I am the AMA: Steve Neill

I am the AMA: Steve Neill

As seen in the July 2022 issue of Model Aviation.

JAY SMITH: How did you become involved in model aviation?

STEVE NEILL: As a young child, I used to watch the sky and all things that fly. Birds, airplanes, and space launches—I was hooked on aviation from day one. I built plastic kits of World War II airplanes and made rubber-powered, stick-and-tissue aircraft and rockets.

In 1980, I was working on movies, making creatures for sci-fi movies that required electronic radio control to move the faces of the creatures that I made. I used to go to a hobby shop to buy servos and radios and I admired the RC airplanes and vowed one day to build and fly one. In 1985, my late wife bought me a Carl Goldberg Eaglet for Christmas and from there, I became deeply involved in the hobby.

JS: How has model aviation impacted your life and/or career?

SN: The great thing about this hobby is that it taught me techniques and disciplines that I could apply to my career of making and building creatures, aliens, and monsters for the films, commercials, and TV shows I worked on. But the best part was the excitement that building and flying an airplane brought to my life. The sense of reward was something I could never get enough of.

JS: What disciplines of modeling do you currently participate in?

SN: I’ve built many kits, but I have also been a scratch builder. In 2003, I built my first scratch-built Me P.11001 after I saw an allbalsa rendition by a man from the UK named Will on RCGroups. I contacted him, got the plans, and made an epoxy/fiberglass version. It flew well on a WeMoTec mini EDF and 10 or 12 NiMHs. In 2003, this airplane was ahead of its time and I sold many kits.

I later built a 90mm TA-183 Huck and sold many kits of it. Today, I fly EDF ARFs, propeller aircraft, and sailplanes of all types. I recently built an Aquila Grande from plans. Currently, I’m building a kit of my Me P.1101 with [modern] technology.

JS: What other hobbies do you have?

SN: I’m a proud member of the Flying Aces Club and fly Free Flight. I love slot cars. I have a large, scenic track at home and I race with the FarrOut Slot Car Club. I build and run RC submarines and boats, RC Grand Touring cars, and Formula 1. Full-size sports cars are also a hobby. I have a fully restored 1985 Z31 that I take to rallies and car shows.

I have built large static models for museums, films, and collectors, as well as myself. I also scratch-built a large-scale model of the original Enterprise on Star Trek and a large-scale model of the space station from 2001: A Space Odyssey for a museum. I now have it at my studio.

I also enjoy filmmaking. I have made both feature and short films and I’m currently writing a script that I hope to shoot later this year named Forever Flight. It’s about how people in our hobby live longer lives because of the passion and purpose it brings us.

JS: Who or what has influenced you the most?

SN: Stanley Kubrick and his film 2001: A Space Odyssey, have had a huge influence on my career path.

I met Chuck Yeager once in a hotel parking lot. We talked about airplanes for a couple of hours. I’ll never forget it. He is a hero and he didn’t let me down.

The man who taught me to fly, Robin Hambley, and the people at Smith Brothers Hobbies Center have given me and my hobby more support than I could have ever asked for. Tony Naccarato was always there for me and still is every time I build and fly. There are so many others who shared my passion and enriched this hobby for me.

JS: Looking back over your career in film and TV, what are you most proud of?

SN: It was a dream come true to work with Gene Rodenberry and the original cast on Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I got to make Spock’s ears, the bridge aliens, and more. Gene was an amazing guy and a great aviator. Ghostbusters is another. What an experience to work and perform in that original first movie. There are too many to list, but these stand out.