A Competition Celebrates Its Centennial

By Michael Smith, National Model Aviation Museum Director NEXT YEAR, 2023, marks an important date in aeromodeling history. On October 3, 1923, modelers lined up to compete for the Mulvihill trophy, the first national model airplane contest to be awarded to one individual. Although a national model airplane contest had previously been held, the Villard Cup, in 1915, 1916, and 1919, was for clubs. Now things were different and a single person could win, with his or her name forever etched in the history of model aviation lore. The Villard Cup, located in the San Diego Air &amp…