“Above and Beyond” Book and Model Kit Sale takes flight

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This article was published 30/10/2023 (1046 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

History enthusiasts and aviation admirers were at the historic canteen of The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum at McGill Field, Brandon Airport, on Saturday to peruse the treasures on display at the “Above and Beyond” Book and Model Kit Sale.

The event, which showcased an impressive array of Second World War books, aircraft model kits, and art prints, marked a significant milestone for the museum.

“After 40 years of collecting books from people, the museum had accumulated an extensive inventory of aviation and World War Two-related books,” Volunteer Judith Grierson told the Sun. “We decided to have a sale. So, we have about 1,000 books out there, and it’s a wide variety between World War Two and aviation.”

To make these historic treasures more accessible to the public, she explained, the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum adopted an attractive pricing strategy. “We’re charging $5 for a hardback book, and if you buy more the price goes down. The whole idea is to get them out there, and the proceeds from the sale will support the museum’s general funds.”

Grierson — who has dedicated over two decades to the museum — said that the inaugural book sale represents a significant departure from its usual activities. “Aviation books and military books are no longer popular. But if you get the word out to those people who are enthusiastic about those things, then they’ll show up. So this is the first time we’ve tried it. We’ll see how it goes.”

Grierson emphasized the museum’s longstanding tradition of receiving generous donations, including books, magazines, models, and various artifacts.

She explained that while a lot of collectors collect the same book because they’re all aviation or Second World War history, Above and Beyond saves one book for the library, another one or two for the research library and then the rest they put aside.

The event wasn’t just about books; it also featured a diverse selection of prints donated by various individuals. “We also have a lot of prints — pictures that people have donated. Those are also for sale,” Grierson added, hinting at plans for the event. “We were already planning for next year. Maybe next year, we’ll have an art show along with the book sale. In our archives, we have a lot of artworks that never get on display.”

“We have a bunch of collections of scale model kits that we have received from donors and people who’ve just kind of put them up for sale,” said William Ray, who oversees the model kits . “I’m helping the museum kind of price them out and find buyers for them so that we can get some money into the pockets of the museum and help them with their funding.”

Ray’s efforts were evident, as numerous kits had found new owners.

“I’ve gone through about two to three hundred kits, priced them out, made sure everything’s there so that they can be sold to other buyers,” Ray said. “And today, we’ve sold two dozen kits. I’m also helping with online sales so that we can find buyers throughout Canada for some of these kits that are looking for them and will pay the prices that they’re worth.”

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