Presidential Collection

This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. The collection includes (from left to right): Marine One VH-34, Marine One VH3, VC-121 Columbine III, VC-25A, SAM 26000, Marine One VH60, and Marine One VH-71.

This each miniature model of the Presidential aircrafts and helicopters is an authentic replica made from the finest grade of select kiln dried mahogany wood. The model is hand-carved; from the aircraft fuselage, to the sanding of the airplane’s contours. Every part is assembled precisely into place. Each model passes through various stages; from priming and sanding before it is hand-painted to duplicate the actual colors of the original historical aircraft. Every detail of the actual airplane is also copied — from insignias to squadron badges, nose-art, emblems and serial numbers. Finally, multiple coats of clear lacquer are applied to protect the artwork and provide an overall glossy finish.

Mounted on a beautiful mahogany base all seven aircraft and helicopters are precisely hand finished to exact detail. Complete with the Presidential logo and brass plaques indicating the aircraft type. Now you can have the Presidential Collection right before your very eyes at the most reasonable price.

Check out our top-quality Presidential Model Collection.

Blue Angels Collection

Formed in 1946, the Blue Angels of the US Navy (USN) are the world’s first officially sanctioned military aerial demonstration team. The group performs more than 70 shows at 34 locations throughout the United States each year, where they still employ many of the same practices and techniques in their aerial displays as in 1946. Their first performance was in 1956 in Toronto, Canada. During the four-day Paris Air Show in 1965, the Blue Angels were the only team to receive a standing ovation. Since their inception, they have flown for more than 427 million spectators worldwide. The team has operated eight aircraft so far, including the current F/A-18 Hornet.

Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat (1946)
Descended from the F4F Wildcat, the Hellcat was one of the two primary USN carrier fighters in the second half of World War II. It was the most successful aircraft in naval history, destroying 5,163 aircraft in service with the US Navy and Marine Corps, and an additional 52 with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm during World War II. The Blue Angels, known simply as the “Navy Flight Exhibition Team” back then, flew three specially modified Hellcats during their inaugural performance at Craig Field, Florida. On July 19, 1946, the team officially adopted the name “Blue Angels” after a popular nightclub in New York City.

Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat (1946 - 1949)
The Bearcat was the last piston-engine carrier-based fighter plane built by Grumman. Affectionately called “Bear”, it was intended to be an interceptor aircraft. It is often mentioned as one of the best handling piston-engine fighters ever built, even outperforming many early jets.

Grumman F9F-2 Panther (1949 - 1954)
The Panther was the most widely used USN jet fighter of the Korean War. It flew 78,000 sorties and was responsible for the first air kill by the Navy in the conflict. It was the first jet aircraft flown by the Blue Angels.

Grumman F9F-8 Cougar (1954 - 1957)
The Cougar is a carrier-based fighter aircraft based on the Panther. It replaced the straight wing of the Panther with a more modern swept wing.

Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (1957 - 1969)
The Tiger is a single-seat carrier-based fighter aircraft, best known for its use as a demonstration plane. Its career as a fighter lasted only four years, but the Blue Angels flew it for nearly ten. It was the squadron’s first supersonic jet.

McDonnell F-4J Phantom II (1969 - 1974)
The Phantom II is a tandem-seating, supersonic, long-range, all-weather fighter-bomber. It was the primary air superiority fighter and a workhorse fighter-bomber for the US Air Force (USAF), Navy and Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. It was the only plane to be flown by both the “Blues” and the USAF Thunderbirds.

Douglas A-4F Skyhawk (1974 - 1986)
In December 1974, the team downsized to the more economical subsonic Skyhawk. It was the Navy’s primary light bomber in the early years of the Vietnam War. The Skyhawk was also the pioneer of the “buddy” self air-to-air refueling concept, allowing aircraft to supply fuel to others of the same type without the need for a dedicated tanker.

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (1986 - Present)
The Blue Angels have been using the Hornet since they completed their 40th anniversary year and unveiled the sleek aircraft on November 8, 1986. The power and aerodynamics of the Hornet allow them to perform a slow high angle of attack “tail sitting” maneuver, and to fly a loop with landing gear down in formation, neither of which has been duplicated by the Thunderbirds.

This beautiful collection is a must for any Blue Angels fan. Why settle for one aircraft when you can have all eight? Each wooden scale model is hand-made and hand-painted. Carefully carved from mahogany by skilled craftsmen, every piece is sanded and primed several times until perfect. A final coat of clear lacquer seals in the intricate details which have been meticulously painted on by talented artists. The entire collection is mounted on a mahogany base, complete with the squadron’s crest and brass plaques that indicate the aircraft name and years flown.

Check out our museum-quality Blue Angels Models Collection.

The Bell X-1, originally designated XS-1, was the result of a cooperative program initiated in 1944 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the United States Army Air Forces (later the US Air Force). On March 16, 1945, Bell Aircraft Corporation was awarded a contract to develop three transonic and supersonic research aircraft, and the company built three rocket-powered XS-1s. The XS-1 was the first high-speed aircraft built purely for aviation research purposes and was never intended for production. It was also the first of the X-planes, a series of experimental US aircraft used for testing of new technologies and usually kept highly secret during development. But the X-1 is best known for being the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in controlled, level flight.

Many important structural and aerodynamic advances were first employed in the X-1, including extremely thin yet strong wing sections and a horizontal stabilizer or tailplane that could be adjusted to improve control, especially at transonic speeds. The stabilizer was a success and became a standard design for all subsequent transonic military aircraft. The X-1’s shape closely resembles that of a Browning .50 caliber machine gun bullet.

On October 14, 1947, the first manned supersonic flight took place. General (then Captain) Charles Elwood “Chuck” Yeager flew X-1 aircraft #46-062, christened “Glamorous Glennis” after his wife, past the speed of sound. The plane was launched from the belly of a specially modified Boeing B-29 Superfortress and reached a speed of 700 miles per hour, Mach 1.06, at an altitude of 13,000 meters. Consequently, the National Aeronautic Association awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy for the year 1947 to the three main participants in the program. Lawrence Dale “Larry” Bell of Bell Aircraft, John Stack of NACA and General Yeager were honored by President Harry S. Truman at the White House. General Yeager also received the MacKay and Harmon International Trophies in 1947 and 1954, respectively

Currently, the historic X-1 aircraft flown by General Yeager is on display at the Milestones of Flight gallery of the National Air and Space Museum, located at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. While the aircraft is for viewing only, you can bring home a Bell X-1 scale model, made from the finest quality of mahogany. All parts are hand-carved by master craftsmen before undergoing several phases of priming and sanding. Details are carefully duplicated by skilled artists, then sealed in with clear lacquer. The replica is a faithful reproduction of the original X-1. Even better, it is personally signed by none other than General Chuck Yeager.