My collection of 250 aircraft models
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Thanks to his attachments with different airline companies, Chen has been able to collect 250 aircraft models. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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Aircraft are the symbol of an airline's branding. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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Firefly is another low-cost carrier that offers budget flights besides AirAsia. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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Model of the official aircraft of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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The fun-looking yet practical collectibles. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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The A380 superjumbo. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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A must-have collection item, the symbol of Malaysia. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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Airliners from Europe and America are rarely seen in this country. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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The tastefully designed liveries of Taiwanese airliners. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
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Models of cargo planes. Photo courtesy: Sin Chew Daily
Everyone can "fly" now, and can travel around the world by airplane, but not everyone has an aircraft model at home!
Every airline company has its own aircraft models which symbolize its branding. These models are not for sale in public, but onboard the aircraft and in toy stores.
Chen Zhaorong, who is working in an airline company, has the opportunity of coming into contact with aircraft models and has so far collected a total of 250 aircraft models.
These aircraft models are not remote-controlled airplanes, but static models on support stands. They are in high-flying postures and have been manufactured according to actual proportions.
Although these aircraft models cannot take to the sky, they offer people unlimited dimensions of imagination as if they are powered from within and are ready to take off.
How it all started
Chen has worked in several airline companies before. His work has allowed him the opportunity of coming into contact with different aircraft models.
People used to purchase aircraft models onboard the airplanes. But now, they are also available for sale at airports and toy stores, he explained.
His vast collection includes Boeing, Airbus, cargo planes as well as military aircraft. He bought some of these models while others were given to him by colleagues.
Despite their sizes, aircraft models are not cheap. An aircraft model typically fetches more than RM100, much higher if it is of a limited version.
Airline represents a country
An airline represents a country, for example Malaysia Airlines represents Malaysia. Therefore, its models have significant collection values.
Chen's collection includes aircraft models from 100 different airlines, except those in South America. He is hoping to have a complete collection of all the aircraft models of every airline in this world.
However, he told Sin Chew Daily some of the airlines do not fly to Malaysia, such as Alaska Airlines, and their aircraft models therefore could only be found in toy stores.
"Moreover, the models of some airlines, including China Airlines, are not for sale in public and are only available onboard the planes or at their centres." (Translated by YOU HSUEH LIN/ Sin Chew Daily)
