MA at 25

Magazines titled "Model Aviation" with various covers and designs.

By Jim Haught

As seen in the July 2000 issue of Model Aviation.

Editor’s note: This issue marks the 25th anniversary of Model Aviation in its current format. MA had existed in many forms prior to that time, but the change to a standalone magazine was perhaps the most significant since its beginning in 1936.

Model Aviation magazine cover, June 1936, with trophy illustration. — June 1936—Vol. I No. 1

Former MA editor and publisher Carl Wheeley played a leading role in the magazine’s development, and he recalls how this version of Model Aviation was born:

What propelled AMA into the full-fledged magazine business with Model Aviation was the bankruptcy of American Aircraft Modeler (AAM) a short while before.

American Modeler magazine cover with a model airplane on grass, November 1967. — 1967

Magazine cover, "American Aircraft Modeler," features a model plane flying by a checkered tower. — 1974

For a number of years, AMA had been purchasing copies of AAM for members who had paid extra to obtain a subscription (which, incidentally, contained an AMA section named “Model Aviation”). AMA paid for copies of AAM for members as they were printed, so there was money from unfulfilled AAM subscriptions that AMA could apply to its own magazine.

AMA officers, the Executive Council, already had a meeting in the Washington, D.C., area scheduled about this time. They voted for AMA to commence Model Aviation to fill the void.

Model Aviation July 1945 edition cover letter with typed message and signature. — 1940

Model Aviation magazine page, vintage biplanes, pilots adjusting models. — 1952

Three "Model Aviation" magazine covers, featuring planes and a vintage photograph of a man. — 1958-61

Boy holding model airplane, cover of "Model Aviation" magazine. — 1962

"Model Aviation" June 1966 cover, celebrating 30 years, blue header, black and white text. — June 1966-30 years

At this meeting, it was announced that I would be the Publisher; Bill Winter would be the Editor; and Frank Ehling would be the Advertising Manager. Ehling and I were already AMA employees, and Winter had recently become free of other work responsibilities. Heather Huntington and I had previously made up the AMA Publications Department; she became the new magazine’s Art Director.

These four, plus a woman who provided secretarial and proofreading help, put out all of the early issues.

On the first working day following the decision to proceed with Model Aviation, the magazine principals met in Executive Director John Worth’s office, where I laid out my concept of what the magazine should be. I thought there should be columnists reporting regularly on all modeling phases; that there should be a major feature each month for RC, CL [Control Line], and FF [Free Flight]; and between these things, how-to articles, etc.

Model Aviation magazines with planes on covers in red, blue, and vintage designs. — 1975-1936-2000

I was given the responsibility of recruiting the column writers, while Winter went to work on rounding up construction and other articles. The first issue came out two months later, and Model Aviation has appeared monthly ever since—to this 25th year of publication in full magazine format.

How difficult was it to do a “cold” start-up?

The initial magazine staff was comprised of capable, competent people. None of us thought our venture would be anything other than a success.

Model Aviation cover, July 1976. Man with model plane on grass. — On our own: 1975

For several years, AMA had been involved in producing magazine-size program books for competitions and various other publications, including the monthly section in American Aircraft Modeler. Bill Winter had been involved with a number of other magazines; he knew his business. Executive Director John Worth was supportive of our efforts in many ways.

How tough was it to get MA done with such a small staff?

It wasn’t especially tough, with 80-page issues as at the beginning, or even beyond that to 88 pages. Eight more pages to 96, though, did require adding to the staff.

Magazine cover of three men holding flowers, titled "Model Aviation." — 1992

After you got started, what was the reaction of members/readers? The Executive Council? The industry?

Reaction of members/readers was mixed—the most-mentioned comment being that there wasn’t enough material of the members/reader’s interest. When it was seen that this comment came more or less equally from RCers, FFers, and CLers, we thought our balance was reasonably correct.

Early on, the elective officers were mostly supportive of the magazine; later on, one or two officers had misgivings about some aspect or another.

There didn’t seem to be much industry objection to the AMA magazine—unless you consider that failing to advertise was voicing an objection. To this subject, one also has to consider that fact that sale of advertising wasn’t pushed very hard for the first year or so.

The biggest objection to the AMA magazine came from other magazines in the field.

That initial issue of the magazine MA contained a note “From the Publisher” with the headline, “We’ve Come A Long Way.” The journey has indeed been long, and it is ongoing. However, Carl Wheeley’s closing from 25 years ago is true today: