ABOUT
US
Ours is a very
small organization attempting to do a rather large job.
Anyone who can do it better is welcome to do so, or to join
with us in this good cause. See below, for example, how you
may become a guest contributor of articles or exhibits.
The focus of the Radio Control Hall of
Fame®
and
Museum is on the radio control itself – not the wonderful
airplanes, cars, and other vehicles which employ it (and
are very well covered by other museums and sites).
OTHER
HALLS OF FAME
Other Halls of
Fame and Museums exist which are better than this one. For
example, the AMA Museum is professionally managed and run
by an outstanding organization. But as excellent as it is,
the AMA cannot be expected to cover each narrow subdivision
of its domain to the degree that a specialized organization
can.
As another example, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is
also in Cleveland and is by far the best in its field.
Nevertheless, this has not stopped the emergence of
independent, specialized halls of fame including halls of
fame for heavy metal, soul, R&B, country, rap, blues
and so on.
AMERICAN
EMPHASIS
For now, the
emphasis of this site will be on American RC. This may
change as our collection of systems from other countries
continues to grow. Many great radio control systems have
come from other countries. However, when it comes to the
formative history of radio control, the US
should
be
the focus, even if the museum and its organizers did not
happen to be based here.
The development and initial history of radio control
occurred overwhelmingly in this country just as certainly
as more recent history has been dominated by other
countries. U.S. radio control was so pre-eminent that –
even as late as the 1965 Internationals in Sweden, 77% of
all contestants from around the world flew US equipment.
Even the leading Japanese competitor, who owned a Japanese
RC company, used a US radio!
Initially, only American manufacturers/systems will be
presented. What constitutes “American” is subjective or
uncertain in some cases. For example, Aristo-Craft is
included despite the large percentage of its equipment made
in Japan. This was done because Aristo-Craft was a U.S.
company which heavily marketed and sold products in the
U.S. and actually manufactured some of its radio control
systems in the U.S. (in addition to Japan and other
countries).
Once such facts are known, the basis for including
companies like Aristo-Craft is obvious. In a few other
cases its not obvious at all. What is a pure British line
like E.D. doing here? Can you guess?
MODEL
AIRPLANE EMPHASIS
For now, the
story will be told from this perspective since this
particular field of radio control is most familiar to us
and was so instrumental in early development efforts.
Nevertheless, the evolution of high quality reliable
control has been no less important in other sectors such as
model cars, model boats, military drones and myriad other
applications.
This site may expand into these other areas in the future.
MUSEUM
Our “museum” is
just our private collection of equipment and other
artifacts, together with our “encyclopedia” of radio
control, this website, and other books, literature and
documents.
The collection (over 1300 transmitters and many more
receivers and actuators) has grown to where it may now be
the largest in the world. The encyclopedia has a chapter
for each manufacturer, even many obscure ones, containing a
chronology of advertisements, product reviews, schematics,
historic photos and other documentation. Each page is
laminated to reduce further deterioration. While clearly an
amateur production, the encyclopedia is a very useful
reference which now comprises over 20 volumes totaling more
than seven feet wide.
Although private, the museum is “open” to interested
parties by special arrangement. By means of this website we
are making the museum available to people around the world
without having to travel to Cleveland. Over time we hope to
show more of the museum on this site.
See our Contact Us page for
Contact information
See our Website News page for the
latest updates to RCHallofFame.org
