In the Air
Membership news and updates
from AMA Headquarters
Dragonfly Racing Drones Wins $100
Congratulations to Dragonfly Racing Drones in Sebring, Florida, for being awarded $100 through its participation in the AMA Retailer Incentive Program. The business received the money by signing up new AMA members in its store.
Are you a retailer? What are you waiting for—join the AMA Retailer Incentive Program today! For more information, contact Erin Dobbs at erind@modelaircraft.org or (765) 287-1256, extension 272.
Michael Fulmer
AMA National Model Aviation Museum Designer
Michael Glenn Fulmer passed away on June 8, 2016, in Petaluma, California. He was 72 years old. Michael was born in Visalia, California, but spent his early years in various locales, moving around the country with his family and father who was an Air Force pilot. He graduated from Bellevue High School in Omaha, Nebraska, where his father was stationed.
Michael was a Marine, decorated for his service in the Vietnam War. Upon his return to the US, Michael attended College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California, worked as a welder, and built custom motorcycles and model airplanes for clients from his shop there.
In 1979, through a recommendation from a customer, Michael was hired to build models at Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) during its production of the second Star Wars film. His career bloomed at ILM for 12 years where he became chief model maker.
His talents as a model designer and engineer on films such as The Empire Strikes Back, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom movies garnered him much praise and respect. Michael’s lifelong passion for beauty, excellence, and imagination came into full fruition.
After leaving ILM in 1991, Michael was hired by the Academy of Model Aeronautics in Muncie, Indiana, to design the National Model Aviation Museum, celebrating the history of model aviation. He built the museum from the ground up, from planning the building layout to designing the interior and populating the display cases. He then worked as the museum curator.
Returning to California in 1995, Michael began working with Neil Young and Lionel Trains on the company’s Route 66 project where he designed and prototyped many pieces for its train layout line including the beautifully detailed Grand Central Station.
Michael was a man of many talents who wrote five screenplays, built vintage hot rods, and was a passionate believer in using every bit of energy he had to give back to the world. His model work has been featured in many publications and in major museum collections worldwide, as well as being the heart of the AMA museum.
Michael leaves behind two daughters, Christine (Fulmer) Nutting of Fresno, California, and Jacquetta (Montgomery) Sorensen of Visalia, California, as well as his former wife and longtime companion, Suella Kennedy-Fulmer of Petaluma, California. He has three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held for family and friends on July 16. Donations can be made in Michael’s name to the AMA National Model Aviation Museum. Contact Mandee Mikulski at mandeem@modelaircraft.org or call (800) 435-9262, extension 277.
THE NORTHROP FILES
AMA Plans Services now houses all plans formerly sold through Model Builder magazine, Bill Northrop’s Plan Service, and the Scratch Builder’s Almanac. There are more than 1,000 plans in the collection.
The Ryan STA, designed by Al Wheeler, is an RC sport scale aircraft designed for .25-size engines.
You can order the Ryan STA, plans number 7911, for $17 by calling AMA Plans Service at (800) 435-9262, extension 507.
Carol Lieberman
May 19, 1942-
July 3, 2016
The owner of Jet Glues company, who was also the daughter of a well-known aeromodeler, has passed away. Carol Ann Lieberman, age 74, daughter of Carl Goldberg, lived in Riverwoods, Illinois.
Carol said in an interview for the November 2012 issue of Model Aviation that she operated her father’s business, Carl Goldberg Models, until she sold it in 2002. She then served as president and owner of Jet Glues, which was a spinoff of Carl Goldberg Models, until her death.
Carl Goldberg—best known for Free Flight airplane designs such as the Valkyrie, the Clipper, and the Gentle Lady—worked for Comet Models before starting his own business. He founded the Suburban Aero Club of Chicago and the Chicago Aeronuts club, and received many honors, including being inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 1969.
According to Carol’s friend, Carole Kane, Carol Lieberman’s hobbies included traveling, riding horses, and showing dogs. After Carol found out she was ill, she visited California and went to Redwood National Park, where she hugged a redwood tree, Carole said.
Carol Lieberman was preceded in death by her father, Carl, in January 1985, and her mother, Beth, in 1997. Survivors include a brother, Bob Goldberg; two daughters, and three grandchildren. A memorial service was held August 6.
Club Patches
The National Model Aviation Museum honors clubs’ important contributions to model aviation by preserving and displaying club memorabilia, especially patches. Here are a few of the ones in the collection. Look for more on the AMA’s social media pages.
Are you interested in having your club’s items in the museum collection? Contact Maria at mariav@modelaircraft.org, or (800) 435-9262, extension 508.
The museum is also interested in your club’s story. Share it as part of the AMA History Project! More information can be found at www.modelaircraft.org/museum/history.aspx.
