ISLAMABAD: Retired group captain Syed Masood Akhtar Hussaini - Pakistan’s ace aviation artist and himself a former fighter pilot - on Sunday highlighted the need for preserving iconic airframes which the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) used to operate during its formative years but could not save them as a reference for future generations.

Mr Hussaini was speaking as chief guest at an “Aeromodelling and aviation art exhibition” organised by International Plastic Modellers Society (IPMS) Islamabad chapter held at the PAF Nur Khan Base, Chaklala.

A large number of hobbyists, mainly from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, interested in building plastic model kits attended the exhibition.

Mr Hussaini said PAF had a rich history of flying a number of, now vintage, fighters and bombers when established after independence in 1947. Some of these remarkable airframes, which should have been preserved but could not be, were the Hawker Tempest II fighter-bombers, Handley Page Halifax bombers, Bristol Freighter, Hawker Sea Fury, Supermarine Attacker, Fox Moth and Albatross, he added.

Since such classical aircraft of their times were lost, he said, preserving the history of PAF could only be possible now by encouraging the hobbyists who were into scale modelling to build and showcase such aircraft for the encouragement and quick reference to the young people.

IPMS-Pakistan President Omar Aziz Tipu explained that the basic purpose of the club was to encourage the new generation to have some sort of activity by jogging their minds and senses and help honing their skills that eventually proved to be helpful in their future professional life also.

The club was formed with the common interest of modelling miniature aircraft, automobiles, marine, sci-fi and figures, Mr Tipu said.

The biggest landmark achievement for this group is to be associated with IPMS, he said, adding IPMS granted its country chapter to the group in November 2019 and now it has over 450 members all over the country.

Different chapters of the group also arrange a number of events in their respective cities throughout the year, he said, adding an exhibition was also being held at the PAF Museum Karachi while recently the Lahore chapter arranged a similar event.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021