THE INSIDE LOOP
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FIFTY YEARS OF MODEL AVIATION MAGAZINE
By Jay Smith, Executive Editor | jays@modelaircraft.org
FIFTY YEARS AGO, with the July 1975 issue, Model Aviation magazine, as we know it today, was launched after being a part of American Aircraft Modeler. The staff only had two months’ notice to make it happen.
We had some notable names involved at the time. John Worth was AMA’s executive director, Carl Wheeley was the magazine publisher, and Frank Ehling served as the advertising manager.
Carl stated, “Wisely, we think, AMA officers saw most members preferring to receive a magazine with well-rounded features at a reasonable cost.” The magazine launched at 80 pages, much less than the current 128. It is also interesting that membership in 1975 was $17. Although this might seem extremely inexpensive, $17 dollars in 1975 would be approximately $101 dollars today, so, 50 years later, based on inflation, AMA membership is cheaper today and the magazine you receive is 44 extra pages!
Thank you to those who launched this publication 50 years ago, to everyone who has supported the magazine and advertised and partnered with us, and to everyone who has looked to us to inform, inspire, and instruct.
If you received and read the July 1975 issue, it was released at roughly the time that a movie titled Jaws was making people rethink swimming in the ocean, and a company called Microsoft was created.
While researching the past 50 years of the magazine, it was discovered that I had shot the most cover photos, with a total of 24. I am also the longest continually serving editor who has presided over the publication. I don’t see these facts as a pat on the back—I am humbled that I have had the opportunity to serve our members for 17 years! In fact, the very month you receive this issue will be my 17th anniversary at AMA. Time will tell whether I live long enough to see the 75th anniversary of Model Aviation magazine.
Thank you to those who launched this publication 50 years ago, to everyone who has supported the magazine and advertised and partnered with us, and to everyone who has looked to us to inform, inspire, and instruct.
