WW2 aircraft spotter models

[warbird51]

A friend of mine has decided to find a new home for the original WW2 aircraft spotter models that he has collected over the years. His collection consists of 60 plus models. He would like them to go to a museum where they would be displayed. Are there any museums out there that would be interested in acquiring this collection?

Thanks.

[JohnB]

I have seen examples in several museums, but not a collection that large.

I think the trick will be in finding a museum with the space or proper covered, locked display case.
Discuss with the museum their ability to display the items, you don't want them packed away or sold as a fundraiser.

BTW...are you referring to the factory made black "plastic" models it the volunteer wooden ones?

Last edited by JohnB on Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

[bdk]

A friend of mine has decided to find a new home for the original WW2 aircraft spotter models that he has collected over the years. His collection consists of 60 plus models. He would like them to go to a museum where they would be displayed. Are there any museums out there that would be interested in acquiring this collection?

Thanks.

You might call Yanks in Chino.

[RyanShort1]

I'd think that would go well at the NAEC here in Dallas...

[Warbird Kid]

Sent a PM on behalf of our museum, the Connecticut Air & Space Center.

[bdk]

Are these all wood models, or plastic/rubber?

[Noha307]

I would suggest that he join the Scale Aircraft ID/Recognition Models Facebook group. They're "just" a group of enthusiasts, not a museum, but they might have some advice or ideas based on past experiences. Philip Jewell, a collector who wrote an article about having some of his models on display at a museum, is part of the group. The website Collectair, which is unfortunately no longer online, also had a really detailed page that mentioned a small museum about World War II training materials.

The one museum that comes to mind is the National Model Aviation Museum. My guess is that they already have a collection of these models, but given that their focus is as about a close as you are going to get to a museum dedicated to the subject, it would still probably be worth reaching out.

BTW...are you referring to the factory made black "plastic" models it the volunteer wooden ones?

Are these all wood models, or plastic/rubber?

I would third this question. The "plastic" models companies like Cruver made during the war unfortunately tend to deteriorate pretty severely in some cases, so this is important. (The University of Delaware has a blog post by one of their students that interned at the National Air and Space Museum about attempts to care for them that includes some pictures of this.)

On this note, I would make it very clear to any potential museum that he has original models. Many museums are offered so many modern plastic models that they have to specifically turn them down with prejudice. However, if they are originals that date to the war, it would definitely change the calculus. (The curator of the Battleship New Jersey posted a video video a month ago about a collection of ship recognition models that they received that might offer some insight into the situation.) Even better would be to provide an itemized list or pictures of the collection. The bottom line is that one of the best ways you can interest a museum in what you're offering is to provide as much information as possible.

[p51]

Just make sure that any museum actually wants them. I have known several people with aviation museums over the years and the two things they told me they didn't want any more of was B-4 bags and models like that.

[warbird51]

I have examples in several museums, but not a collection that large.I

I think the trick will be in finding a museum with the space or proper covered, locked display case.
Discuss with the museum their ability to display the items, you don't want them packed away or sold as a fundraiser.

BTW...are you referring to the factory made black "plastic" models it the volunteer wooden ones?

These spotter models are the black rubber/plastic ones that were made in WW2. Having the glass cabinets and the space to display them is important to the owner