OWLS HEAD — Owls Head Transportation Museum hosted modelers and miniaturists from throughout New England to its annual Midcoast Model Festival. The two-day indoor event, April 8 and 9, attracted approximately 70 exhibitors and featured a vast array of models of all kinds, including trains, aircraft, boats, automobiles and more.

Indoor model exhibitions featured model planes and cars flying and driving around an indoor track.

David Wellman, of the Greater Portland R/C Boaters, was displaying his model of the famous PT 109. The boat John Kennedy served on during World War II.

"This is a model of President Kennedy's boat, PT 109," he said. "It took about a year to build. Its radio controlled and has three electric motors in it. The original boats would do about 42 mph and this boat will do about 12."

The original PT 109 was cut in half by a Japanese destroyer. As Wellman put it, "It was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Matthew Murphy of Eagle Eye Drones, out of Rockland, was displaying his drone that he used for professional aerial photography.

"This is my own business," he said. "I try to help the real estate agents and land developers in the area. I've done weddings, anything that you would want photographed from the air."

Murphy's drone could shoot both video and still photography. His business requires him to carry a license from the FAA and liability insurance.

"The drone has a registration number on it issued by the FAA," he said. "There's a 20 megapixel high definition video and camera. It's very, very high resolution photos."

Ethan Yankura, curator and education director for the museum, said this is the eighth model show the museum has sponsored.

"This is a very good turnout," he said. "A lot of old faces, but a lot of new faces as well, which is always good to see that the show is always growing and changing."

The coming April vacation for the area schools sees kite week come to the museum.

"We have a different kite each day of the week Monday through Friday," he said. We have two sessions every day except for Friday because we are building a big box kite. It's a much more elaborate kite and it takes a little bit more time and takes a little bit more out of me."

Yankura said they can accommodate most ages. If you know how to use scissors, that's all you need to participate.

"We do try to fly all the kites outside, weather permitting," he said.

Yankura said there were no new mediums of models, but people bring different models to the show every year.

"We had a beautiful, almost 8-foot-long ship model of a three master," he said. "It was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen a model of that size here at the show. It was great to see that rotation of the models. The modelers and builders are always building something new, so we are always seeing something new."

If you're interested and want to get started with model kits or if you're an accomplished builder there is something for you at the model show.

"When I do my announcements we're incorporating many different modes of modeling," he said. "It's not just airplanes; it's not just plastic kits. We're trying to offer something across the spectrum of modeling. We're exposing people to some things and we're reinforcing interests to others."

To learn more about Kite Week at the museum visit: http://owlshead.org/events/detail/kite-week