Howard Boys - an introduction
I have heard my Dad variously described as "everyone's hero", "the great one", "a legend"; as his son I do not feel qualified to make such judgements. Howard was certainly well known in aero modelling circles, he had considerable abilities, was a man of high principles and definite views. Some of these latter were to cause discord with a few of his fellow modellers but none of us are perfect. I have referred to some of my father's abilities on the site which I set up for myself http://www.jimontheweb.co.uk but which rather got taken over by my respect for my father. Most of what appears on that site will re-appear here in time.
The purpose of this site is to renew or inform the aero modelling fraternity of the achievements of my Dad in the field in which he chose to spend a major part of his "relaxation" time. However before going on to discuss the various periods of my father's life I'd like to give a bit more of an introduction.
Most visitors to this site may well not recognize either the logo or Dad's signature (both illustrated above). The logo dates back to his early days as a modeller and is, of course, based on his initial and surname; the signature became familiar on plans he drew and under the headings of articles he wrote in Aeromodeller. Since he was Christened Arthur Howard, I have often wondered if his dropping of the Arthur was related to the design of this logo.
That last point raises another one. I was always slightly in awe of my father and never asked him the question about his name. It would be easy to say that he was somewhat remote but there are many aeromodellers around who remember him with affection and respect. He had very determined ideas and sometimes his opinions were at variance with those of others, this could and did give rise to a few differences of opinion; some more notable than others. Overall I believe he was a fair man and did not allow himself to be too upset by disputes.
Anyone who still remembers Dad and disagrees with anything I say can contact me and I shall endeavour to resolve the issue. I am also asking for assistance in setting up this web site. While I remember a lot about Dad, I am an absolute duffer when it comes to radio equipment and some of Dad's home built stuff has very recently come into my posession. If anyone out there has suggestions to offer please contact me.