor & Son Sign Company.” He also worked testing top turrets for B-25’s.
Early on, Ernie was an avid modeler, starting first with rubber-powered models and then gas. His first engine was a Phantom and he eventually preferred Foresters.
Ernie’s favorite class was B Gas and he, like most young men in the Detroit area during that time, spent his “movie” money and time at Joe’s Hobby Shop, owned by Frank Dallaire. He competed at early National model airplane championships all across the country and competed and placed at the legendary Plymouth Internats in the late 40’s and early 50’s.
Noted for tip dihedral, one of his first successful designs was the “Happy Medium”, a “B” ship that won a number of contests including the Texas Nationals. It was originally called the “Wombat”, but the editor at Airtrails suggested something different.
Ernie made the 1955 World Championship Power Team. This was the first to have all three events held at the same meet.
The World Championships held in Weisbaden, Germany saw such notable US Team members as Hank Cole, Bob Champine, Harry Gould and Bill Hartill. Ernie lost his number 1 model and was not able to make it back for the next round, getting a zero. He had made the team, and wanted to do it again.
The following program, his chances for a repeat membership ended with an overrun. Then, with kids and work, the FAI program seemed to lose its importance.
I remember his last NATS in Chicago in 1966. By that time, he was fully involved in flying old timer models and winning contests with his “American Ace”. He was one of the early members of Michigan’s Sam Chapter and became an avid ignition engine collector. One of the highlights of his collection was when he acquired an in-the-original-box Hurleman Aristocrat, which I still have. Old Timer events brought my dad fully back into model flying and my brother and I still enjoyed chasing for him and socializing with folks like Karl Spielmaker and others who enjoyed flying Old Timer models.
Ernie Shailor passed away on November 15, 1966. He had suffered a heart attack while working a night job fixing the sign atop the Gilewski Funeral Home not far from Lasky recreation and my grandmother’s house.
After he passed away, several modelers sponsored the “Shailor Memorial Trophy” which was presented by my brother, Paul, at the first Sam Champs held in Colorado in 1967.
I will always remember his easy style and sense of humor.
By Bill Shailor

Edward KONEFES - SAM143 - Inducted 1994 top of this page
Ed started modeling following his older brother Joe. Ed says he remembers his brother bringing home 25 cent kits to build as display models for the Comet Model Airplane Company.
Ed's first job in the model business was hand-carving the 13 1/2inch birch props that went into the Curtis Robin kits. He later worked the AIRCRAFT Model Company in Chicago, and designed the 'Cloudsnooper' gas model that has been approved for SAM competition.
His first gas model was a 'California Chief', built in 1936 and powered with a Baby Cyclone. Both of these products were produced by Major Mosely's Cal-Aero Industries, located in Glendale, CA.
He and his brother were early members of the Chicago Buzzards Club, which held a competition for a design that all the members would build to be flown at a club project. The Buzzard Bombshell, brother Joe's design, was the winning model. Gordon Christofer, who owned the AIRCRAFT Model Company, produced kits for the club, and Ed's was the first model completed. He lost the plane at a contest in Indianapolis.
During WW-II, Ed got a job at the local airport because of his building experience, and worked as an aircraft mechanic until retirement in 1987.
He returned to modeling in 1974 with a few R/C models and old time gas models. He started flying old time and modern AMA rubber in 1980, and credits Charlie Sotich with helping him get back into modeling, also with helping him set the current Class III Mulvihill record at the 1991 Nationals.
He has attended all of the SAMCHAMPS since 1980, and is a much-liked and respected competitor in SAM Old Timer events. Ref SS#120

Ernie LINN - Inducted 1995
Ernie started modeling in1931, when he first built solid models from pictures in the early Battle Aces and Bill Barnes Magazines. He graduated to rubber powered flying models in 1934. He was soon on the contest trail and was vinning prizes and awards locally. In 1938 he went to
IEldorado Kansas and won first prize in rubber. He soon began designing his own Wakefields and produced several designs in 1936, 1938, and 1939. His best works were his 1938 and 1939 Wakefields which won the Kansas state championship. About this time he won two first places that netted him two Comet Clipper kits. With the five dollars his dad gave him plus one of the kits, he was able to make a swap for his first gas motor, a Brown Junior.
Ernie went to work for Boeing Wichita for two years before joining the U.S.A.A.F. After the service he returned to Boeing, and except for three months at Beech Aircraft, he worked there 41 years. He retired in 1985.
Ernie was instrumental in creating the SAM approved design handbook of gas models. His initial efforts at cataloging all the designs of the prewar years finally became the SAM bible of gas jobs with the help of Bob Larsh, George Armstead, Jim Adams and others. He has also started the SAM list of approved rubber model designs, which is much more lengthy than the gas model list.
Ernie and Suzie have been married since 1949, and have two children, Earl and Diana. Earl built and flew models for several years and entered the Nationals.
Ernie joined the Boeing Hawks model club after the war and was an officer and the newsletter editor for three years. He served 7 years on the AMA free flight rules committee, from 1975 to 1982.
He is a life member of SAM, having joined in 1979. He was instrumental in the formation of the Kansas Historical Aviation Museum and is a life member. He has been a member of the AMA since the days of NAA. Ref SS#126

George ARMISTEAD Jr. - Inducted 1992
George started modeling in 1936 and entered his first contest in 1938. He progressed to gas models with his first successful Buzzard Bombshell in 1940.
He founded the Glastonbury Aero Modelers in 1970 an AMA chartered club with 80 members. He joined SAM and F.A.C. in 1968 and became a contest director in 1973.
He has run a large number of contests including the SAM CHAMPS in 1982, 1986, and 1990 and has been a leader in the SAM movement in the North East. He is has been very active in Boy Scouts and enjoys getting scouts involved in model airplanes. He ran the Glastonbury Recreation Department model classes from 1969 through 1975. George is corporate secretary and in charge of Product Development at the Merrow Machine Company and has a long list of accomplishments in community service.
by Jim Adams (ss#106)

Herb WAHL - Inducted 1992
Herb was born near Penn State where he later went to school. In 1936 he started modeling. A little while later he heard the neighbor boy running a gas engine and he was really hooked. He quit modeling while he attended college and served in the service.
In 1965 he attended the NATS at Willow Grove where he ran into John Pond, Tim Dannels, and Jack DuFond. His interest was revived in models and he soon had got a plan for the Scientific Mercury from John and started looking for a Brown Junior. That search was the beginning of another very important part of his life. After finding a few parts of engines he started making what he couldn't find. He showed up at the 1966 NATs in Glenview with two Hurleman engines that he had built, and of course when people saw them he was deluged with requests to make more parts and engines. He contacted Bill Brown about 1970 and made an agreement with him that allowed him to produce the Anniversary Brown junior
Supplying Hurlemans and Brown Juniors and later Ohlssons and Bunch Tigers to the SAM crowd has become a full time job. Herb built 400 Anniversary Browns and then when fellows didn't want to fly the engines because they were too pretty, he built about 1200 of the other different models of the Brown. His production of the replica Ohlsson Gold Seal and the Bunch Tiger has been a tremendous lift to the SAM movement. Without his support in furnishing engines and spare parts and his repair service for these old engines the SAM movement would have been very handicapped.
by ? (SS#106)

Jack BOLTON - Inducted 1993
Jack started modeling in 1939, carving out small four-for-a-nickel WWI solid models. In 1942, he obtained a second hand Sky Chief engine, and after a year of hand cranking was finally rewarded with two "pops" from the exhaust. In 1943 he obtained a Phantom P-30 weighing 3/4 pound due to a steel crankcase. He eventually got a 50' flight from the Phantom in a Megow Piper Cub before it crashed. Things finally improved, and Jack flew free flight and some control line with the Steubenville Ohio Skyhawks M.A.C. up through 1949, when he encountered the U.S. Navy, college and marriage.
Jack got back into modeling in 1962 with a couple of free flights,
then on to R/C with an escapement-rudder only modification to his free flight Sterling Cub. He continued upgrading the Cub with reed receivers and more channels. Numerous other R/C models followed, and finally proportional control arrived. He was a member of the Tidewater R/C Club in Virginia Beach, VA. 1967-1968 were spent in Vietnam with a Navy Huey helicopter gunship squadron, HAL-3. This was followed by a sea tour as Huey squadron maintenance officer and, pilot. Home port was Norfolk, so modeling affiliation was resumed with Tidewater R/C. Next tour was in Washington with Naval Air Systems Command, and the Chief of Naval operations. Modeling was dormant during this period. In 1972-73, Jack commissioned and served the First Commanding Officer of the Navy's Advanced Helicopter Training Squadron (HT-18) in Pensacola, and became active with the Northwest Florida R/C Club.
Transferred to NATF, Lakehurst, he came right back to modeling again, and in 1973 was introduced to SAM by Woody Woodman and Joe Beshar, and became an active competitor in SAM R/C events, flying with the Old Time Eagles Club.
While at Lakehurst, he functioned as the USN-Modeller liaison and coordinator for the 1974 SAM Champs and the AirOlympics. This was a really big bash, with the SAM Champs being followed by 5 days of FAI world championships modeling events.
Jack became a civilian again, and organized a SAM Chapter in association with the Pensacola Free Flighters, and initiated their annual old timer meet held in October. He served as SAM Speaks Editor in 1975-76. During 1976-78, he originated and wrote a regular R/C old timer column in Model Aviation.
During the 1980's, Jack served as SAM's East Coast Vice President, and organized SAM Chapter # 10, the Capitol Area Antique Modeler's Association in the Washington, D.C. area. He He served as SAM 10's first president, and CD'd their first O/T meet. Jack was quite happy when he won second place in the Spirit of SAM Concours at the 1992 Champs. Ref SS#114

James Noonan - Inducted 1994
Jim began modeling in 1927, shortly after Charles Lindberg inspired the youth of America with his solo flight across the Atlantic. His first models were built from any materials he could find, such as wooden boxes and hair pins. He built models from plans in the first issues of Universal Model Airplane News. He also built them from 1911 plans that he resurrected from model clubs that were in existence before he was born.
Jim entered his first competition with the Junior Birdmen in 1934. In November 1935, he left high school and went into the WPA, working with a pick and shovel. In 1936, he went to his first 'Nationals' in Detroit.
In 1937, he attended the 'Nats', also in Detroit, and placed in rubber stick and other events.
In 1938, he built his first successful Wakefield design, the Big Diamond, and his stick model, the Homesick Angel. In 1939, his job with the WPA ended,and he then worked for the Whitman Publishing Company designing models for publication in Air Trails, and for many years made his living as a writer for the model magazines.
In 1941, he was selected to work at Langley Field with 630 other model builders, producing models for wind tunnel research. He left Langley for the Army Signal Corps and ended up in Casablanca.
He is best known as a teacher of model building and the model materials business that he ran for many years. His 1911 replica of Cecil Puoli's model airplane has been on display at the Smithsonian for ten years.
Jim has done so much for the art of building and flying of model airplanes, that it is hard to list all of his accomplishments. Ref SS#120

Jim ADAMS - Inducted 1993 top of this page
Jim began modeling in 1932, and soon became a 'Junior Birdman' flying in rubber-powered competition. He joined the AMA in 1939 and attended his first 'Nats' in '41. He first flew 'gas' in 1937, and R/C in '39 while in Santa Ana High School. He was one of the many modelers competing at the famous 'Rosecrans and Western' flying site in Los Angeles. Jim flew with the Orange County Thunderbugs control line club in the fifties.
He joined the Scamps 0/T FF club (now SAM-13) in 1964, and has worked as their Secretary/Treasurer for 27 years! He became an AMA Contest Director in 1966, and has actively conducted many 0/T contests locally and nation-wide for SAM. Jim is a charter member of SAM, and attended the first SAM Champs in Denver in 1966. Jim is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Lost Hills Free Flight Model Airfield Association.
Jim's other SAM related activities include: Two years served as West Coast Vice President, SAM Speaks editor for nine years, and Publisher/Manager for 14 years. Served under, and provided technical assistance to three Presidents: John Pond, Mike Granieri and Sal Taibi. Served on SAM's Engine Rules Committee, and also on the Flying Rules Committee. Became SAM President in 1988, and is currently serving in his third term. As SAM President, Jim initiated the following:-
Established the SAM concours event and sponsored the first trophy.
Established the SAM historical magazine library.
Started the SAM plans service.
Initiated the SAM Hall of Fame.
Introduced the SAM approved design list of gas models.
Strengthened the operation of SAM by charging the Board of Directors with active functional management of the Corporation.
Was instrumental in encouraging the establishment of overseas SAM chapters.
Established SAM North America, including Canadian Chapters in the parent organization. While serving as SAM Speaks Editor, he established the two year rules cycle, and the SAM Champs F/F and R/C Grand Champions. Ref #114

Jim O’REILLY - Inducted 2006 top of this page
Jim O'Reilly was born on August 7, 1932 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His love for model aircraft began when he was six years old. He went on to get a BSME degree from Oklahoma State University in 1957. He married Marty in May of that year. After graduation and marriage he went to work in the aircraft industry. Jim returned to model aircraft competition after a change from engineering to a sales engineering job, where he had more control of his schedule. He had worked as a mechanical systems and propulsion engineer at Aero
He began competing in 1974 with Coupes, 1/2A Gas, F1H towliners and Unlimited Rubber. He won Wakefield at the Nats in 1986, 1987 and 1994, and P-30 in 2002. Jim also designed a number of rubber and power FF ships along the way and has his designs and plans published, including the 'Tubesteak' rubber ship and 'Sudden Sam', a hot AMA gassie.
Jim joined the Society of Antique Modelers in 1981 and has competed in most of the rubber-powered events and in gas free flight. Successes included a win in Class A Gas Cabin with a Cabin Ruler at Bong in 1983 and Rubber Cabin at Madera in 1985 with an Altimeter and a Eugene.
After years of sales calls in various engineering departments where computer aided design (CAD) was being used, CAD looked like enormous fun to Jim. He started his model plans business in 1993, initially as a means of drawing his own plans. Shortly before the 1998 Champs, Charlie Reich spoke with Bob Holman and suggested that he should find someone who did CAD who could draw a plan of that year's one design model, the Ernie Linn Kansas Wakefield for use with Bob's laser cutting business. This was a happy relationship all the way around; Ernie Linn and Jim O'Reilly had been longtime friends and competitors in Wichita, and the O'Reilly Cad plan/Holman laser cutting business has produced numerous short kits for OT models. While it was and is a 'labour of love' on O'Reilly and Holman's part, the kit list grows. O'Reilly's plan catalog now is in excess of 240 plans. The number will grow in the future.
Jim's goals include the highest quality and accuracy of airplane model plans he can produce. He draws plans incorporating current practice by competition builders, as opposed to 'museum quality' plans. For example, dethermalizers, tubular rear motor nchors, injection molded engine mounts are routinely shown on plans as being legal deviations from actual 1940-era models.
One of Jim’s goals is to produce model airplane plans for all 'one-design' events possible, with sufficient lead time for a builder to show up at the Champs or other contest with a complete and tested model.

John DROBSHOFF - Inducted 1992
John was an active model flyer from 1936 up untill his death in 1991. In 1934 he was a member of the Junior Birdmen chapter 153 that later became the San Francisco Vultures.
He flew his first gas model in 1935 and won many first places at contests during 1938-1940. In 1939 he placed 2nd place in Class A at the Chicago Nationals with his famous 'Advanced Challenger'. In 1940 he won Class A at the nationals and received a life certificate in the Gas Model Pioneers from C.H. Grant. He loved free flight ROW still holds a number of national AMArecords in ROW events.
In 1939-1940 he worked for Advanced Model Engineering at Fresno and produced The 'Vanguard' and 'Challenger' gas models. In 1947 he left the S.F. Vultures and joined the Elmhurst Prop Busters in San Leandro. He came into old timer flying in 1975.
In 1941 in conjunction with his brother Al, he designed the 'Little Diamond'. He had been President, Vice-president. Newsletter Editor, and Secretary/Treasurer in several clubs.
His memberships were as follows; 1935-39; S.F. Vultures, 1939-41 Fresno Gas model Associatrion, 1946-55 Elmhurst Prop Busters, 1960-70, SAM 1978-90, SAM 27.
by John Pond (SS#106)

Joseph KONEFES - SAM 098 - Inducted 1994 top of this page
Joe began modeling in 1927 after a Curtis Jenny made a forced landing in a neighboring farmer's field.
In 1933, he went to work for Bill Bishop at Comet, building display models while still in high school. After graduation, he went to work for Comet and worked there 8 years. His job was drawing plans in India ink on tracing cloth for many of Comet's flying and solid scale models.
Comet's first two gas models were Joe's designs. One was the six foot span Curtis Robin in 1937, and the other was the Golden Eagle done in 1938. Both were successful kit designs and have lasted many years.
He built the prototype 'Comet Interceptor' to be flown at the 1941 'Nationals', and commented that it was unsuccessful mostly due to a lack of sleep on his part, and the underpowered ATOM engine used.
He was a member of the Junior Birdmen, Chicago Aeronuts, the Gas Model Aeronuts, and the Chicago area 'Buzzards' club. He designed the 'Buzzard Bombshell' in a club competition to design a durable sport model to be used in mass flight demonstrations. Eighteen were built by members of the club. The model proved to be very capable, winning the Wisconsin State Championship and Class 'C' at the 1940 Nationals. He says that he was embarrassed when the model beat the Zipper and the Comet Sailplane at the 1940 'Nats'. He chased the model downwind on foot for a mile, losing sight of it, and returned to the field to find the timer still watching the model. A thermal had lifted the plane high into the wind and returned it to the field for a flight of 49 minutes.
Joe says that he owes much of his success to friends that he worked with at Comet: Bob Reder, Al Horbak, Carl Goldberg, Fred Schlienz, Sid Axelrod, Ed Lidgard and others, members of the Buzzard Club, and to his brother Ed, who he says, is a better flier than he ever was. Ref SS#120

Larry JENO - Inducted 1993
Larry began building models in 1931 at age 9. He joined the AMA in 1939, and won a spot to the Jr. Birdmen N.Y. State Finals, which started his contest flying. After attending trade school, he built his first engine, a .14 size. He flew that engine in control liners on board ship during WW-II. After the war, he built 5 "Jenno-60" engines and distributed some to his control line club members. He became President of that club, and later was the only three term President of the well-known B.I.R.D. Radio Control Club in the Los Angeles area.
Larry became an accomplished machinist and tool & die maker, doing R&D work for several major manufacturers. He built several more engines, and helped John Targos build the repro Elfin diesel, and made dies for the Super Cyclone reproduction project in Arizona. In his most ambitious project, he produced 500 of the Jenno reproduction Torpedo 29's and 32's. More recently, he produced 100 of the first production run of the historically interesting Irwin Ohlsson .12 sized engines.
Larry was also a partner in the Zinger propellor company, and designed and built their original prop-building machinery. He is very active in his local clubs. Probably his best known contribution to SAM was as Contest Manager for the highly successful 1989 SAM Champs at Jean, Nevada, and his assistance to the Denver chapter in staging the 1991 SAM Champs at the same location. The photo shows Larry in one of his favorite spots, his workshop at his home in Las Vegas. Ref SS #114

Louis GARAMI - Inducted 2010
Louis Garami was born in 1898 in Budapest, Hungary and died in the 1950s in this country. His older brother Joe introduced him to modeling in 1908 at age 10 and he built model airplanes until he died. He migrated to the United States in 1922. He is known in modeling as the very prolific designer of small free flight gas and rubber-powered models, and also as the long time salesman and technical adviser at Polk’s Model Craft and Hobbies in New York City. He did everything from designing kits to overhauling old engines to promoting the “Mighty Atom.”
During the 1930s, he and Henry Struck banded together for a mass-production blitz of all-balsa fuselage models. Their products were sold at Macy’s. Their line became obsolete when Ideal came out with a molded fuselage model.
At this late day (2010) Louis’ best known design is the Strato Streak small pylon gas model. The Strato Streak came in two sizes, a 52 in. wingspan model for Class A and a 40 in. wingspan model for the Atom .09. Both sizes are in the forefront of SAM Gas Model competition. In fact, many Garami designs were small gas models for the Atom .09 because of his friendship Ray Arden, the designer of the Atom. The Atom was promoted by Polk’s and Louis was the chief proponent.
Louis’ design tastes were truly omnivorous. They ranged from the Strato Streaks mentioned above, to the Skylark, Molecule, Garami’s Gyro and Colibri, all gas jobs, to a whole assortment of small rubber-powered types. Spunky was a small monocoque fuselage rubber job and his Duck was a scale-like amphibian resembling a single-engine Grummen Widgeon. Louis was a truly innovative designer and flier.
His designs and his contributions to old time modeling have been overlooked for these many years because he died before SAM was founded and he had been dead some 40 to 50 years when the SAM Hall of Fame was established in 1989.
The models and work of Louis Garami
1. Garami's Gull Wing. A small rubber-powered all balsa beginner's model AT 3-1939.
2. Phone Booth Special. A small indoor-type rubber model. FA 4-1938.
3. The Duck. A small rubber powered anphibian. AT 8-1939.
4. The Cabineer. Sm. Rubber. Powered cabin job with monocoque construction. AT 11-1938.
5. Garami's background. Flyoff, Rd. 42, Winter 2001.
6. Colibri: Sm. Fuselage gas model, MAN 9-1939.
7. Model Motor Manual: A collaberation with Howard McEntee.
8. Molecule: Sm. Gas model. AT 12-1939.
9. Garami Bipe: Sm. Rubr powered bipe. AT 3-1948.
10. Strato Streak: Cl. A pylon gas model. AT 12-1941.
11. Skylark: Class A/B gull winged beauty.
12. Garami's Gyro: Sm. Rubber-powered true autogyro. AT 2-1946.
13. Spunky: SM. Rubber model with monocoque fuselage. AT 9-1945
14. Half Pint OT(wm)
15. Knockabout OT(wm)
16. Sly Lark OT(wm)
17. WaHoo OT(wm)

Ralph KUMMER - Inducted 1995
Ralph has been building model airplanes since 1923. From age 12 to 19 he designed, built and flew rubber powered free flights. He held 3 world records in different categories, and won many contests. He was President of model clubs and co-director of USA's largest club (St Louis). Ralph managed his own model shop from 1931 to 1934, and contributed model designs to several model magazines.
Ralph learned to fly full scale aircraft in1941 at St. Louis in a Piper Cub. Tha same year he became a partner in a new Porterfield airplane, which he flew home from the factory in Kansas City.
He was an Army Liason Pilot in WW II and saw more than 300 hours flying combat missions during two years in the Pacific theater. Ralph was promoted to Major and was awarded Air medal, Oak Leaf Cluster.
Ralph was a private airport owner from 1945 to 1948. His ratings include commercial pilot and flight instructor in both lam and seaplanes. He also owned a Fairchild PT-19 trainer and a Taylorcraft seaplane.
From1946 to 1948 Ralph was Aviation Editor of the St Louis Star-Times, and subsequently was a public relations executive at Hiller Aircraft, and a marketing consultant who developed proposals for the FAA.
Memberships have included charter member AMA, NAA, Pacific Wings club, American Helicopter Society and Aviation Writers Assoc. Ralph is listed in Who's Who in Aviation.
In SAM, Ralph has participated in old time rubber events around the world for the past several years. Ref SS#126

Ron MOULTON - ?-2010
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Tommy McLAUGHLIN - Inducted 1994 top of this page
His interest in model aviation started in Baltimore during the late 1920's through the American Boy magazine model section. He built rubber-powered models and competed in indoor competitions sponsored by a Baltimore department store. Tommy became interested in outdoor rubber models, and in 1929 was the Baltimore Twin Pusher Champion, winning a trip to the 1929 Detroit Nationals. During the thirties, he turned to power models and became very competitive, ultimately winning the Mod Kraft trophy in 1941. After the war, he won the trophy in 1946 and again in 1947, thereby gaining permanent possession.
In the early 50's, Tom turned to FAI power, and was a member of the U.S. team at the FAI Internationals in Austria in 1973, and again in 1979. He was very competitive in SAM Old Timer events with his Forster 29 powered Zipper, his .020 Playboy, and his original design 'Big 01' Plane by a fellow free flighter. This design is now approved for SAM as an Old Timer.
In 1931, Tommy started in the aviation industry when he went to work in Baltimore for Berliner-Joyce, building biplanes, and the all-metal Y1-11 pursuit. Berliner-Joyce later became North American Aviation and one of the projects was the T-6/SNJ prototype. He moved to Connecticut to work at Sikorsky, building the S-42 series China Clippers. In 1940, he moved to Pensacola to work with the Naval Aviation Depot until retirement as a production supervisor.
During the genesis of the Fiesta of Five Flags Contest in 1958, Tommy, among others was instrumental in its inception, organization, and set up the contacts, policies and procedures that exist today. Ref SS#120

Woody WOODMAN - Inducted 1995 top of this page
Woody has been outstanding in his support of the Society as demonstrated by his record. He has been active model builder since 1933, at a member of NAA/AMA since 1936.
Woody joined SAM in 1969, and was Eastern SAM Vice Presidet for 6 years.
He was initially interested in RC, and wrote the first RC Old Timer rules. Woody was an RC OT prime mover at all SAM Champs, and organized and ran the first RC events at the 1972 SAM Champs at Bong Field, WI. He encouraged interest in RC Old Timer, resulting in its acceptance as a regular SAM Champs event. He also was RC SAM Champs Contest Director at Denver and La Junta, CO, Wright Paterson AFB, Westover AFB, and Aerolympics, Lakehurst, NJ. He served as Contest Manager at the 1978 Champs at Coyle Field, NJ.
Woody served on the SAM rules committee and became the first RC Rules Coordinator, serving until 1994, and is the present SAM Chapter Coordinator, having held that post for the past 23 years. He has set up and manned the SAM booth at the WRAMS show every year since 1975. Ref SS#126