I am saddened to report that Clint Groves passed away on June 30th. For anybody involved in Airliner Modeling, the name Clint Groves and Airliners America/ATP should bring back fond memories. While working as a mechanic for TWA, Clint started what had to be the very first airline mail order business from his house in South San Francisco, CA and later the house on Abelia Court in San Jose. I know the excitement was always high when I received the new ATP catalog in the mail, as I always read it cover to cover scanning for the latest airliner models and decals. Sadly, years ago I threw out the ATP catalogs I still had. Did anybody save the catalog he had with the airport diorama he photographed on his driveway along with his giant black cat?
Back when I lived in Sacramento, I would visit Clint at his house on Abelia Ct and once even spent a night there. Clint was honest as the day was long, and while some of his “escapades” and stories were certainly not for the ears of children, Clint was a great man and served our hobby well. 
Clinton H. Groves, I am honored to have known you. Rest in peace as you helped to make our hobby possible and touched so many lives in a very positive way. I will miss you my friend.
Contributing artist Mike Egan to the rescue as he found his 1994 ATP CATalog which includes Clint’s black cat at Mun Ruc Ding International Airport.
Saddened to hear.
Used to get his 1/144th decals back when. Greg, you are correct also, never a bad transaction with Mr. Groves.
He was good, if not great for the hobby.
Rest in Peace ,Sir. Condolences to your family.
I first ran across Clint in 1976 and bought his products as soon as they were available…I still have a few of his catalogs and a few unused decals…and many slides. Rest in Peace Clint…you are missed.
A very sad day. Hopefully someone will pick up his baton.
I second all the sentiments above. Clint was a most unique personality. I remember in particular of many things he suggested which was how to weight the nose of a van-u-form model. I was building the Welsh Models TU-114. He said to cut a chunk out of each lower fuselage half about 1/2″ wide by 2″ long and cement the halves together. The through the 1″ by 2″ hole in the bottom pour epoxy and fishing weights through the hole while holding the tail up let it all flow down to the nose. I still have that completed model and while the top view has a perfectly acceptable appearance the model when turned over has this God-awful scar on its belly which was beyond all hope of repair which I tried to glue back the removed segments and putty over the seams. After that I was a bit wary of following some of his advice!
But he was a unique personality, always friendly and helpful and a great source for decals and kits in earlier days when technology was cruder and airline modeling resources much less abundant than they are today.
God bless him and keep him and my condolences to his family.
John Hagmann
Just don’t let the cat out of the house! What an asset to the hobby he was. I’d come home on leave from the air force and buy decal sheets out of his garage. First time I saw his name was on a DC-4 model in the display case at San Antonio Hobby Shop in about 1977. He’d modified the Revell DC-7 and applied Western decals. Farewell Mr. Groves and thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm.
I have known/worked with Clint for over 20 years. He really was there for me and helped me developed into the modeler that I am today. His work and efforts in supplying the airline modeling community was truly one of a kind. He truly paved the way. I am forever thankful for him being there. He truly will be missed and let his legacy live on! May he rest in peace.
I have known and dealt with Clint since 1977.I am honored to have been able to call him a good friend.Mun Ruc Ding my friend.
This is indeed sad… He was the one who really showed me what Airliners can do. I was also amazed at how he loved felis domesticus… Sometimes on a hot fall day, I would drive down from San Mateo to San Jose and was overcome by more than his stock on hand. He was a great guy and always available for comments on those great videos- pioneer for models on the internet-
Everytime I think of a CV-880 in TWA Colors smoking on the way out….
I am saddened to read about Clint’s passing. He was a pioneer in the Airliner Hobby business. He opened his house to my friend Todd and me and showed us around the area to include a tour of a TWA L-1011. He was honest, trustworthy and a good guy. He was preceded in death by his mother Irene who took care of all of the phone orders, she was a real sweetheart as well.
Rest in Peace Clint.
Used to visit the house on Abelia Ct in San Jose. I was a very amateur modeler built in 1/144 scale . Still have them in my late dad’s house somewhere! Clint was a character! Used to see him at Airliners International shows in PHX and regional shows in SFO at the then ‘Grosvener’ Hotel. He will be missed! He’s the Patron Saint of airline modelers everywhere!P