Hall of Fame - George Bolt

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Hall of Fame -> George Bolt

George Bolt (1893-1963)

George Bolt was born in Dunedin, but moved to Christchurch in the early 1900s, before coming to Auckland in 1913. Around 1910, while he was living in Christchurch, he helped to set up the Canterbury (NZ) Aero club, which was really a model club, which held flying meetings in Hagley Park. From 1913 to 1923 he was an engineer, instructor and pilot with the Walsh Brother’s flying school at Kohimaramara. While there he continued to make model aircraft, and model engines. He later moved to Wellington to a position of engineer with the Wellington Aero Club. While in that position he became a foundation member and instructor of Wellington Model Aero Club in 1932.

After moving to Auckland, he joined AMAC in April 1940, and held the position of Vice President for 8 years, and was Patron for 12 years. He was also a Vice President of the NZMAA for 14 years.

He held two New Zealand Records; Twin pusher duration, 48 sec, set in 1910, and in 1936, a record of 2 min 38sec for “Other than rubber power.”

He published an article on an early petrol model in Model Aircraft, 1934. This machine, designed by C.A. Philpot and powered by a model aero petrol engine designed and built George, was flown successfully. Later, George designed and flew a number of his own successful models in the pre-1940 period. While no details or plans have survived, some photos have been preserved in E.F. Harvey’s book: “George Bolt Pioneer Aviator”.

George’s major contribution to model aviation was developing model designs in the pioneering days, before much was known about model aeronautics, and, particularly, in fostering early clubs.

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