Wally May's albums prove a big hit with RAF
Wally May has a Spitfire in the front room of his Shrewsbury home.
Concorde too. And many other types spanning over 100 years of aviation. No prizes, then, for guessing his passionate interest – aircraft.
Apart from that display of metal models, for the past few years he has worked on a three-album tribute to the RAF, which he completed in time for the centenary of the service.
"I'm very proud of them. They're worth a fortune to me," said 82-year-old Mr May as he flicked the pages of his pictorial celebration.
"I was in the air force. That's why I've done this birthday book for the lads. I've taken them to RAF Shawbury and RAF Cosford, and they were very impressed with them."
Hailing originally from Norwich, he served in the RAF as a regular for three years, doing his training at RAF Bridgnorth which was to change his life, because it was there that his future Shropshire bride Joy captured his heart.
His own role in the service was perhaps rather unexpected.
"I was in bomb disposal, clearing the ranges in East Anglia and in the Midlands. We had a Flight which was called 6219 BD Squadron.
"We did have one accident, luckily it was not fatal. It was due to the lads being too familiar with the bombs. One did go off, only a small one, and we took the lad to hospital."
Mr May, who lives in Porchfield, started on the albums a few years ago, compiling illustrations from magazines, pamphlets, and so on, and they span a variety of aircraft and topics, including the Battle of Britain, Bomber Command, the Red Arrows, and his favourite aircraft, Concorde.
"I always had it in my head to do it. When the 100 years was getting close I decided then to do the albums."
One coup was a collection of aircraft cigarette cards.
"A lady very kindly donated those to me because she knew I was mad about aircraft. I used to be the manager of the Star News Shop at The Column in Shrewsbury – I retired from there – and she was a customer of mine."
Although not a pilot, his time in the RAF did give him flying opportunities.
"I flew in a Dakota DC3 as a passenger and also in an Auster, a lovely little plane. I went from RAF Feltwell to Thetford, a distance of about 15 miles at about 15ft. It was absolutely incredible. It was the best flight I've ever been on. It felt to me as if we were going 600mph."
His front room model display comprises at least 70 aircraft.
"Most of them were bought. They came originally from Spain. They're metal."
As for what he will do with the albums now they have been completed and the 2018 centenary has passed, he says: "Good question. I don't know, to be honest. If I put them in for auction I think I would get quite a lot of money for them, but I don't think I will.
"I think I will donate them to my six-year-old grandson, Jacob Hutchinson, who like me is mad on aeroplanes and mad on helicopters."
