Alec Gee

[Peter Miller]

As has ben mentioned in another thread, Alec Gee died recently.

 

While Alec's name may not be as familiar as some of the other recent departures from this vale of sorrows his career was no shorter or less illustrious.

 

Alec actually joined the Model Aeronautical Press in the days when it was at Watford. He started work under Vic Smeed weho was then editing Model Boats.

 

Alec was a model aircraft enthusiast so he was a little dissapointed but he learned a lot.

 

Over the years Alec went on to edit Radio Modeller and later, Aeromodeller.

 

When he took early retirement to look after his father he took on sub editing Aviation Modeller International. He was still doing this at the time of his death after a short illness.

 

Alec was always a pleasure to talk to and to work for. If I caught him aat a slack time we would have long and interesting convesations.

 

While he was editing Radio Modeller he published my series of plans under the title "Lesser Known Aircraft from Aeronuttycal History", A series of spoof scale models with their "histories"

 

To my mind, one of Alec's great qualities was that he would use a writers material as it was sent in, merely making any corrections needed, He never rewrote any material unless it was necesary to make it clearer.

 

We will miss you Alec

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I know that our hobby - in terms of "mass take up" - is perhaps of an age now were the pioneering generation are reaching the point of "moving on" - but does anyone else feel that the current run of news of the demisse of names that we all knew as kids and youngsters is getting to be a something of a "rush"? Its very sad.

 

Of course things will go on without these guys - but they will be missed. They were names I never met in the main but they were always there when I was young. On the very well thumbed books in the bookcase. In the magazines I used to read in the library after school because I couldn't afford models and magazines! To me these were "famous men" - heros in a way. If I did get a copy of a magazine I'd read it and read it again, then again. Then put it on the bookshelf so I could read again. So these names were imprinted on my mind - they not only filled my waking hours but their models and being like them filled my dreams as well! As I say, being tied up with so many happy childhood memories, they will be missed.

 

BEB

[kc]

Alec Gee the longtime editor of Radio Modeller etc.  A very notable model journalist. 

It seems also his father was Dick Gee the editor of Photography magazine ( also I think Colour Photography magazine too ) one of the best photograhic magazines in its time too..

Alec was often seen at model shows and the Model Engineer Exhibition, many aeromodellers may recognise the face more than the name, so here is a photo of him on the cover of his own magazine  June 1989

 

 

[John Privett]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 15/01/2011 10:43:42:

I know that our hobby - in terms of "mass take up" - is perhaps of an age now were the pioneering generation are reaching the point of "moving on" - but does anyone else feel that the current run of news of the demisse of names that we all knew as kids and youngsters is getting to be a something of a "rush"? Its very sad.

 

 

I was thinking exactly the same when I started reading this thread.  It just seems that over the past year we have lost so many of the "big names".  We could almost do with a roll-call to see who is left...

 

As a youngster, names like Ron Moulton, David Boddington etc. were indeed to me too "famous men" .  It almost came as a bit of a shock when some years later, having moved to London, I'd spot one of them at Sandown or the Model Engineer exhibition and realise that they really were real people - not just names on the front cover of books...

[Guest]

I am so sorry to read this thread and hear the sad news of Alec's death. What many may not know is that before his involvement with Radio Modeller he was the editor of Military Modelling Magazine for many years. My late fathers business Hinchliffe Models owed a lot of its success to the help and guidance that Alec so freely gave, and I have fond memories of his visits to our factory and the times when he used to stay with us. When we went on to create Calder Craft Alec could always be relied on to help in any way that he could.

 

At around this time last year when I started our new venture Airtek, because I had been out of the business so long he was the first person I got in touch with, and true to form he was a great help in introducing us to people in the modelling press.

 

Alec was a true, genuine gentleman and will be sadly missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing him .

 

Pete

[Mike L]

I must echo the sentiments of the above. I remember going into Mick Charles first model shop about the time he was World Scale Champ, I could hardly speak in awe as a young teen. As BEB says sadly a generation is moving on having enthused a younger generation (not so younger now!!!) . I only hope the next generation coming through will eagerly thumb the magazines and books we still go through. I'm not convinced, I don't think our legacy will be as strong as the one left to us balsa, tissue and dopehead (ok so I now use solartex) traditionalists! Not being cynical, just bowing to a much more multi facetted hobby that exists today.