Art Schroeder

When Walt Shroder was promoted to president and publisher in 1970, he hired Art Schroeder to take on the role of editor. A recently retired school superintendent and an experienced model-aircraft designer, builder, and flier, Art went on to serve three stints as editor, ending in 1984. During the ’70s, Art encouraged the building and flying of larger models (1⁄4 scale and up) powered by converted chain-saw gasoline engines and the large-scale engines that were designed specifically for hobby use that soon followed. Flying 20- to 50-pound RC models is commonplace today.

In the mid-’70s, Art and Walt joined forces with Bill Bennett, a dedicated hobby enthusiast and owner of the Circus Circus Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, to establish the nowfamous annual Tournament of Champions (TOC). The large-scale models that competed in TOC every year brought much publicity to the hobby and sport of model aviation.

In 1979, Art and Walt collaborated on a series of articles that instructed modelers on how to build their own digital proportional RC system (the Blue Max). It was a tremendous effort and one that introduced many people to the inner workings of the RC hobby.

A careful observer will also note that electric flight began to emerge during Art’s reign. Modern electric motors and constantly improving battery technology have made this into a hobby all its own. Today’s electric planes range in size from 1⁄4 scale down to 1-ounce indoor RC models.