Model Behaviour

If you’re the proud owner of a beautiful yacht, and would like a reminder of your most pri ed possession for your ofce bookshelf, then Bader Yousif Murad is the man to see.

Murad has turned a passion into a highly successful enterprise, creating models of all kinds for businesses and private collectors alike, including planes, yachts, and architectural models.

Born in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, Bader’s interest in models began through his passion for aviation. After graduating from high school, he travelled to Florida to study for his Bachelors Degree, and then a Masters, in aviation and aerospace industry.

It was during his childhood that his current obsession began, while he watched fights take off and land from the airport. In the year 2000 he earned a Guinness World Record for the largest collection of model aircraft, at 1105 pieces. Before long, Bader was selling models from the Middle

How did you learn to create such accurate models?

Ever since I was a child my obsession grew and I started to work with kits. During my time at university I was able to go further into details and I started collecting for four years, and thus I have memorized the structure of airplanes. Building model kits helped me to memorize the shape, and along with my studies I learned every part of the

With time, while building the models I learned what’s wrong or right and what is available in the market and started learning the market trends by knowing what do, what collectors want and through different exhibitions and through direct interaction with collectors.

،ﺰﻟدﻮﻤﻟا و جذﺎﻤﻨﻟﺎﺑ سﻮﻬﻟا اﺬﻫ ﻪﻳﺪﻟ ﺪﻟﻮﺘﻳ أﺪﺑ ﺔﺘﻟﻮﻔﻃ لﻼﺧو روﺎﺠﻤﻟارﺎﻄﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ﻂﺒﻬﺗو ﻊﻠﻘﺗ تاﺮﺋﺎﻄﻟا ﺪﻫﺎﺸﻳ نﺎﻛ ﻦﻴﺣ ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﺳﺎﻴﻘﻟا مﺎﻗر ﻟ ﺲﻴﻨﻴﻏ بﺎﺘﻛ رﺪﺑ ﻞﺧد 2000 ﺔﻨﺳ ﻲﻓ ﻪﻟﺰﻨﻤﻟ 1105 ﺖﻐﻠﺑ ﻲﺘﻟاو تاﺮﺋﺎﻄﻟا

جذﺎﻤﻨﻟا ﻊﻤﺟا تأﺪﺑو ،ﻞﻴﺻﺎﻔﺘﻟا ﺮﺒﻋ ﺖﻤﻠﻌﺗ ،ﺖﻗﻮﻟا ﻊﻣ ﺔﻠﻴﺻﺎﻔﺗ ﻞﻜﺑ تاﺮﺋﺎﻄﻟا ﻞﻜﻴﻫ ﺖﻈﻔﺣ ،قﻮﺴﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺮﻓﻮﺘﻣ ﻮﻫ ﺎﻣ ﻞﻛو ،ﺄﻄﺨﻟاو ﺢﺼﻟا ﻮﻫ ﺎﻣ ﺔﺳرﺎﻤﻤﻟا ﻲﻠﻋ ﺐﺠﻳ يﺬﻟا ﺎﻣ فﺮﻋأ ﻰ ّ ﺘﺣ ﻪﻴﻓ جراﺪﻟاو قﻮﺴﻟا ﻊﺑﺎﺗأ تأﺪﺒﻓ ﻦﻣ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ لﻮﺼﺤﻟﺎﺑ جذﺎﻤﻨﻟا ﻊﻣﺎﺟ ﺐﻏﺮﻴﺳ يﺬﻟا ﺎﻣو ﻪﺑ مﺎﻴﻘﻟا ﻞﻋﺎﻔﺘﻟا ﺮﺒﻋ ﻚﻟﺬﻛو ﺔﻔﻠﺘﺨﻤﻟا ضرﺎﻌﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ﺪﻳﺪﻌﻟا ةرﺎﻳز لﻼﺧ صﺎﺨﺷ ا ءﻻﺆﻫ ﻊﻣ ﺮﺷﺎﺒﻤﻟا ؟ﻪﺘﻴﻨﺑ جذﻮﻤﻧ لوأ نﺎﻛ اذﺎﻣ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻴﻧﺎﺑﺎﻴﻟا

ﻒﻴﻧاﺮﺑ نﺎﻛ ءﻼﻄﺑ مﻮﻗأ نأ ﻚﻟذ ﻞﺒﻗ تﺪﺘﻋا ﻲﺘﻓﺮﻏ ﻲﻓ ﺎﻬﺋﻼﻃو ﺔﻴﻜﻴﺘﺳﻼﺒﻟا ﺔﻋﻮﻨﺼﻣ جذﺎﻤﻨﻟا ﻞﻛ مﻮﻴﻟا ﺎﻬﻳﺮﺘﺷأ ﻲﺘﻟا ﺔﻴﻜﻴﺗﻼﺴﺒﻟا ةﺪﻌﻟا ﻞﺜﻣ نﺪﻌﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ﺔﻋﻮﻨﺼﻤﻟا ةﺮﺋﺎﻄﻟا ءاﺰﺟأ ﺾﻌﺑ ﻊﻣ ،ﺐﺸﺨﻟا ﻦﻣ طﻮﺒﻬﻟا ةﺪﻋ ؟ﻰﺴﻨﺗ ﻻو ﺎﻬﺘﻌﻨﺻ ﻲﺘﻟا جذﺎﻤﻨﻟا ﺮﺜﻛأ ﻲﻫ

What was the frst model you built?

It was a plastic kit 737 ANA (All Nippon Airways), when I was 18 years old. As an individual the frst model I ever sold was a Braniff

International 727, scale 1:200. I got the plastic kit and gave it a handmade paint. I made it in my dorm room.

Before that I used to buy plastic kits and paint them. Now all the models are made from wood, with some parts of the airplane in metal such as landing gear.

What are the most memorable models you have made?

I have designed two special themed airplanes for Gulf Air, one being the Formula 1, which is an A330, and the other was an A320 for the Bahrain Air Show. I have designed couple of models in both cases and the chosen design would be transferred into the airplane that was show cased at those events.

I have done a lot for many different VIPs. The largest model that I have made was a 3m long model. The smallest model made was 15cm.

Why did you start designing marine models as well ?

Airplanes are very complicated, and once you perfect them you can apply the skills to anything. During exhibitions people kept on asking me about boats and yachts. So the idea was placed in my mind, and it worked out well. Very soon people started placing orders and we went on for the next 16 years! I have made many exhibitions across the USA in different states and in Europe.

What are your plans for the future?

A new venture would be an aviator Jackets form World War I & II with a modern touch. They will be released at the end of the year along with vintage aviator briefcases, Classic wallets and aviator watches.

To fnd out more, log on to www.badermodels.com or send an E-mail to bader@badermodels.com www.badermodels.com bader@badermodels.com

Bader With Guinness World Record book for the largest collection of model aircraft, at 1105 pieces

The old town of Muscat and the Muttrah Corniche form the heart of the Sultanate’s sprawling modern-day capital, and much of their heritage has been lovingly preserved for visitors.

The suLTanaTe OF OMan has a rich history dating back thousands of years, from early Bronze and Stone Age archaeological sites to the Portuguese colonisation in the 15th Century and later Oman’s own empire which stretched West to Africa and East to the Asian Subcontinent. Although the Sultanate’s modern-day capital now stretches from the old town all the way to Seeb, the heart of the current city of Muscat can be found on its far Eastern tip, along the coastline stretching from the old trading port of Muttrah to the seat of Oman’s government, the old town of Muscat.

The signifcance of this stretch of coastline can be seen in the many defensive forts and watch towers that are dotted on all major viewpoints along the water’s edge, standing guard over the important sites below.

Muscat

The old town was once entirely surrounded by a walled fortifcation, and right up until the mid20th Century, the gates were closed at dusk for the night. Some of the old wall and many of the old gates can still be seen today, though most have been signifcantly renovated. Within you’ll fnd Al Alam Palace, the offcial residence of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, as well as many cultural centres, including the National Museum of Oman, the Omani-French Museum, and Bait Al Zubair Museum.

For a superb photo opportunity, head to the waterfront by Al Mirani Fort. Aside from Mirani Fort itself, if you turn towards the sea, you get a spectacular view of Al Alam Palace and Al Jalali Fort across the bay. Mirani Fort and Jalali Fort are both restored 16th Century Portuguese forts that have throughout their history been occupied by Portuguese, Ottoman, Persian and Omani forces. Despite its cultural signifcance, the old town of Muscat still retains the air of a peaceful Omani village, with many locals still living in houses and villas clustered amongst the imposing government buildings.

muttrah

Being both close to the Royal Palace and located very near the entrance to the Arabian Gulf, Muttrah’s strategic location has ensured its status as both a trading port and naval base for many hundreds of years. Even today, a wide variety of vessels can be seen there, from old wooden dhows to cargo ships, luxury cruise liners, visiting battleships and even the private yacht of Sultan Qaboos.

A stoll along the Muttrah Corniche (waterfront promenade) is an experience in itself. With 18th Century Arabian architecture, traditional cafes, towering ships, and an imposing 16th Century Portuguese fort perched atop a mountain overlooking it all, it is a photographer’s paradise. Also found on the Corniche is the entrance to the historic Muttrah Souk. Although a major tourist spot, Muttrah Souk still acts as a major trading hub for Omanis and other nationalities who live in the area. Since the labyrinthine lanes and alleyways were covered by the municipality, shielding visitors from the heat, the Souk is bustling with tourist and locals alike 365 days a year.

On the main promenade, you’ll mostly fnd souvenir shops with vendors trying to sell you the usual tacky wares, from fridge magnets to incense burners and traditional Omani headdresses. Along this street is also where the prices are highest. Head deeper into the alleyways, however, and the tourists thin out, and you’re afforded a much more authentic glimpse of what Muttrah Souk is all about. Here you’ll fnd shops that have been family-owned for generations, selling everything from traditional Omani handicrafts and jewellery in gold and silver, embroidered fabrics, imported herbs and spices, and much, much more. It is quite easy to get lost in these alleyways, but fear not! Crime is non-existent, and a friendly shop keep is always on hand to point you in the right direction.

And remember: Never fail to haggle!

Located as they are in close proximity to each other and within a short drive of two of Oman’s most prestigious hotels (the Ritz-Carlton Al Bustan Palace Hotel and the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Hotel and Spa), there are few better ways to get a rich and detailed experience of Oman’s culture and history than a visit to these two locations.