Teaching the World to Fly: The Origins of Cutaway Models
It’s 1945 and the American war machine had finally come to a halt. After four years of complete countrywide dedication to the war effort, the United States was ready to enjoy its hard fought peace.
During the war, all aspects of the aviation industry were focused on the military. Aircraft manufacturers were dedicating every resource towards designing and producing bombers, military transports, and fighters. Passengers faced the same restrictions, with air travel being tightly restricted to individuals serving the war effort. Now that the war was over, the entire industry faced a challenge of starting a new chapter during peacetime.
The top aircraft manufacturers of the time such as Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed Martin immediately put their wartime experience to work designing new passenger aircraft, while a new generation of airlines rose up to compete for passengers, who were more interested in air travel than ever before.
Despite the increased demand from the public, these airlines still had several hurdles to overcome if they wanted to compete. Before World War II, very few people had flown in a commercial airliner, and those who did most likely found the experience “challenging” at best. In addition to being expensive, cramped cabins, stiff seats, turbulent rides, and excruciatingly loud engines made for a brutal flying experience.
Post-war airlines found themselves needing to convince the influx of interested potential passengers that flying was no longer traumatic, but exciting and comfortable.
Enter the cutaway model.
In addition to a plethora of traditional marketing campaigns, airlines began commissioning cutaway models with detailed depictions of their fleet’s posh interiors. Some models would even include passenger and airline staff, individually designed by hand as well, turning the model into a creative still life diorama depicting the luxury and excitement of air travel.
PacMin got its start in 1946 making these very models. Specializing in intricate cutaway models depicting small section of the aircraft, PacMin (then Pacific Miniatures) produced cutaway models for several airlines that were placed in sales offices or with other public point of purchase displays.
As air travel grew in the 1950s and more routes and destinations were added, PacMin was called upon to make increasingly larger cutaway models with more detail, often depicting the entire aircraft. Continuing aircraft technology developments into wide body aircraft such as the Lockheed L1011, Boeing 747 and Douglas DC10, and eventually the jet airliners that are flown today lead to a continued need for a variety of cutaway models to use for marketing and education.
Today, with the closure of airline ticket offices, the reduction of travel agency offices, and a flying public well versed in air travel, the heyday of airline cutaway models has long faded as a regularly used marketing and education tool by the aviation industry. However, due to their high quality workmanship and incredible detail, they continue to find appreciation in museums, private collections, and of course, here at PacMin!
You can explore our current United Airlines model offerings here.
Sources
- Early Commercial Aviation. National Air and Space Museum. https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/early-commercial-aviation#:~:text=Airlines%20provided%20many%20amenities%20to,or%20the%20wealthy%20could%20afford
About Pacmin Studios
Pacmin Studios has been serving the aviation and transportation industries with creative physical and digital models and exhibits since 1946.
Known for producing high quality custom aircraft display models, Pacmin Studios has evolved to provide a suite of additional services, including graphic design, CAD, CGI rendering and animation, livery design, and other transportation marketing solutions.
