Capt. Tom "Huffer" Huff USN Commander Naval Test
Capt. Tom "Huffer" Huff
USN Commander Naval Test Wing
Tom Huff, from Leonardtown, Maryland, began modeling in the more classical progression from scale plastic kits, to control line, and then radio control. During Middle School in Columbia, MD, Tom had a shop teacher (Ed Mitchell) that was a master modeler, and remained a close friend and modeling mentor until Ed lost a courageous battle with cancer in 1997.
Tom was a member of the Fort Meade Modelers (Maryland) and later, the River City RC Club in Louisville, KY. While in Louisville, Tom befriended a neighbor who was a commercial pilot and nationally ranked RC helicopter pilot (Pete Bankson). Tom’s brother Scott was also an RC fanatic, and together with Pete, participated in some fierce RC combat over the years. Though Tom never lost the RC bug, full size aviation was always the calling. Working as a Lineman at Bowman Field to pay for flying lessons, Tom could solo an airplane before a car, which never sat well with his mother. Recognizing that military aviation would allow greater opportunities, Tom attended the US Naval Academy and embarked on a journey to fly jets from the decks of aircraft carriers. During advanced jet training in Kingsville, TX Tom was introduced to pattern flying from Steve Kessler and attended several meets in Texas and Louisiana.
Despite scarce time for RC, Tom occasionally flew with the Gateway RC Club in Jacksonville, FL, then with a group that endured the heat and dust of the dry lakebed at China Lake, CA and later with the Tidewater RC Club in Virginia Beach, VA. During current and several past tours at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, Tom flew with the Pax Aeromodelers and served as Vice President and President of that club. Tom currently dabbles in helicopters, IMAC, as well as electrics. He incorporates control line and RC aviation into his Boy Scout Aviation Merit Badge Counselor program and is embarking on a local school modeling club and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) instructional effort.