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.
The 9th Annual Ed Maloney Scale Model Contest will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026!
This annual event celebrates the legacy of Ed Maloney, the Museum’s founder and lifelong model builder, while giving today’s modelers an opportunity to showcase their skill, creativity, and passion for aviation and military modeling.
Click here to get more information and register to participate!
BECOME A MEMBER
