The Model Room at the Planes of Fame Air Museum is dedicated to the appreciation, preservation, and study of scale-model aircraft. It is home to the “Ed Maloney Collection” which comprises thousands of wood, paper, cardboard, and plastic models and un-built kits.
Ed Maloney, founder of the Planes of Fame Air Museum, was a life-long modeler. Ed started in the 1930s with models he had carved from wood. He displayed these models at every opportunity in public places. When he opened the Museum in 1957, his model collection had a natural home. Over the years, like-minded hobbyists began to donate their models to the Museum. The collection continues to grow through donations from hobbyists around the world.
Guests are invited to visit the Model Room, which is open on select days. Inside, volunteers known as Model Artisans are at work cataloging the collection, repairing the delicate models, or building new ones for use in Museum displays. The Model Artisans will be happy to show the Model Room to guests, but be forewarned, scaling modeling is highly addictive!
Hand-picked selections from the “Ed Maloney Collection” are also for sale in the Museum Gift Shop.
Open to all Museum Members, Donors to the Model Room, Volunteers and our Junior Modeler Club Members
The 7th Annual Ed Maloney Scale Model Contest is set for Saturday, November 2, 2024 at the Planes of Fame Air Museum. The contest is open to all Museum Members, individuals who have donated to the Model Room, Museum Volunteers, and members of the Junior Modeler’s Club.
All entrants must make the model and can enter up to three models in the contest. Judging will be done before and during the first half-hour of “Hangar Talk” on November 2nd.
All scales and subject matter for aircraft and armor are welcome. There will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons presented in five divisions. The one modeler from the two adult divisions and one modeler from the two junior divisions with the most votes will have their names permanently placed on the Ed Maloney Contest Trophy (Note: if the Armor Division winner has the most votes, it will be counted as either an adult or junior modeler and be eligible).
Modelers must pre-register (form below) no later than Thursday, October 31, 2024 to enter. Modelers must bring their models to the Museum by 8:45am in order to have them eligible for judging. Modelers whose models do not win must take them home on November 2nd. Modelers whose models do win are invited to keep them at the Museum until Saturday, January 4, 2025.