After 32 years of living in the same house in rural Bradford West Gwillimbury, Jim and Dorothy MacIvor are thinking about moving.
They have their eye on an adult lifestyle village in Sutton – but first they have to ‘downsize,’ and get rid of some of the treasured items that fill their home.
Including Jim’s model ships, cars and airplanes.
“I’ve been building models for about 40 years,” he said. “I started when I was a kid. I started when I was 12 years old, and now I’m 74.”
He even remembers the first model he put together: “It was a car,” and it never was painted.
Over the years, Jim’s models became more detailed, more carefully crafted and painted – truly works of art, and passion.
The airplanes cover the complete history of aviation, from early biplanes and the aircraft of World War II, to modern fighter jets – even Star Trek and Star Wars model spaceships.
There’s a Canadian section, with aircraft like the De Havilland Beaver, and the iconic Avro Arrow – one of his all-time favourites.
Jim, who now has arthritis in his hands, has had to give up his hobby. And with the planned move, he began looking for a good home for his collection.
“I didn’t want to throw them out. They’re valuable,” he said. “I thought if anyone would appreciate them, it would be the Legion.”
MacIvor contacted the Bradford Legion, which immediately forwarded his message to 37 Bradford ‘Orville Hand’ Air Cadet Squadron Sponsoring Committee (SSC) representatives, Chair Mike Giovanetti and Member for Special Projects George Neilson.
Giovanetti and Neilson took MacIvor up on the offer, and drove out to take a look.
The Air Cadet Squadron has had to “stand down” during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Giovanetti, with all of the training currently taking place on line, but he suggested the model airplanes could be a resource that the squadron will use, once the pandemic eases and the ban on gatherings has been lifted.
“It’s great training material for cadets,” Giovanetti said. “We’ll take them to the (Squadron) trailer for now.”
But neither he nor Neilson were prepared for the scope, the quality and the sheer number of MacIvor’s models.
“I wasn’t expecting this!” said Neilson, as he surveyed a ceiling hung with fighter jets – American, British, Russian – and model spacecraft, in full flight.
“He knows his planes,” said Giovanetti.
The pair began to fill boxes with the models, promising that Jim’s works of art will be used to introduce a new generation to the history of aviation, and the fascination of some of the greatest planes ever built.
When he was asked if he was giving all of his models away, MacIvor hesitated.
“I might keep one or two,” he said.
