HAZEL SIG TURNS 103!
By Jay Smith, Executive Editor | jays@modelaircraft.org
ON MARCH 3, 2025, Hazel Sig turned 103! Hazel and Poncho (Glen Sigafoose) started Sig Manufacturing in 1951 with an idea and a $200 loan. That money was used to purchase a table saw to cut balsa wood.
On March 3, 2025, Hazel Sig turned 103! Hazel and Poncho (Glen Sigafoose) started Sig Manufacturing in 1951 with an idea and a $200 loan. That money was used to purchase a table saw to cut balsa wood.
I had the opportunity to attend the Sig Fly-In in September 2022. This also gave me the opportunity to tour Sig Manufacturing and spend time with Hazel. I had met her a few times before this at the Nats or at the Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo, but on this occasion, I got the chance to interview her and have lunch with her.
Her story is a fascinating one, and even at the age of 100 when we spoke, she shared memories as though they had happened just yesterday. She revealed that she still felt youthful and had many things she still wanted to do in her lifetime.
To learn more about Hazel and the Sig Fly-In, see my article from the January 2023 issue of Model Aviation at www.ModelAviation.com/celebrating-hazel-sigs-100th-birthday. The interview with Hazel is available on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/UqQkXavB_01.
Today, Sig Manufacturing is headquartered in the Chicago area. By the time you read this, a new website for the company will be up and running. This year, the company will be re-releasing some of its kits, and all of them will be laser cut.
