George Campbell Johnson

As owner, publisher, and founding editor of Model Airplane News, George Johnson (grandfather of presentday publisher, Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr.) is arguably the most important figure in its illustrious 90-year history. Keep in mind that in 1929 the entire world of full-scale aviation had been in existence for less than 30 years. In the beginning, model aircraft consisted primarily of gliders and rubber-band-powered (twisting strands of strip rubber!) models. Model designs were generally scale or at least influenced by full-scale aircraft. This was a humble beginning for the model-aircraft hobby but still an important start. As long as full-scale aviation continued to grow, so did the desire to build and fly model airplanes. That was the dream Johnson pursued.