Walker Westway Models 1960s video clip

[Henry Tenby]

This is a fabulous early 1960s video clip about Walker Westway Models of London and their business producing fabulous models for industry and the world's airlines.

You'll see a fabulous cutaway Bristol Britannia model, a large scale Vanguard model, Viscount models, DC-8s, Comets and more!

http://www.airlinetv.net/view_video.php?viewkey=53590338791951e38c3a

I wish there was more old video clips on this fantastic company!

[Brian Laurance]

Henry, this is fantastic, and it certainly conveys the complexity and detail work required for these scale models, especially the cutaway models. I found myself feeling a bit envious of the workers who spent their days around those fantastic models.

Part of what made this period of time (the early 1960's) so fascinating is the variety of commercial airliners and the number of companies that built them. As you noted, the video shows aircraft designs from Bristol, Vickers, Douglas, DeHavilland, and more. I doubt whether anyone employed in the model-building industry today finds the work -- building a succession of twin-engine jetliners -- nearly as interesting, unless, of course, he is engaged in building models of historic aircraft for collectors.

[Henry Tenby]

Hi Brian, I agree this .. this little film is a treasure trove flash back look at the UK aviation industry of the 1960s by way of beautifully crafted display models.

Walkers Westway more or less was the go-to source for models for all the UK aerospace companies of the day. And their models were so beautifully made. Once upon a time, everything made in England was world renowned for being of high quality. And you can really see that it in the techniques and details the model makers put into their models.

To think they were making such fabulous cutaway models, such accurate models, pretty much all by hand. Today these processes are automated and done by computers. And the models don't have that look of quality and craftsmanship that they had over 50 years ago.

Which is the reason these models are so sought after and are so highly collectible. It looks like Walkers Westway produced thousands of models back in the day. And probably most have no survived the past half century.

It is indeed all so fascinating!!