Midland Model Show Report – 2011

Midland Air Museum 26 June 2011

For a raft of reasons I haven’t been to a model show since Milton Keynes back in February. I am also, as you will have read in your SMN before, not a big fan of the museum/model show mix, feeling that each is often compromised. But this was a museum I hadn’t been to before and was on my ‘to do’ list and it was a beautiful day so off I trotted down the A46/M69 just over an hour and a tad away from home.

My surprise and joy were there from the off. As I arrived the main car park which is of a good size was full so that was a great sign but a very helpful museum steward ushered me to the top of the car park and through a gate just wide enough to get my 4 x 4 through. Here I was asked to park it under the Vulcan…..Yep under the wing of a Vulcan and here’s the pic to prove it! The outside display area was spacious beautifully looked after with picnic tables amongst the exhibits which is where later I ate my sarnies……outstanding! Some unique aircraft are on display as you can see, my favourites being the F-101 and the USAF F4-C…..excellent.

It costs only £5.50 to get in and as you enter the Museum you’re confronted with a well stocked model shop, an extensive new and second hand book shop and a place to get a cuppa and a bacon sarnie. Great start.

The museum is well laid out with literally hundreds of well made models in display cabinets all over the two floors of the museum. Some fantastic exhibits with the Whitley remnants particularly evocative.

Traders were around and in greater numbers than I expected. SMN friends Chris and Bob from MDC and Paul from Little Cars, with who I spent too much again at each! Robin Carpenter from Cammett was also there literally closing up the shop which was very sad as he’s such a great guy. Freight Dog were there too and I was delighted to pick up their new 1:48th decal sheet for Seafires to fit the new Airfix kit which Geoff has asked me to build.

Bargains were plentiful and the show was compelling and really friendly on a great sunny day – it really doesn’t get much better! Back outside again I went to the second hangar which had the model show in and a number of great models caught the eye. The BR 20 was my star of the show but the 1:144 scale B-24 and B-29 were beautiful.

So that’s it, a really fantastic little show in a truly great museum. If you have not been – go! it’s a must see and I can’t recommend it or this show highly enough.

Les V.

Back to Show Reports