Model airport
Encyclopedia
A trend among aircraft model
collectors is to build model airports. While airport
models have been around, in a way, since air fields were open to the public, early model airports were basically restricted to public showcases about the airport and its surroundings to the public; these were usually located inside the airport themselves.
One of the first model airport toys available to the public was Fisher-Price
's Little People
's airport set, released in the 1970s.
However, since Herpa Wings
's introduction of their airport set series to their line of airline related toys, there has been an increase of aircraft modelers who have made mock airports to showcase their private collection of model aircraft. Usually, the collector will model their airport after a real life airport. Many of these collectors have internet
sites in which they show their airports to other collectors.
Most of the time, collectors who make model airports use die-cast airline models for their creation. Among the brands of die cast aircraft models most commonly used on these airports are Schabak
, Herpa Wings
, Dragon Wings, Gemini Jets
and others.
Model airports could be made to look very realistic, with many real airport features such as terminals, control towers, cargo terminals, hangars, passenger bridges and more. Conversely, they could also be very simple, as some collectors just get a piece of paper, draw a runway on it, place it over a table, add their plane models and call it their model airport.
This is a new trend going on in the last years of model airports have website of their own, showing "fantasy flights" or some information about the imaginary airport, for example- London Bexley International. There are some forum communities such as DA.C forums, Wings900.com, and 400 Scale Hangar for developing the hobby of collecting models and creating model airports.
Some fictitious alliances were made to bond together some model airports of the world. Some of these include the Global Airports Alliance and Blue Sky Alliance.
In 2011, what may be the world's largest model airport opened for public view at Miniatur Wunderland
, Hamburg, Germany. Knuffingen International Airport is based on Hamburg International Airport.
Model aircraft
Model aircraft are flying or non-flying models of existing or imaginary aircraft using a variety of materials including plastic, diecast metal, polystyrene, balsa wood, foam and fibreglass...
collectors is to build model airports. While airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
models have been around, in a way, since air fields were open to the public, early model airports were basically restricted to public showcases about the airport and its surroundings to the public; these were usually located inside the airport themselves.
One of the first model airport toys available to the public was Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is a company that produces toys for infants and children, headquartered in East Aurora, New York. Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.-History:...
's Little People
Little People
Little People is a toy brand for preschoolers, originally produced by Fisher-Price in the 1960s as the Play Family. The current product line consists of playsets, mini-sets and accessories, books, CDs, and DVDs focusing on various configurations of five characters named Eddie, Sarah Lynn, Maggie,...
's airport set, released in the 1970s.
However, since Herpa Wings
Herpa Wings
Herpa Wings are die-cast model airplanes trademark under Herpa of Germany. The collection includes 250 airlines under 17 different aircraft manufacturers in 1,200 versions. The mainstay of Herpa Wings is in the 1:500 scale, while model airliners are also produced in the 1:400, 1:200, 1:1000, and...
's introduction of their airport set series to their line of airline related toys, there has been an increase of aircraft modelers who have made mock airports to showcase their private collection of model aircraft. Usually, the collector will model their airport after a real life airport. Many of these collectors have internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
sites in which they show their airports to other collectors.
Most of the time, collectors who make model airports use die-cast airline models for their creation. Among the brands of die cast aircraft models most commonly used on these airports are Schabak
Schabak
Schabak is a die-cast toy producer based in Nurnberg, Germany. The company is well known for its line of German cars and commercial airline models.-A Rebirth of Schuco?:...
, Herpa Wings
Herpa Wings
Herpa Wings are die-cast model airplanes trademark under Herpa of Germany. The collection includes 250 airlines under 17 different aircraft manufacturers in 1,200 versions. The mainstay of Herpa Wings is in the 1:500 scale, while model airliners are also produced in the 1:400, 1:200, 1:1000, and...
, Dragon Wings, Gemini Jets
Gemini Jets
thumbnail|right|GeminiJets 1:400 [[Virgin Atlantic]] [[A340-600]]GeminiJets is a die-cast model airplane manufacturer based in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States founded in 2000...
and others.
Model airports could be made to look very realistic, with many real airport features such as terminals, control towers, cargo terminals, hangars, passenger bridges and more. Conversely, they could also be very simple, as some collectors just get a piece of paper, draw a runway on it, place it over a table, add their plane models and call it their model airport.
This is a new trend going on in the last years of model airports have website of their own, showing "fantasy flights" or some information about the imaginary airport, for example- London Bexley International. There are some forum communities such as DA.C forums, Wings900.com, and 400 Scale Hangar for developing the hobby of collecting models and creating model airports.
Some fictitious alliances were made to bond together some model airports of the world. Some of these include the Global Airports Alliance and Blue Sky Alliance.
In 2011, what may be the world's largest model airport opened for public view at Miniatur Wunderland
Miniatur Wunderland
Miniatur Wunderland is a model railway attraction in Hamburg, Germany and the largest of its kind in the world. , the railway consists of of track in HO scale, divided into seven sections: Harz, the fictitious city of Knuffingen, the Alps and Austria, Hamburg, America, Scandinavia, and Switzerland...
, Hamburg, Germany. Knuffingen International Airport is based on Hamburg International Airport.