Product Spotlight: Restoration Force

Product Spotlight: Restoration Force
As seen in the March 2022 issue of Model Aviation.

THE FIRST TIME I cracked open Gavin Hoffen’s book, it invoked a distant memory from my childhood. In elementary school, I had a teacher named Mrs. Jones. She lived in a log cabin and had an amazing pool. Her husband owned a pool company and it showed, easily being the nicest I’ve ever seen.

The log cabin was fascinating and the pool was impressive, but it was the fuselage of a Cessna underneath a carport that drew my attention, and I found myself sitting in the pilot’s seat, imagining piloting this very aircraft above the clouds.

When I came across Restoration Force and its stories of people referred to as "cockpiteers" who restore full-scale aircraft cockpits for display in their homes, garages, sheds, and gardens, I could appreciate someone wanting to own and restore the human interface of the aircraft. I also could understand that a typical person likely doesn’t have room for the rest of the metal, electronics, etc., that would encompass an entire aircraft.

Gavin previously owned the cockpit of a Chipmunk that he reluctantly had to part with after several years of ownership. Fortunately, its current owner was happy to share photos of his grounded piece of history. The new owner actually has some history with the aircraft/cockpit that he bought, so that is a really interesting story.

The author shared that many were reluctant to share their collection, so details about each person and his or her profiled aircraft are kept at a minimum. I’m sure many cockpiteers would be happy to discuss their project, but having a stranger show up at their aircraft’s location, wanting a chance to sit in the cockpit, might be off limits.

I also found it quite interesting that of the 23 people and aircraft featured in the book, most of the cockpits belonged to jets. Propeller-driven aircraft are greatly outnumbered, but in particular, a Hawker Hurricane that was involved in the Battle of Britain really caught my interest.

The number of pages and photos allotted to each project varies, but each one averages roughly five pages. The author provides a brief overview of each of the aircraft that are presented in the book. Featured aircraft also include a photo of the complete airplane and, in many cases, it is the same aircraft that the cockpit belongs to.

Being a collector myself (just not of aircraft cockpits), I can appreciate what those who are featured in the book are doing. As one person mentioned in it, "Sometimes the journey is more enjoyable than the destination."

Restoration Force spans 109 pages and although the subject matter might not be for everyone, I found it to be an enjoyable read.

SOURCES:

Casemate Publishers

(610) 853-9131

www.casematepublishers.com