The Search for Airplane Models in the Big City

I am weird. Okay, maybe not weird, but peculiar; I'm very interested in something that not a whole lot of people are: airplane models. 

While many people find airplanes interesting and can appreciate an airplane model collection, and maybe even own some models themselves, the truth is that airplane models don't have the same appeal that other luxury items, or collectibles for that matter, do.

What a bummer! I yearn for those years when I would wake up bright-eyed, and the promise of stopping by the airplane model shop before going back home was all it took for me to put up with an entire day of girls' shopping with my mom and sisters. Sometimes, we didn't even have to step into the model shop; a mere walk by that allowed me to get a glimpse of these exquisite gems through the window was all it took to make my day (maybe I am actually weird). 

But numbers don't lie, and the fact of the matter is that finding a local customer base large enough to support a brick-and-mortar die-cast airplane model shop, or die-cast airplane models at all, as many physical hobby shops that are still in business don't carry them anymore, seems a daring task. At least if one is to judge by the number of model stores that have gone online-only or shut their doors altogether in the past few decades, at least in the U.S.

While online shopping is efficient and convenient, it takes away that feeling of joy that could only be experienced by taking a trip to the local model shop. If I had to describe what it felt like to buy an airplane model in person, I would say it was a mix of anticipation, surprise, and gratitude followed by sheer awe.

I'm always looking for opportunities to experience the joy of purchasing models in person. I do this by trying to attend one or two airline collectibles shows a year, and by visiting model stores around the world, whenever I get the opportunity. 

During the most recent Houston Airline Collectibles Show (December 7, 2024), I got to experience for the first time what it feels like to be on the other side of the business. What it feels like to be the guy selling models, the purveyor of joy to the aviation enthusiast. In doing so, I missed out on buying models for my personal collection, but I spotted one or two that I liked.

After the show, I got in touch with one of the local sellers who had one of the models I liked to see if it was still available. It was, and after working out a deal, the question was, did I want the model shipped to my house, or did I want to pick it up? Guess what I chose to do...

You know, I am a city person. I grew up in one of those places where a car was convenient, but not a necessity, and where staring out of the window was as entertaining as watching TV or reading a book. I thought that was how every relevant urban congregation in the world was supposed to be. The more relevant a city was in the global scene, the more bustling of a metropolis it ought to be, right? Well, yes, in many cases, and no, in many other cases, such as my current hometown of Houston, Texas.

When my dad came back home from business trips, he always described Houston as the bustling capital of the oil industry in the Western World. I recall photos of him in downtown Houston; skyscrapers and people filling the background of the frame satisfied my perception of the city being just like New York or London, as I had seen them in movies and magazines. 

When I first visited Houston in 1994, I quickly realized that it was not exactly how I had imagined it. The tall buildings were limited to a very small area of ​​the cityscape, and there were not many people on the streets. The city was far, far away from being an inspiring metropolis like Paris or Tokyo. In reality, Houston is the quintessential traffic-ridden American sprawl. It is still a cosmopolitan city, but its charming urban pockets are in short supply.

I drive a lot, but I seldom drive with the sense of purpose and joy that I drove that day to pick up that model. Just like the old days, driving to purchase an airplane model in person. We had agreed to meet in an office that was located in one of my favorite areas of the city: Rice Village, near Rice University, where the collector I was buying the model from had been a professor until recently. Rice Village is one of those nice urban pockets of Houston, a well-established, centric neighborhood with that charm that only time can concede; a charm impossible to find in the newer suburban developments that are plagued by big-box stores and restaurant chains.

So there I was, a guy with a peculiar interest, in a peculiar part of the city, on a peculiar mission. And for a moment that morning, I got to experience my idea of a perfect world. A world in which you can dive into a bustling metropolis, interact in person with other people who share the same peculiar interests, and obtain those peculiar objects that the city has to offer, such as highly detailed, limited-edition airplane replicas. 

Below:

Left: a British Airways 747-100 in 1:500 scale on board a United Airlines 737-900 shortly after take off from Newark, New Jersey. The model had been purchased earlier in the trip at WestMain Toys in Hong Kong.

Right: a World Airways 747-200 in 1:400 scale overlooking Osaka, Japan from a high-rise. The model had been purchased earlier in the day at Crosswings.

a British Airways 747-100 in 1:500 scale on board a United Airlines 737-900 taking off from EWR.

a World Airways 747-200 in 1:400 scale overlooking Osaka, Japan from a high-rise.

That morning in Houston, not only did I pick up one airplane model (I ended up picking up two, actually), but I also got to chat with a very experienced airplane model collector who, in about 45 minutes, gave me more information about this hobby than I could have ever found on my own in my entire life.

When I first discovered die-cast airplane models, I was still a kid. I knew they were expensive and took up a lot of space. What I didn't know is that the days of driving, walking, riding the bus, or taking the train to the model shop were soon going to be a thing of the past. While I have fully embraced online shopping and social media, and I understand their advantages, it is nice to indulge in the hobby now and then without a computer keyboard in front of me.

Below you can see the two models that I got that day:

The first one is a 1:200 Japan Air Commuter YS-11 by Hogan, exclusive for the Japanese market. I have gathered a small collection of these Japan-exclusive Hogan models over the years (mainly 1:400), the majority have been purchased in Japan, so it is always nice to find them out in the wild.

The second model I got that day is a 1:200 scale Ozark 727-200 made by Martin Beacom under the InFlightLE banner. I had heard about these "home-made" models from the UK that were the predecessors of InFlight200, so I got it for its historical value. Coincidentally, the day prior, I had received my first shipment from 3D Design Deck, a Canadian maker of 3D-printed airplane models. Though Beacom and 3D Design Deck are fundamentally different types of models, I couldn't help but notice some similarities due to both being home-made products, as opposed to being mass-produced in China. It felt as if the hobby had come full circle.

Below you can see my ANA 1:400 collection, including many Japan-exclusive models made by Hogan, and part of my 1:200 collection showing the YS-11. You can see another YS-11 in the colors of ANK. That model came from the same collector who sold me the models in this history, albeit a few years prior.

---