The Associated Press has a short video (and an accompanying story) about the California company Pacific Miniatures, which creates model airplanes for manufacturers and airlines looking to promote their products. Apparently they only do custom work and at a range of scales, including larger models for exhibits. These are not the cheaper planes you can buy at most aviation gift shops.
But while some employees have collections in the hundreds, the article mentions that many other people sell them when they no longer have a need or the space. There’s an entire section of eBay devoted to Pacific Miniatures’ products.
Unfortunately I’d probably fall in the latter category. I generally like models (my favorite books as a child showed cutaways of the space shuttle, the Titanic, a submarine, and more), but my downtown apartment has zero spare room. Any swag I bring back from trips either needs a home or is given away to readers. For now I’ll just have to enjoy a view of the real thing when I’m at the airport. 😉
