Note: Only forum leaders may delete posts.
*HTML is ON *UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend
Smilies Legend
[b]Bonhams Space History Auction To Feature Unique Reusable Space Planes Model[/b] The annual Space History auction at Bonhams Auction House usually features signed photos of astronauts, space flown postal covers, pressure suits, NASA equipment and the like, but this year there's a unique element; a display model of prototype reusable space planes that never made it past the drawing board. The auction, which takes place in Bonhams' New York showroom on Thursday, April 26,at 1:00 p.m., features more than three-hundred lots including the space planes model which was built by NASA engineers at Huntsville, Alabama's Marshall Space Flight Center some time in the 1970's. It's believed the space planes were conceived as an early part of NASA's space shuttle program. "I bought it near Huntsville, Alabama (where it was created at NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center) last year on the World’s Longest Yard Sale. The dealer I purchased it from had this model, a few other household items, and a whole bunch of replacement lawnmower blades," says [URL=http://taylorcosm.com/?p=240]owner Anthony Taylor[/URL], a writer and television producer. "The following day, I took it to the Antiques Roadshow when they filmed here in Atlanta, and it was appraised for $1,500.00, but I was told to check with Matthew Haley at Bonhams for a more accurate estimate." Haley's appraisal was $2,000.00 – $4,000.00. "I loved the retro-futuristic look of them," Taylor continued. The model stands eleven inches tall and features three identically-shaped planes fit removably back-to-back around a central pyramid mount. One of the planes is silver while the other two are metallic dark grey. Each has a removable payload bay section along the back of the fuselage, and three thruster nozzles. A conical 'hat' holds them together at the noses. It includes a caption label on the base, noting "1:200 scale." The whole assembly fits into it's original 27 x 14 x 10 inch wood carrying case painted blue and with identification decals.
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.