On October 9, AMA Life Member, NASA engineer, and former Nats champion Susan Weisenbach Johnson visited the National Model Aviation Museum here in Muncie, Indiana.
During her visit, Susan donated several trophies to the museum, including the Arlene Davis Award from the National Junior Air Races. She also sat down for an insightful interview, sharing details from her time working as a project manager at NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as about her experiences attending various AMA competition events throughout the years.
Susan’s trophies can be viewed through AMA’s Digital Collections. Look for the full interview in an upcoming issue of Model Aviation magazine.
Dear Academy of Model Aeronautics Blog,
My name is Tamas Lorant Jr, and I’m reaching out as an admirer of early aviation pioneers—particularly those who helped shape opportunities for women in flight. Recently, I came across a vintage timepiece linked to Arlene Davis, whose achievements and legacy in American aviation deeply inspired me.
While researching her story, I learned that the Arlene Davis Memorial Trophy was established by your chapter to honor her contributions. I wanted to ask whether this award is still active, and if your organization may have any archival materials, photographs, or historical information related to Ms. Davis or the early recipients of the trophy.
The rediscovery of this watch has become a fascinating bridge to aviation history, and I would be honored to learn more from your archives or from anyone who has insight into her life and the award’s origins.
Thank you very much for your time and for continuing the legacy of aviators like Arlene Davis.
Warm regards,
Tamas Lorant Jr
Singapore
Hello, the timepiece related to Ms. Arlene Davis is certainly a neat find.
The Arlene Davis trophies recently donated to the museum have not been awarded since 1969 and 1970, respectively. The trophies were awarded at events started by AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame inductee (1992) Charles Tracy. Mr. Tracy was a very avid supporter of model aviation, directing The Cleveland Press newspaper’s aviation youth activities and writing the “Junior Aviator” column from about 1945 to 1971. His biography is available here: http://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/files/TracyCharlesL.pdf
The two Arlene Davis trophies that were donated are:
– Arlene Davis Award to the Girl Champion, National Junior Air Races
*First awarded in 1949, with Ms. Johnson winning the last event in 1969.
– Arlene Davis Trophy Indoor Air Meet Girl High Point
*First awarded in 1953, with Ms. Johnson winning the last event in 1970.
We do not have any information on the creation of these trophies nor the winners (except Ms. Johnson), just the list of names on each trophy and the year won. I believe newspapers.com does have The Cleveland press newspaper digitized. With a subscription to their service or access through a library, it might be possible to go back to the newspapers circa 1949 and 1953 and see if Mr. Tracy wrote about the trophies in his articles. There was also an article about the Cleveland model aviation “Scene” in American Modeler magazine, Jan 1962.
Best regards