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While
scanning an article in the July / August 1966 edition of American Modeler,
I ran across this page titled, "A Statement of Policy." It talks about
this issue being the first published by the magazine's new owner, Potomac
Aviation Publications, and how beginning in January 1967, the magazine
will be published monthly rather than in a bi-monthly manner.
A STATEMENT OF POLICY This, the July-August issue of AMERICAN
MODELER, is the first published by the magazine's new owner, Potomac
Aviation Publications, Inc., of Washington, D.C. With this issue, one
of the world's oldest and most famous hobby magazines, inaugurates a
new policy stressing model aviation. This policy will be fully implemented
by mid·1967. Special attention will be given the younger modeler,
and the beginner. After the September-October and November-December
issues, the AMERICAN MODELER goes monthly in 1967. Like the New Year
itself, it will look, and be, quite different by January First of next
year. Cornerstone of this new policy is the model airplane enthusiast.
And the role of model airplane building and flying in this air-space
age. Rocketry is part of the picture. Too long has our press apologized
for an imagined lack of mission in maintaining our obvious place in
the advancement and support of aeronautics-for opportunity, career and
enjoyment. Too long have we wrung our hands for the "lost" beginner,
whom we have discouraged by a lack of service and assistance, and a
determination to convert the activity into a sport for affluent adults
only. Although the specific details, must be self-revealing,
the broad outlines were roughed out in the previous owner's (Conde Nast,
of New York) announcement in their last issue. "While AMERICAN MODELER
readers will continue to receive the finest features, plans, and articles-to
which they have long been accustomed - special youth-in-aviation material
will translate into action the hobby pub-lishing field's concern that
young people should enjoy a hobby-sport that develops skills and interests
leading to careers in many major fields - notably aviation and space."
To exist, any hobby must bring reo wards. Pleasure. Creative
fulfillment. Action, and even thrills, perhaps. Model airplane building
brings greater skills and knowledge to its practitioners, and for those
young enough, is a stepping-off place to the professions, again aviation
and space. For two generations, these attributes made the model airplane
activity self-promoting -air schools and military services stated that
90 percent of their pilots had been modelers. Even the astronauts
include ex-model-ers-as the interview with Frank Borman (see page 42)
attests. Examining the guest books at Phil Corr's hobby shop in Washington,
we were struck by the hundreds of signatures of well-known people from
all walks of life, from many lands which reflect the con-tinued interest
in air modeling by so many who remember it from younger days.
The model airplane hobby cannot exist on a broad basis without the
magazines playing a vital part in bringing up new participants. Here,
A.M. parts company with any contemporary who believes that A,B,C,'s
have no place in its printed pages. If they join us in this important
mission, we welcome them aboard! Last, but not least, there
is the place of the Academy of Model Aeronautics in this expanding picture.
AMA begins, with this issue of A.M., a special section (see page- 41),
replacing their of-ficial magazine, MODEL AVIATION, which suspended
publication with its June 1966 issue. All AMA members will receive AMERICAN
MODELER as part of their membership package. This exposure of AMA to
the much greater modeling audience is expected to expand that organization's
member-ship beyond its current, height-of-the-season peak of about 17,000
people. It is to be noted that the AMERICAN MODELER is not exploiting
in any man-ner the presence of this AMA section. You, too, can
participate in this pro-motion of the model airplane hobby. Let others
see you fly. Talk to them. Every reader is an ambassador of good will.
And join us here next issue! Posted February 6, 201
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