Long Beach Model Aircraft Museum
By Richard Nicoletti
I learned through the Orange County IPMS chapter that there was a free private Model Aircraft Museum located in Long Beach.
The museum completely fills the first level of a two-story home located at 3740 Elm St. #A, Long Beach, and it consists of a veritable rabbit warren of closets, hall ways, and numerous display cases filled with an extensive modeling related library and approximately 40 years’ worth of the owner’s aircraft model builds.
The second level is the home of Mr. & Mrs. Monty Greenly.
Monty is very accommodating, and it’s obvious he enjoys leading visitors on a tour through the museum and explaining both how he built the aircraft models he has on display and how he accumulated his library.
Since Monty has never used an airbrush, the entire museum contents were brush painted by hand. If I remember correctly, most of the collection is in 1/48 scale, and it will eventually be donated to CA State Fullerton.
When I visited last summer, I spent a few hours on my tour, and left with 14 various 1/48 scale World War I aircraft models that Monty said he would never build and that he hoped I could help find a good home.
At a subsequent Orange County IPMS club meeting, I learned a fellow modeler had also visited the museum. His experience was the same as mine.
Ten of the models were given away at the May 2024 LAMS meeting, and the remainder will be donated to the upcoming Orange County IPMS Club auction.
If you’re in the neighborhood and interested in seeing the museum yourself, call Mony Greenly to arrange a mutually convenient time. He can be reached at (562) 426-3819 or [email protected].