The past few months have been taken up with setting up a unique collection of model aircraft,this is situated on the site of a former disused historic Warwickshire airfield,shuttling a collection of delicate miniature aircraft was no easy task but the job is nearly complete and a lifelong ambition has been achieved to make a permanent display of models in one place.
This is what the local press had to say about the collection on their visit -
'Tucked away in the leafy Warwickshire countryside, is a unique collection of model aircraft that have been built over the past 55 years by one person,the impressive collection which spans the whole history of flight is neatly laid out in rows on gleaming white tables which run the whole length of the building,a tiny model of the Wright biplane is placed alongside a model of the new Airbus A380 showing the progress made by mankind in his quest to fly faster and longer distances by air.
So who is behind this bewildering and unique array of tiny models ? well we met up with the creator,a former aircraft engineer, who is a self confessed aviation nut in his well equipped workshop at the same location a few yards away from the museum,in his hands was a new model being fashioned from scraps of wood, salvaged from the floor of a local pattern makers workshop in exchange for sweeping the floor ! Barry makes his models from anything that he can get his hands on besides building from detailed plastic and metal kits as well which are stacked on shelves,lined up were the blanks of models under construction each with cardboard patterns neatly cut out alongside,even the tiny propellers are made by hand and set up in an homemade jig that he made,in metal filing cabinets there are thousands of folders crammed with reference material such as plans,photographs and detailed sketches that he has made himself when visiting airfields and museums,you need plenty of reference material in this line he grins.
Lets take you to see the museum he says,carefully laying down his latest model on the workbench and we go around the corner to another building a short walking distance away,when the door is opened you are confronted with the remarkable sight of thousands of small aircraft models,'how many are there,I ask him ?' well at the last count which was several years ago I topped the 4,000 mark,but there are only 3,000 on show due to space restraints,I have another 16,000 pieces still in boxes under the tables,these cover manufacturers works models,identification models produced for the services and some lovely limited editions as well,the collection is without a doubt the largest in the UK but is unverified due to the Guinness book of records wanting a two person count to get a mention,including one from someone like a vicar to warrant entry in their compendium ! nobody in their right mind would spend hours doing that he says whilst he squeezes another model on the table shuffling a few others to make room !
His search for rare models has taken him across the world in correspondence to doctors,kings and accountants,and university professors who share his passion for small model aircraft,but as he points out the internet has made life a lot easier in swopping and exchanging information to enhance his ever bulging collection.
This is the first time that many of the models have been out of their boxes he told me,previously they have endured been moved from house to house and once more taking up three rooms of his last residence some 15 miles away from where the collection now lives,but this is the final move for the models he says,wherever we go they stay put ! we shook hands and I left for the office thinking about what I had seen ? one thing is for sure and that is you will not find anyone more enthusiastic than Barry for his passions,I doubt whether he will ever stop building or collecting,and best of luck to him.'
Well since these photographs were taken more display space has been created,it is very much ongoing and improving whats on display.
