Bethel - Great passion for small models

Anyone entering Wolfram Nielinger's room is immersed in a fascinating world. At first, your gaze inevitably wanders to the ceiling, where dozens of jets, rockets and spaceships are suspended on fine threads. Since his childhood, the 61-year-old has been fascinated by all things technical. His heart beats especially for elaborate kits of flying objects. But he also loves boats and submarines.

Wolfram Nielinger lives in a Bethel residential home in the town of Bielefeld. Here he has turned his room into a small museum. He took part in a modelling competition at the age of 11. He still treasures the certificate he was awarded back then. Wolfram Nielinger also remembers another initial spark in his youth: together with his father, he attended an event organised by the German armed forces. There, the huge motorised machinery impressed the boy and awakened an enthusiasm in him that has lasted to this day.

Even after five decades, his eyes light up when he talks about his next modelling projects. But at times his beloved hobby was overshadowed: In the spring of 1983, the budding bricklayer fell ill with a psychosis that threw his life off course. Shortly afterwards, Wolfram Nielinger moved to Bethel. Here he lived at Quellenhof and Haus Heidegrund in Eckardtsheim, among other places. Today, he lives on the quiet Karl-Siebold-Weg in the village of Bethel.

An interest in technology runs in the family, says Wolfram Nielinger. His father was even a professor of electrical engineering. And yet it was his uncle who got him interested in modelling. "He gave me my first kit for Christmas," he remembers. That was probably in 1986 or 1987, and it was the start of a cost-intensive passion. "Even the models themselves aren't cheap," says Wolfram Nielinger with regret. Tools, accessories and colours are added to this. Sometimes he sells old things when he needs space and money for a new purchase.

Sawing, filing, turning: Many individual steps are necessary before a miniature is given a place in its own little celestial world. His biggest project - a replica of the Apollo 11 moon rocket including launch pad - consists of 400 tiny components. This requires manual dexterity with a needle, tweezers and glue: "You need patience and a steady hand," says the hobbyist. The process is the same for all model projects: "First you prime, then build and then paint." The highlight of his collection of flying objects - and by far the most expensive individual item - is the ejector seat. "It's a real one, from a real aircraft," emphasises Wolfram Nielinger. "I paid 2,000 euros for it." His favourite miniature model is the Blackbird, the famous spy plane. The reason for this is obvious to Wolfram Nielinger: "It's just so fast!"

Text: Robert Burg | Photos: Matthias Cremer

This story simply told

Wolfram Nielinger has a special hobby: he is a model maker. He has been tinkering with aeroplanes, rockets and ships for many years. He has amassed a large collection in his room in Bethel.

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