K-8 CAREER EXPLORATION DAY AND AMA QUICK PROJECTS
By Gwen Mathis, AMA Education Development Coordinator | gwenm@modelaircraft.org
ON MAY 2, 2024, Education Director Kyle Jaracz and Education Development Coordinator Gwen Mathis met virtually with first- and fourth-grade students at a K-8 STEM school in Arizona. After performing a short skit about flying model aircraft to get the students interested and ready to learn, the pair moved into a lesson about the four forces of flight: lift, thrust, weight, and drag. They demonstrated these principles using the AMA Education department’s Jet Cup, Paper Airplane, and Coffee Filter Paratrooper AMA Quick Projects.
AMA Quick Projects are an awesome way to teach aviation principles and concepts in engaging and hands-on ways! For the educators out there, AMA Quick Projects are Next Generation Science Standard-Aligned, so they can easily be implemented into your next lesson!
Although the students might seem slightly young to learn about complex aviation and aerodynamic principles, it’s important to introduce these concepts early on so that kids get the chance to explore and learn what interests them. By exploring these interests at a young age, children can go on to cultivate lifelong passions and careers!
If you are interested in including model aviation and AMA educational resources into your learning environment, you can get started in all sorts of ways! You can reach the AMA Education team by emailing education@modelaircraft.org or calling (765) 287-1256, ext. 6. You can also check out all of the Education department’s available resources on the AMA Flight School website at www.amaflightschool.org.
Feedback and success stories from educators using these resources are not only welcomed, but are also encouraged! The Education team is always happy to hear and respond to feedback to ensure that the lesson plans are easy to access and implement in any educational space. Please reach out with any questions, critiques, and personal stories involving the AMA Education department’s resources. We look forward to seeing where flight takes you!
CELEBRATE THE HOBBY ON ITS SPECIAL DAY
By Rachelle Haughn, AMA Foundation Donor & Programs Specialist | rachelleh@modelaircraft.org
HAVING A HOBBY that brings joy to your life is something to celebrate!
Join the AMA Foundation in honoring model aviation by holding a National Model Aviation Day event at your club field on August 17, 2024! If that day doesn’t fit into your club’s schedule, you are welcome to hold your festivities for the 11th annual National Model Aviation Day whenever you can.
National Model Aviation Day was created to encourage clubs to celebrate the hobby and share it with the public. AMA is devoted to inspiring the young and young-at-heart to pursue a hobby that will inspire creativity and advanced learning through the use of hands-on applications.
Register your event at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/modelaviationday/register-your-event so that it can be added to an online map of all events occurring that day. Please consider having a fundraiser for a charity as part of your festivities. If you do choose to observe National Model Aviation Day on August 17, please send photos of your event and a short description of your gathering to foundation@modelaircraft.org.
Model Builder Plans
AMA PLANS SERVICE now houses all plans formerly sold through Model Builder magazine, and the Scratch Builder’s Almanac. There are more than 18,000 plans in the collection.
Little John is an electric-powered, reduced-size version of Bill Northrup’s Big John biplane; it was designed for 40- to 48-size four stroke engines. Designed by Alex McLeod, it has a 48-inch wingspan and a 15-sq. ft. area. To read the original construction article in Model Builder, written by Alex, visit the Little John plans listing at https://plans.modelaircraft.org; simply click on “GET PDF” under the aircraft’s description!
Plans for Little John, plans number 7881, can be purchased for $19 by visiting https://plans.modelaircraft.org/ or calling the AMA Plans Service at (765) 287-1256, ext. 507.
MORE ADDITIONS TO OUR LIBRARY
By Jackie Shalberg, National Model Aviation Museum Archivist and Historian | jackies@modelaircraft.org
IN THE MAY 2024 issue of Model Aviation, we highlighted just a few of the donations that were received in 2023 and early 2024. Since then, even more have been added to the National Model Aviation Museum’s collections! This month, we want to highlight some of the reading material that was recently added to our library. Thanks so much to our donors!
In March 2024, 16 publications were donated in memory of Lyn Green (LIB2024.06). These will be handy resources for aviation enthusiasts visiting the museum’s library, especially those interested in scale modeling. A sampling of these include:
- P-40 Warhawk in World War II Color by Jeffrey L. Ethell, Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, 1994. This book is full of color photographs of P-40 Warhawks, both on the ground and in the air. [LIB2024.06.05, Call# 412.25]
- Walk Around P-40 Warhawk, Walk Around Number 8, by Lou Drendel, Squadron/Signal Publications, 1996. This is another book about the P-40 Warhawk, with many color photos and color profiles, including close-up images and diagrams of the aircraft. [LIB2024.06.12, Call# 412.26]
- Air Combat Special: The Boeing B-17G, Air Combat Special Number 1, Summer Edition 1971, edited by Robert F. Jarvis and Mary Earl Freudenberger, Eagle Aviation Enterprises. This periodical presents the Boeing B-17G through statistics and many black and white photographs. It includes images of the aircraft in production, on the ground, and in combat, and offers a detailed look at the airplane’s cockpit instrumentation. [LIB2024.06.11, Call# 420.38]
- The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft 1935-1945 by Kenneth A. Merrick & Thomas H. Hitchcock, Monogram Aviation Publications. This book includes many paint chips, photographs, illustrations of various German aircraft, and details on aircraft paint schemes. [LIB2024.06.01, Call# M400.16]
- Military Aircraft Color Guide 1939 to 1945, M+M Models. This booklet contains aircraft profiles and paint chips and includes an endorsement statement on the third page by Dave Platt: “The materials contained herein, have been verified as being of acceptable accuracy for the purposes of A.M.A. Scale Competition.” [LIB2024.06.04, Call# M400.17]
Along with these library materials were plans, also donated in memory of Lyn, which are stored in the AMA Plans Service’s collection.
The book The Knights of Avalon, by David L. Johnston, Horizon Line Press, 2005 (second printing), was donated to the museum for the library by Geoff Sanders in April 2024. This 199-page book includes both seaplane flight history and
Talking About Donations ...
By the time you receive this magazine in your mailbox, the museum will be open for the summer! When summertime comes, the staff members are busy, helping with general museum questions, research requests, perpetual trophy checkout, coordinating with other departments on events and space usage, and many other assorted tasks.
Are you considering bringing in items to donate this summer? If so, tell us ahead of your visit so we can verify whether they are needed by the museum and set up a delivery time. If you are delivering an accepted donation, please allow extra time during your visit to fill out paperwork. Are you unsure whether your donation has been accepted or not? You can email us at museum@modelaircraft.org or call us at (765) 287-1256, ext. 500 or 511.
If you drop by without an appointment and the museum staff members are out of the office or with another visitor, our store staff might ask you to leave your name and contact information so we can reach out to you when we are available.
A guide for how to donate is on our website at www.modelaircraft.org/museum/donate/museum-donation-guide, and our handy Donation FAQ page is at www.modelaircraft.org/museum/donation-faq. Please read these pages ahead of your visit. We are happy to mail you a hardcopy of the information upon request.
Note that model aircraft donation offers are reviewed quarterly by our Museum Acquisition Committee. A completed form and photos of the aircraft in its current condition are required for the process. Questions about donating aircraft can be directed to Museum Director Michael Smith at museumcollections@modelaircraft.org or by calling (765) 287-1256, ext. 500.
And Then There Was the Solar Eclipse
Because Muncie, Indiana, was in the path of totality for April’s solar eclipse, the museum had planned to be open (museum admission waived) for a special eclipse celebration from Friday, April 5 through Monday, April 8, 2024. Although there was a power outage on Saturday that kept us closed all day, we were still able to be open on that Friday, Sunday, and Monday. By the morning of Monday’s eclipse, traffic to the museum was booming. Roughly 800 visitors came into the building that day!
Not only did we have Indiana residents stop by, but also people from surrounding states, such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and beyond—even outside of the US! Although most of the people visiting the site were non-modelers who mainly came to see the eclipse, they also got a taste of the history and artistry of model aviation while they were on-site. Many didn’t realize how far back in history aeromodeling went and enjoyed learning about it. We were thanked multiple times for being open and were overjoyed to hear such nice compliments from visitors!
Stop in This Summer!
Are you coming to Muncie, Indiana, for the Nats or other events this summer? If so, stop by the National Model Aviation Museum and say hello! For July 2024, we’re open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Note that we will be closed on Thursday, July 4, so our staff can celebrate Independence Day. See the rest of our 2024 schedule on our website at www.modelaircraft.org/museum/museum-info.
AMA Thanks Its Lifetime Supporters!
The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently welcomed Life Members Steven P. Borek, High Springs FL; Kyle S. Matthew, Valley Lee MD; Erich J. Ludwig, Hartford City IN; Hasnain A. Hasham, Portland OR; Leonardo Maza, Miami FL; Devin L. Allen, Valrico FL; Cameron Kersztyn, Litchfield Park AZ; and Tom Neuman, Fairfax VA.
For information about becoming a Life Member, contact AMA Headquarters at (765) 287-1256, ext. 129.
—AMA Membership department
