Model plane rescued from Coeur d'Alene transfer station could be historic 'trench art'

When Bob Shay saw a pre-World War II model plane in an office at the Kootenai County transfer station on Ramsey Road earlier this week, he admired it. 

Then, the Navy veteran and Post Falls resident asked if he could hold it.

"This is a beautiful piece," he said. 

"Do you want it?" he was asked. 

Yes, sir, Shay did.

This was no toy, plastic plane. It was metal and likely the result of what was known as "trench art," which Shay said refers to objects made by soldiers, prisoners of war, and civilians from wartime materials. 

A friend of Shay's looked at it and told him it could have been handmade by a metalsmith, perhaps a sailor with time on his hands, prior to America's entry into World War II.  

The model plane represents a Curtiss SOC Seagull, an American single-engined scout observation plan that entered military service in 1935. It is detailed, right to the insignia of a white star with a red dot and white star and blue circle. 

Shay said the military stopped including the red dot after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor so it would not be confused with a Japanese war plane, which also featured a red dot. That, he believes, indicates the model plane could have been made in the 1930s. 

Other than a few dents and scuffs, "It's in pretty good shape," he said. 

Shay visits the transfer station every few months to pick up America flags that are rescued by staff for proper disposal. Employees happened to spot the model plane that was tossed out with other household items, Shay said, and set it aside in an office. 

That's when he saw it. 

He appreciated the efforts to save it and recognize its value, especially to a veteran.

Shay plans to see if the dents can be repaired, then donate it to the American Legion in Post Falls for display. 

As he prepared for Veterans Day, he was grateful for the find.

"There's historical stuff that people think is junk," Shay said. "Sometimes, people have no idea what they have."