Plane thrills planned for Bay
A national scale-modelling competition and fun day will take place at the Port Elizabeth Air Force Museum at the end of the month.
The three-day competition, from March 30 to April 1, is expected to draw aviation enthusiasts and model builders from across the country. The SA National Scale Modellers Competition is hosted by the Eastern Cape Scale Modellers Club, which is based in Port Elizabeth. While the competition will be set to run over three days, only Saturday March 31 will be open to the public. The fun day will include a beer garden, food stalls and displays such as motorbikes and vintage cars. SA Air Force Museum officer in charge Captain Mark Kelbrick said the competition would be held in Port Elizabeth for the first time in 15 years. The event is expected to draw hundreds of aviation enthusiasts from across the country, with about 60 competitors registered to take part in the expo. A life-size World War 2 Russian fighter plane – a Yakovlev Yak-3 owned by Stu Davidson – will be on display for the first time in Port Elizabeth. “We have already started with preparations and are expecting a great turnout. The venue borders the airport runway, so guests can sit and have a beer while watching some planes or wander around the venue,” he said. Kelbrick said an eight-year project of building a replica Supermarine Spitfire – a British single-seat fighter aircraft used during and after World War 2 –– had also been completed. “The plane was built by war veterans who had spent years creating a life-size replica. This will be the first time such a plane will be displayed in the museum. It is a special day for the museum.”
Kelbrick said they were expecting hundreds of families and spectators at the event. “The aviation world is fairly large and there are several flight enthusiasts from out of town that have indicated they will make a weekend of coming to Port Elizabeth to enjoy the show,” he said. Club chairman Petrus Strauss said this was an opportune occasion for aviation and history enthusiasts to view what scale modeling was about. “It is a growing activity and we have seen a spike in interest over the last two years. I think people are beginning to realise that it is a good activity for hand-eye coordination as well as for children who want to learn about history,” he said. Strauss, who participated in the event in Bloemfontein last year, said all the competitors would set up their displays for viewing during the course of the event. The event is broken into several categories of displays such as aircraft, ships, motorcycles, civilian and military vehicles. “The reason the museum is hosting the event is also so that they can generate some funds. “The venue is great and it is where we hold out club meetings,” he added. Children under the age of 16 years can enter for free while those older will be charged R20 per person. The funds raised go towards museum improvements and future exhibits. The open day starts at 9am and is expected to end at 5pm.
