Page 57 - Visit Fayette | 2017 - 2018 Visotors Guide

Stanzel Museum a Treasure in Schulenburg

By LINDA STALL at the Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas.
In Schulenburg, art can be found True renaissance men, the Stanzels designed
in an unlikely but extraordinary place: the company’s manufacturing equipment,
the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum. packaging, marketing displays and advertis-
As a young man, Schulenburg na- ing. They personally developed the company
tive Victor Stanzel was fascinated by flight. advertising artwork and logo designs.
Like many of his generation, his first ex- Victor studied drafting so that he
posure to flight was the sight of military could do his own blue prints for the balsa
airplanes flying overhead his home. wood model kits, and later the plastic fly-
To pursue his love of aircraft, Victor studied ing models. The blue prints themselves
drafting and welding. He may never have stand alone as art, “suitable for framing.”
thought of himself as an artist, but visitors to The packaging artwork is distinctly
the museum will see that among his many tal models for sale in the same magazines. evocative of its time, capturing images of happy
talents he was indeed an accomplished sculp- Victor worked first from his mother’s children enjoying flying model airplanes. But
tor, graphic artist, and commercial designer. home. His brother Joe joined the busi- beyond the “toy” or the “model” one sees im-
In the early 1920s Victor refined what ness after graduating from high school. As ages that stand alone on their artistic merit.
had been a hobby, carving solid, true scale their business grew they hired staff, built Crisp images and bold colors catch the view-
ornamental models of military aircraft. He a manufacturing building, and traveled er’s eye. Utilizing strong primary colors, their
began with meticulously carved and decorated extensively to promote their models. signature look, the packaging and advertising il-
Curtis Falcon AC-3s, selling them to the cadets The business grew from ornamental models, lustrations attract the attention of the consumer.
in flight training at Kelly Air Force Base. to tethered flying models, kits and ready-to-fly Victor Stanzel and Company began in
To stay current on aviation trends he models, even amusement park rides. In 1933, 1930, finally closing its doors in 2001. The
studied industry publications of the time, such they built their first full-sized amusement Stanzel Family Foundation operates the
as Popular Aviation and Aviation Digest. In ride, the “Fly-A-Plane.” In 1936, their “20th Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum. For more
the 1930s he began advertising his ornamen- Century Stratos-Ship” was placed on exhibit information visit www.stanzelmuseum.org.

www.stanzelmuseum.org
311 Baumgarten Street, Schulenburg
Mon., Wed., Fri., & Sat. 10:30am - 4:30pm
P: 979.743.6559

Fayette County Visitors Guide 57