COLLECTOR
FlyPast editor Chris Clifford visits a prolific aviation artefact hunter, whose collection is arguably one of the most impressive in private hands
IAN WILSON
Walking into Ian Wilson’s personal display of aircraftrelated memorabilia is like stepping back in time. The rented space in Dipton, Co Durham, in which Ian keeps his exhibits, holds a staggering array of items, each with its own fascinating story. It’s spread across several first-floor rooms in a former music and promo-video recording studio, graced in the past by bands as famous as Coldplay, and holds truly diverse finds; flying boots and helmets, flags, brooches, models, reconnaissance cameras, squadron alarm bells, propellers, signed prints and photographs all feature among the displays. The very particular odours exuded by metal, wood, paper and leather enliven the senses on entry, and then the vastness of what’s absorbed visually truly hits home.
But how do you get to the stage where a treasure trove such as this becomes so impressive that it could put many museums to shame… and what fuelled the desire in the first place? Former engineer Ian (57), cites an early experience as his inspiration: “I was a young, disabled child, around …
