Remembering Glynn Pearson

RCCar.Zone pays tribute to a legendary figure in the world of radio-control

Within any industry, there are numerous individuals that make-up the teams and companies which allow that industry to grow and thrive. The radio-control industry is no different. Made up of any number of companies, including manufacturers, distributors, hobby shops, and aftermarket fabricators and suppliers, each entity may have a unique identity, however the general structure remains the same. Some individuals within a company are publicly visible, while others stay in the back, making sure their company is able to do what it does best. Earlier this year, the R/C industry lost an individual earlier who was able to straddle the line of public-facing representative and ever-toiling, behind-the-scenes worker.

The passing of Glynn Pearson may not have made many mainstream headlines, but for those of us that love the radio-control hobby, there is much credit to be given to this man, who spent a good amount of his career working to bring the very best products to market. Through his work with The Hobby Company, Glynn was able to open some very big doors and pave the way for some unique and stylish kits to be developed, namely by Tamiya. Peter Gray of RCCar.Zone has written a tribute to Glynn in the upcoming issue of their magazine and has been kind enough to share a preview.

"This months issue of RCCarZone is dedicated to one of the true pioneers and gentlemen of the RC world, Glynn Pearson. Just as we were starting to collate this issue we heard of the sad news that he passed away peacefully at his home. Many of you will probably never have met or even heard of him, but for those like myself that did, you will understand what a huge loss this is to the model making and hobby industry. He was the face (and handshake) of Tamiya to many, and that smile that always made you feel at ease at shows like the Nuremberg Toy fair, or the legendary Hobby Company open days for press and trade.
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Glynn knew everybody, not like acquaintances, he properly knew them, he always took a huge interest in the person, their family and not what they had achieved. He was a dependable and loyal friend to them. So much so that when in 1973 Mr Tamiya wanted to organize a party after the Japanese Grand Prix, Glynn rounded up a few of his mates – the attendance of five Formula One drivers who had raced that day & three team Managers put Tamiya on the map and helped to establish them as a trusted partner for the F1 teams to work with.
Can you imagine Mr Tamiya’s surprise when 3 years later Glynn asked to borrow his Porsche 911 and arrived at the Tamiya factory gate with Jody Scheckter, the soon to be F1 World Champion – on the way to the Fuji circuit for the 1976 Grand Prix! A year later Tamiya’s logo was on one of the F1 cars."

You can read the entire tribute from Peter Gray and the RCCZ team in issue #3 of RCCar.Zone, which will be available in the coming weeks.

Image credit: The Hobby Company