Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum

As a young boy, I built many model airplanes and cars but never had the opportunity to buy a model plane that actually flew in the sky. I would see those model planes with working gas engines in the hobby shops, but could only dream of owning one. Visiting the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum in Schulenburg, Texas brought that little boy excitement back to me. I was in awe once again with the complexity of such contraptions.

The Stanzel brothers, Victor and Joseph, did what many of us do not. They followed their passion and built a company doing what they enjoyed the most. So much so, that neither one of them ever married. Their model airplane business was their life. They overcame the obstacles that could have hindered their success. Their ingenuity and determination overshadowed their lack of education. They never let living in a small rural town squelch their dreams, though they lived in the world before the internet provided national and worldwide access to small business owners. Along the way, they employed many in the rural community they lived in and created a foundation that still provides college scholarships to the local students.

As you walk around the displays of model airplanes, boats and carnival rides, you notice the amount of detail and craftsmanship put in each model. The technology of their control line systems was cutting edge at the time. The Mono-Line control system was like no other. Lots of old photos are displayed to highlight all the people involved in the making of the models. The museum itself is modern and well designed, as professional as any museum in a large city, reflecting the emphasis on excellence of its founders.

The original Stanzel factory building sits behind the museum and is also open for tours. Here is where you’ll find the tools and machines required to make the parts and build the models. It’s a guy’s wood working dream shop of days past! Our guide provided lots of information about the factory operations as her mother used to work in the factory. Listening to the first-hand account of life in those times and the workings of the factory brought the shop to life. With the faint strains of the Glenn Miller Band playing “In the Mood” in the background, I could easily visualize the bustling factory and every step in the manufacturing process.

Our last stop of the tour was the historic Stanzel home of Victor and Joe’s grandparents. The house has been restored to represent their lives in the late 1800’s. Simple furnishings and a modest lifestyle reveal the hard-working attitude of this humble family who remained dedicated to their community as they worked to each day to turn their dreams into reality. It is people like this that make me proud to be a Texan as we see Texas Thru My Back Door!