Man Builds & Displays Sci-Fi Spacecraft for All to Enjoy: The Last Word

Some people take a mundane approach when it comes to displaying things in their front yard. However, there's a man in Millcreek Township who has a display that's anything but ordinary. His display can be described as awesome. I’ve arrived at his house to take a look.

Chas Klawuhn is a big fan of science fiction. The front of his property is adorned with science fiction spacecraft and science fiction characters. They are in his yard. They are in his driveway. They are on his front porch. He built everything himself.

"I've always loved science fiction and watched science fiction movies of course. Everybody gets started into Star Wars and gets into it.  But, it was my grandson that got me really into it,” says Chas.

Chas made a costume for his grandson about ten years ago. It was of a villainous cyberman from the longtime British television series Doctor Who. Soon after, Chas started to build spacecraft. Here's the TARDIS, the time machine and spacecraft from Doctor Who. Here's an X-wing fighter from Star Wars. Flip a switch and you hear the scream of the engines. Neighborhood children love to visit. One child flipped the switch and thought the fighter would take off.

"He thought he was going to take off for sure,” remembers Chas.

Chas takes his space vehicles to parades and sci-fi shows. They are a big hit. A 400 pound man in Ohio was such an avid Star Wars fan he wriggled himself into the pilot's seat of the X-wing fighter and became stuck.

"He says, 'I'm happy right here. Just bury me here in it,” remembers Chas with a laugh. “But, four of us lifted him up out of there."

Chas shows me a TIE fighter from Star Wars. It's a tight fit for me but I love it. I also love the detail Chas puts into all of his spacecraft. Here's the Razor Crest from the Disney+ series called The Mandalorian. Chas admits he shed a tear when the ship was destroyed in Season Two..

"I still get choked up about it,” he says.

However, the Razor Crest lives on in Chas' front yard. On his front porch is a Star Wars hovercraft called a speeder.. Here's the robot "WALL-E", Speaking of robots, here's R2-D2 from Star Wars.

"Come see it. Drive by,” says Chas. “If I'm out here, stop and talk to me. I'm out here a lot."

Chas lives on Arcadia Avenue in Millcreek. It is so appropriate. Doctor Who, the main character in Chas' favorite sci-fi series, lives in the City of Arcadia. Chas builds all of his spacecraft and sci-fi characters from scratch. He has a background in computer repair and copy machine repair. Chas doesn't mind people driving by and even taking pictures as long as they do not knock on his door.