Largest model aircraft collection on display

An aircraft lover yesterday launched a Bahrain-based international aviation exhibition, which would later tour the world to showcase the largest model-aircraft collection.

Bader Murad's collection of 300 models, now on display at the Bahrain National Museum, tells the story of a century of aviation, ranging from the maiden flights by frail biplanes to the latest in aviation technology. The show is entitled The Colours of Aviation.

"I love airplanes, I fell in love with them all my life," said Murad, a Bahraini entrepreneur, who grew in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. His family lived in Dhahran, across the street from the airport, he recalled.

Watching airplanes arriving and departing, he said grew fascinated by the activities in the airport. On his tenth birthday, a relative gave him his first toy model – a blue KLM Boeing 747.

"I have been collecting model aircrafts ever since, Now I have 1,500 models," he said. He estimated the value of his collection, which includes planes from all eras of aviation history, at around half million dollars.

The collection, displayed for the first time, are hand-carved pieces of art and amazingly very accurately hand-painted. The exhibition also features a collection of paintings to provide a backdrop to the show.

Murad said he will take his collection on a world tour when the Bahrain show ends in mid-December. He said a permanent exhibition will be set in Bahrain. "I will work on the plan as soon as I finish the world tour," he said.