On July 15, Chief Communications Officer Clarissa Poston spoke with longtime AMA member and modeler Don Szczur about his family’s involvement in the hobby of model aviation. They were joined by Deputy Director Rachelle Haughn.
A member since 1981, Don Szczur has been a modeler for his entire life. He obtained his passion for model aviation from his father, who is celebrating his 95th birthday this year. This milestone inspired Don to reflect on his father’s life, reminiscing on their shared love for our hobby.
Don’s father grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, during the depression. At a young age—10 or 11, to be exact—Don’s father started a model airplane club, which consisted of a group of friends who were enthralled by flight. This club built their own ‘hobby shop’ building area through utilizing a chicken coop, and the involved children made their own glue out of acetone and plastic—a very similar glue to what is still used today!
This club is where Don’s father’s innovation started to show its true power. In 1939, while part of this club, Don’s father enlarged the Korda Wakefield—arguably one of the most famous rubber-powered aircraft to make its presence known in our hobby—in an attempt to improve on the World Championship design. Don provided this video, created by Joshua Finn in 2017, to showcase the 1939 Korda Wakefield in action.
While at this young age, not only was Don’s father taking on enlargement projects, but he was also designing his own airfoils and constructing unique versions of his favorite aircraft. Pictured below is Don’s father with another self-constructed airplane, this one utilizing a self-designed airfoil. When questioned by Don as to why he took this extra step, Don’s father replied and said that he studied all the best airfoils available at that time (early 1940s) and developed his own based on the performance that he wanted from each model.
Forty years later, Don’s father was still conceptualizing and building his own unique aircraft. In the early 1980s, he conceptualized and built a ‘flying saucer.’ Don stated that the concept for this was an aircraft that could take off vertically and then transition to horizontal flight by pivoting the thrust of the motor. Don continued and stated that “although the design could not achieve stability through aerodynamics alone, the idea eventually became reality through the help of technology (via a quad-motor to attain that stability, which enabled drone racing and most multi-rotor designs that are so popular today).”
Fueled by his passion for the hobby, Don’s father eventually started his own company, ZZ Enterprises. During the 1990s and 2000s, this company involved making on-board voltage status indicators, “smart lights,” battery chargers, and glow plug igniters. Thousands of his products were sold to modelers across the country, and his company was even advertised in AMA’s Model Aviation magazine!
Don grew up seeing his father participate in model aviation, so it’s of little surprise that he himself developed a passion for the hobby as well. While he took a break from competing to raise his children, Don’s father would take his children out to build Free Flight (FF) models together. As Don grew up, he and his father bonded over model aviation, attending and competing in events alongside one another. Don stated that, with the assistance of his father, he learned about FF, Radio Control, and Control Line flight. Attending his first Nats in 1983 in Chicopee, Massachusetts, he competed while his father called for him. Similar father-son collaboration ensued at other events, including the Tournament of Champions!
As Don got older, he joined the US Army and flew UAVs for a year. Thanks to his experience with building and flying model aircraft, Don had become relatively talented in the field of engineering. Because of this, he chose to enter the manufacturing field. When asked if model aviation provided him with any transferable skills for his occupation in the Army, Don stated that his modeling experience taught him how to approach problems in a very detailed manner. Additionally, his experience with the hobby inspired him to venture into the field of full-scale aviation, encouraging him to get his pilots’ license while in the Army.
As Don’s life progressed, he eventually welcomed his son Joseph into the world. Joseph, much like Don, grew up around our hobby. Being raised with two avid modelers and aviation enthusiasts around him, Joseph found himself captured by the joy of aviation. Don stated that his father would often babysit Joseph, during which the two would bond over flying, building, design, and their shared competitive spirit.
Joseph’s knowledge and love for model aviation not only provided him an outlet outside of school, but it provided him with an idea to get more involved with his classmates. Don stated that Joseph was having a hard time when adjusting to public school after being homeschooled. To ease these troubles and assist with a comfortable transition, Joseph took it upon himself to start a model aircraft club at school! He was joined by various other classmates, and they all designed their own models. Ultimately, a lot of the students involved went to school to further their STEM-based education!
Much like his grandfather, Joseph’s innovation has been very prominent in his modeling career. Unaware of his grandfather’s modification efforts, Joseph unknowingly followed in his footsteps, redesigning and conceptualizing improvements for world championship designs, very similarly to how his grandfather modified the Korda Wakefield! Additionally, Joseph has designed various unique aircraft, including one that he named Apollo and an F3P plane that he named Expedition.
Don stated that Joseph’s Expedition is interestingly made of balsa sticks, and it’s glued together in a similar manner to FF models. After construction was complete, Joseph flew this model in two F3P world championships and team trial events. The construction methods and techniques used on this aircraft had been handed down for two generations—from 1930s model construction to modern day model construction! Don encourages model aviation enthusiasts to explore the changes—and the constants—in building techniques and flight maneuvers by browsing the online Model Aviation digital library and visiting the National Model Aviation Museum’s Lee Renaud library.
While his grandfather’s time in model aviation competitions dwindled throughout the years, the Szczur family’s participation in competition has hugely reemerged through Joseph’s competitive spirit. This year, Don and Joseph are scheduled to compete in the 2025 Nats!
The Szczur family has made bountiful memories throughout their time in the hobby of model aviation. From building together to competing alongside one another, Don, his father, and Joseph have an immeasurable number of stories to look back and reminisce on. This family’s model aviation legacy is proof that our hobby is more than just airplanes—it’s a hobby that forges bonds, teaches important lessons, and fuels life passions.
Don encourages other modelers with family members in our hobby to take the time to sit down with them and listen to the stories that they have to share. Additionally, he encourages anyone with children interested in aviation to get engaged and enjoy the journey.
