Soar into excitement on Saturday, July 26, as we launch Skywired with an opening day celebration on the second floor of the New Mexico Museum of Space History—a thrilling journey through the captivating world of radio-controlled aviation! This celebration is a testament to the spirit of collaboration between the museum and the Alamogordo RCers, in partnership with the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), and supported by the Las Cruces and El Paso clubs.
The exhibit also pays homage to the local visionary, George V. Holloman, whose innovative breakthroughs at Holloman Air Force Base were instrumental in transforming RC flight into a global phenomenon. His legacy lives on at Holloman AFB, one of the top training facilities for drone pilots.
Don’t miss the legendary “Big Guff,” a rare chance to see one of only three known in existence. Built in 1937 by Bill Lyon and Robert Moore of El Paso, this aircraft made history as the first radio-controlled model flown in the Southwest. Lyon and Moore used plans published in the 1937 edition of Air Trails magazine to build it. The plane was controlled with a ham radio system so large that it had to be transported in the back of a pickup truck. Remarkably, this aircraft still has its original Forster .99 engine. The wooden propeller was hand-carved by Bill Lyon himself. The plane was restored by Tom Holmsley, a close friend of Bill’s and a fellow model aviation enthusiast.
Stand beneath the wings of history, marvel at the ingenuity that shaped the skies, and discover how dreams, determination, and collaboration have propelled aviation forward. This is your chance to see rare artifacts and meet passionate experts in RC aviation.