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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Leader

Honored by:
Mr. Bob Steelhammer

Vic was born 25 March 1957 in San Antonio, TX the son of James Edward Steelhammer and Betty Lou Latson - Steelhammer. He was married to Judith Grace Finley and was the father of Emily and Doug. He had a brother Bob and a sister Mary.

Vic was the kid that had at least ten airplane models hanging from his ceiling at any given time with two on the bench being built. He would spend hours upon hours building plastic airplanes. While most kids would be out playing baseball or spending money on candy or movies, Vic would spend his money on airplane models and modeling supplies. Summers growing up in Texas he would spend long days in a church parking lot across the street from his house, flying his Cox control line PT-19 Flight Trainer. The control line airplanes gave way to full-blown radio control airplanes. The radio control models then gave way to the real airplanes.

After some research Vic found N6252M a 1948 Stinson 108-3. He loved that airplane. He loved working on it, talking about it, planning for it. He owned 6252M for over ten years. He was an absolute wealth of knowledge about Stinson airplanes and the Franklin Engines that powered them. He was a past President of The International Stinson Club and was awarded the clubs most prestigious "Murdock Award" given to people who best exhibit the continued support and further preservation of Stinson aircraft.

You could always tell where Vic was at a Stinson Fly-In as there would be a gaggle of people around him while he would hold court discussing something about aviation, engines, airframes or flying.

After several engine overhauls and, Vic sold N6252M and bought a 1951 Bellanca Cruise Master; N522A a very beautiful airplane. He was as passionate about the Bellanca as he was the Stinson.

Vic's love of aviation was also in his work. He started out as a draftsman at a small aviation shop on the Van Nuys Airport in Southern California that specialized in business jet conversions. He upgraded his skills from draft board to computer with the advent of Computer Aided Design Tools (CAD). He worked at all the major Southern California Aerospace firms. To mention a few;
• The legendary Lockheed Skunk Works in Burbank and later in Palmdale
• The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena
• Scaled Composites - Burt Rutan's company who launched Space Ship One
• Northrop Grumman

It can be said of Vic;

Great mechanic, Good stick, Cool dad, Fun guy. Sad day.

God Speed Vic
The International Stinson Club