VALLEY CENTER - Schroeder, Arlo E., 88, of Valley Center passed away on Dec. 17, 2013. Arlo was born in Hillsboro on Feb. 21, 1925. He was married in 1947 to Kathryn Wilson, who survives him. He was the father of Jan Schroeder (deceased), Alan Schroeder of Cambridge, Mass., and Ronald Schroeder of Bloomington, Minn., and the grandfather of four. His seven siblings predeceased him.
Personal Note
from Tommy Meyer:
It is with sincere sadness I inform you of the passing of the Arlo Schroeder, the man who built the first Little Toot, off my Dad's plans.
George Meyer built Little Toot for himself and himself only in 1957. It wasn't until his life-long friend Arlo Schroeder called him and said he wanted a Little Toot that Dad actually started drawing up His Famous Little Toot.
Arlo was the first Little Toot built off Dad's plans and only sported an 85 Hrp Cont. He called the Little Toot "Hawk Pshaw". Hawk Pshaw was painted like the Curtis Hawk P6E with claws painted on the wheel plants. Arlo help the Meyer Family make this airplane famous. It is with great sadness that I post this message on this website. I received the news today from Martin Libhart a fellow modeler friend of mine for many years.
I do not know where Hawk Pshaw will go from here, probably to Dave Webee.
Our prayers are with Katherine and the entire Schroeder family.
Tommy Meyer
"Son of Toot"
Arlo Schroeder, Aviation Pioneer
Arlo served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard Enterprise and Intrepid as a ball turret gunner in a torpedo bomber in the Pacific, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and other medals. He continued his interest in aviation throughout his life as a pilot and plane builder. His hobbies included scratch-building model airplanes, some of which are on display at the Smithsonian Museum, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, and the National Aviation Museum. Arlo was a 35-year employee of Boeing in Wichita and a longtime member of Zion Lutheran Church in Newton.
The HAWK is the FIRST "plans-built" LITTLE TOOT. We owe Arlo much gratitude for convincing George Meyer to share the LITTLE TOOT with the world.
Arlo and Katherine Schroeder visit President Bush on 4/5/1990 with the NASM’s Tom Dietz to present the model of the plane flown by President Bush in WWII in the PTO.
The Schroeder Family, circa 1960
Arlo's work can show up anywhere.
