Our hobby has come a long way in our lifetimes. From free flight models, control line, very basic RC, motors, electrics, sensors, battery technology to name a few.
MFNZ is occasionally asked if we could or should set up a museum to collect and display some of the historic items in members possession. As we age it seems a
travesty to send these old items to landfill, knowing too that our kids are likely to do that if we don’t find a better home for these treasures.
In recent times members have tried to interest aviation museums at Wigram, Gore, Omaka and Ashburton to name a few. Each has shown interest, but space, ongoing member support, time and money always seem a barrier.
Ongoing maintenance and support might also be an issue as future generations of modelers may not see our treasures with quite the same enthusiasm we do.
Is this a lost cause? Do you have contacts with a suitable museum that might be interested to host a display of model flying history?
Recently Kevin Botherway has digitised all the MFNZ records going back to 1930, quite a large undertaking scanning and cataloging a trailer load of documents. This will eventually make its was in to a dedicated MFNZ webspace. You can see the results of Kevin’s efforts at the History Project Archive link near the bottom of the page.
An Alternative
Might the web be the best place to remember our history? Perhaps photos and a short description could be a permanent, cost effective and widely visible final home for our treasures?
Think on this, if museums can’t cope with the material our members have, perhaps a “Digital Museum” is the answer. It could contain comprehensive photos of artifacts, such as radios, models, engines etc. The current owners would be able to describe the item, perhaps its history and significance to the hobby. That way, the relevance of the item is preserved. The visibility of such a collection is universal. A physical museum is likely only visited by travellers through its location, whereas a digital collection is available throughout the internet. What do you think, do you have artifacts you would like preserved? Could you write a brief comment on them? Please forward to Council your thoughts on this matter and the subject will be considered in detail