Spotlight On… CollectAir Aviation

by Stephanie Cain

A life-long love of aviation has kept CollectAir Aviation Art
owner Stephen Remington busy for more than 25 years. A former
aeronautical engineer, Remington’s personal collection of aviation
artifacts led to his De la Vina Street art gallery and online
collectors’ business, selling everything from original oil
paintings to antique models to boxed airplane sets from 1939. A
seven-foot-long wooden jet model from the Cold War rests in the
center of the gallery, surrounded by rare vintage display models
from airplane manufacturers, hand-painted military training models,
Comet wooden airplanes, and just about everything else
sky-related.

“I collect the rare items, things that people find in the
attic,” Remington said. “These old model airplane kits are 50 to 60
years old and the manufacturer display models were never even sold
to the public. These things are true collectibles.”

Enclosing the British pewter war planes and Boeing wind-tunnel
testers are a series of oil painting and bronze sculptures, most
created by American Society of Aviation Artists members. Both
originals and prints show aviation history, from WWI aircraft to
crop-dusters, battle scenes to world-record height journeys. The
gallery functions as Remington’s warehouse and playhouse for his
online collectors’ business, collectair.com, the source of 85
percent of his business. However, he also houses his personal
collection devoted to materials used by military trainers.
Displayed in a WWII classroom setting, the only one of its kind in
the nation, the museum exhibits books, models, apparel, papers, and
diagrams from training missions.

CollectAir Aviation Art is at 1324 De la Vina Street. It’s open
most afternoons, but you can also call 560-1323 for an
appointment.