Model Aircraft Museum: A Collaboration Between Expertise and Perseverance

But aren’t the memories of that first model, the first crash, the first remote control—those childhood experiences—also closely tied to model flying? I see this time and again when modelers walk through my collection and tell me about their experiences with a particular item in it. The question often comes up: “Do you have that item in your collection, too?” “Yeah, sure, right back there!” And just like that, another little anecdote is shared. It’s the stories that define our hobby.

I have many models, remote controls, and accessories that are closely linked to a person or a specific story. For example: “Let me show you!”—I’m sure many people remember that hidden camera episode. The model hangs from the ceiling in my museum. Hampi Senn flew the Graupner Max model hidden behind a bush, and Kurt Felix created a TV classic that’s still more relevant than ever, even 50 years later.

I started collecting in the early 2000s. At first, it was just my first remote control: a yellow Vario-prop from Graupner. I quickly realized that with a little perseverance, you can still find almost anything. And besides the affordable 6-channel system, there were also 8-, 12-, and 12-channel systems in the 35 MHz band. That’s how it all started. I wanted more—all the Graupner systems, from the first standard system to the last Varioprops in the late ’70s. Then I added kits, motors, accessories, and—well, models with a history. Today, nearly 25 years later, I’ve set up a 150 m² room in my new house as a museum. Many older modelers have given me their old models, remote controls, and magazines, so the collection is growing rapidly. Unfortunately, the museum is already getting crowded again, but at least some of it will be preserved for posterity.

Two friends recently approached me and asked, “What will happen to the collection when you’re gone?” I had been avoiding thinking about this topic until now. After all, I’m still “young” and have plenty of time to organize it. But I, too, am getting older, and I found the idea of a foundation very exciting. We’re now brainstorming how to establish a Model Aircraft Museum Foundation to preserve our collection of history for future model pilots. There are very few museums or collections dedicated to model aviation worldwide. In Germany, there’s a small exhibition at the Gliding Museum on the Wasserkuppe. Other than that, the only one that comes to mind is the AMA Museum in Muncie, USA. The rest are likely privately organized. ■

Urs Leodolter,
[www.leodolter.ch](http://www.leodolter.ch)

Don’t forget:
Retroday, July 13, 2024