what ever happened to Matt Kania

Hi everybody.....
What ever happened to Matt Kania...is him still around? and did him designed another models besides the ringmasters.....the ringmaster flash was his?
thks

It is my understanding that Mr. Kania passed away a few years ago. I could be wrong, though.

Yes, he designed a number of models for Sterling, and for PDQ, like the Super Clown. He may have worked for Megow even before that.

thanks...
enrique

He died 10/26/97. here is an auto bio from 10/96. on the AMA site:

http://www.modelaircraft.org/museum/bio/Kania.pdf

Tight lines,

Yes, I just discovered it myself. Those early designs, such as the Flying Circus, actually were done at Megow. He used the same basic designs at PDQ. Currell

Matt Kania became my model airplane hero when I purchased one of the first Ringmaster kits in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, (pop. 5,000) in March 1952. I was in contact with Matt for 3-4 years before he passed away, he was indeed very kind and generous with info about himself and especially the Ringmaster, it being my favorite C/L kit and one I actually learned to fly C/L on in 1952. I've been collecting info and photos of Matt and the Ringmaster for an article for THE KAPA KOLLECTOR newsletter (Kit & Plans Antiquitous). I'm still seeking photos of the Sterling Ringmaster production line and/or any photos of Matt with the original Ringmaster, (no, Matt had no photos such as this). I do not wish to keep any photos, only to copy them and a very prompt return is assured. A hint of what I've found to date, the Sterling production line Super Ringmaster was not as Matt orignially designed it, Sterling had a hand in changing the design and while it was sinilar to the original design Super Ringmaster design, there were changes made. The original Matt Kania design of the Super Ringmaster had much more appealing lines!!!

All the very best,
Ken Wilson
(An Ukie for life!!!)
Evansville, Indiana

Ken: Yours is an interesting post. If you have any pics of the Super R. as originally intended by Mr Kania, by all means post them here.

The fuselage design on the Super is a bit on the stubby side, and possibly an acquired taste, but I like the looks. Mine is hanging in the garage (no room in the shop), and it usually gets the attention of fellow CLers who might drop by (vs the other dozen or so banished to the cold). Well, maybe it is the paint and trim (colored silkspan dyed yet again, for a deeper translucent yellow, with orange trim). The biggest problem with the Super is: no room for a proper tank. The upright engine does help the Dread Fox Burp issue (sidewider Johnsons do the same, by the way).

As an aside, I presently am flying a Super Ring. with a Johnson S (.33). Rather fast with that setup. Can't say for sure, but I suspect, that the Super Ring has lower drag than the profile standard one, and thus is faster. That is, if you could sub the profile fuse for the built-up one, changing nothing else, and building both from the kit (taking no special pains on either to drastically reduce wt), the Super would show quicker lap times.

While the Super Ring master appearer to fly better than the Ringmaster
the ones I saw had the annoying habit of flying apart at the front end (mounts ,motor ect.

My main interst has always been the original profile Ringmasterand the history to this fabulous model airplane, however Matt, as for as I know, only made a proposed drawing on the Super Ringmaster to Sterling and Sterling took this proposal, made changes, and produced the Super Ringmaster as we know it today. Matt sent me quite a bit of material and in it I recall there being a rough drawing of his original proposed design of the Super Ringmaster. Since starting to work on the new book on the INDIANA DIVSION OF REPUBLIC AVIATION, EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, 1942-45, I stored away all of my Matt Kania material along with my Aubrey "Red" Kochman material, another great model airplane designer whom I hope to do another KAPA article on.
Matt never really seem to want to talk about the Super Ringmaster in my phone calls, letters, from him. I did not press the matter, but it seemed to me that since Sterling changed the original Super Ringmaster design, he did not consider the produced Super Ringmaster as one of his own, even tho the original Super Ringmaster box did carry his photo on it as did the original Sterling yellow cream color Ringmaster box. I also found the Super Ringmaster flew much faster then the profile Ringmaster did, even so with less power, streamlining was the answer to this matter, however the reason I really did not care for the Super Ringmaster was the small fuel tank area, which was not a part of the original Matt Kania Super Ringmaster design. I apologize for all of the mis-spelling, I miss the Windows XP spell checker!!! Coridally,
Ken Wilson
Evansville, IN

ken..well mr kania was my hero too... the very first model airplane I remember was an beautiful green ringmaster I saw sitting on the kitchen table one sunday morning.. boy.. I was amused ...maybe I was 3 or 4 years old..was my dad's...he flew ukies before I was born (51)...he taugh me to fly when I was ten...later he built a beautiful
super ringmaster with a mac coy red head 35 in front and let me fly it I really enjoy it.. I learnt to do inside loops and wingovers with it...and while I was at school I picture the maneuvers in my mind ..figuring how to do a vertical eights....sunday came and the first manuver I tried was the fully mentally rehearsal vertical eight...well I did it but instead of an eight it come out a question mark....with the dot at ground level ( my dad said when I tried to explain to him what happened and both tried to pick up the balsa confetti.
a few years ago I saw at Hals hobby shop at el paso a super ringmaster kit... but never decided to buy it as I was away from control line... I'm still regreting it.. I love that plane..
enrique