It started in 1950 when a next-door neighbor, who was a technical representative for LTV, gave John Heyde's wife a blue-colored model of the Regulus I missile. A 1957 graduate of the Naval Academy who earned his wings a year later, Heyde was naturally inclined to admire things that fly. Although he didn't realize it at the time, the acquisition of the Regulus ignited in Heyde what became a life-long avocation collecting aircraft models, most of military planes. These were not the kit type, but the already assembled desk-top versions favored by defense contractors. The collection grew steadily over the years, propelled by Heyde's unending enthusiasm and quest for models.

"I was not a dealer," said Heyde, "I would trade model for model now and then but primarily I was a collector. I had a number of duty tours in the Washington D.C. area and in my visits to various offices I would see a display model on someone's desk or shelf and simply ask for it with the intent to display the collection for others to enjoy."

CDR Heyde retired in 1977 after logging over 3,400 hours, mostly in P2V Neptunes. While on active duty he became an aeronautical engineering duty officer, earned an MS in astronautics from the Air Force institute of Technology, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, served in the Bureau of Weapons (NAVAIRSYSCOM) and was a DoD staff member for the National Aeronautics and Space Council at the White House. His final tour was as Deputy to the Director of Defense Research & Engineering (DDR@ In the course of these assignments, he had the opportunity to visit many aviation-oriented offices where more often than not people were willing to turn over models to him. Moreover, after retiring from the Navy he worked a full second career as Executive Vice President in charge of all Washington D.C. operations for the Astro-Tech company, an aeronautical type organization. He retired for good in August.

"The collection expanded and in time I had gathered models representing just about every aircraft, American and foreign, which had flown in the last several decades. I asked various foreign embassies to assist and they supplied models. The Japanese and Swedes were particularly helpful. Mostly, I acquired the models through direct personal contact in the various offices I visited or worked in as part of my regular duties."

Importantly, as the collection expanded, Heyde held exhibits of the models at the Army Navy Club in Washington D.C. which were exceptionally well received. The acquisitions steadily increased.

"I was honored by the son of Walter Diehl, who gave me his personal collection," said Heyde. "His father was a legendary BuAer engineer and figured importantly in the development of early Naval aircraft. George Spangenberg and Hal Andrews, NAVAIRSYSCOM stalwarts and Honorary Naval Aviators 12 and 22, also assisted as did so many others. Indeed, I spent my last two active duty years in the Pentagon and averaged collecting a model a day in that time."

Here's the shocker. The John Heyde collection reached an astounding 2,400 aircraft, and virtually every model was and remains in mint condition!

So vast was his aerial armada that virtually every nook and cranny of the Heyde's Northern Virginia home was used to accommodate the models. The attic, garage and closets functioned as homespun hangars. The benign ultimatum from his patient spouse was inevitable and came in 1984 when Cynnie said. "One more model and I'm out of here!"

Heyde contacted Tim Wooldridge, a retired Navy captain working at the National Air and Space Museum, and asked if NASM would be interested in taking over the collection. Officials examined the models and were delighted with the offer. Consequently, the 2,400 were carefully measured and logged - a laborious but happy chore - and officially transferred to museum custody.

At this writing, the majority of the models are in storage at the museum's Paul Garber Restoration (Silver Hill) Facility in Maryland. A large glass case enclosing over a 100 of them is on display there but the rest are protected by plastic covering and are carefully arranged on sturdy metal racks over eight feet high in a warehouse at Silver Hill. Others are packaged in huge boxes bearing the Heyde name, awaiting ultimate shipment to the Dulles extension of the Museum (see photo of VADM Engen and the facility elsewhere in this issue). Another group resides in the National Air and Space Museum itself and can be viewed by appointment as they are not on the museum floor.

John Heyde is a lifetime member and avid supporter of ANA and the Navy - one of his two daughters is a commander in the Nurse Corps and carrying on the Heyde military tradition. He remains close to the collection in mind and spirit. Last August he contributed a model of the C130J Hercules and examined the Silver Hill portion of the collection for the first time in years.

"I am immensely pleased the models have found a caring home at the National Air and Space Museum. When I visited them recently, I was thrilled to see they are being maintained like rare gems. Of course, to me, they are.