2019 AMSTERDAM AVIATION COLLECTOR'S FAIR PREVIEW
m Model Airliner
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ISSUE 9 | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
BEST OF 2018
MODEL & MANUFACTURER AWARDS
ALL THE LATEST RELEASES...
MODEL REVIEWS... 1/200 HERPA TWA LOCKHEED CONSTELLATION 1/400 NG MODELS EASTERN 757-200 1/400 AEROCLASSICS NORTHWEST DC-6
GEMINIJETS
20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHOTO GALLERY
THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO MODEL AIRLINER COLLECTORS
JC Wings A330-743 (Beluga) is part of the manufacturer's January 2019 releases.
Welcome to Issue 9 of Model Airliner Magazine. A lot has happened since the last issue! We've worked on giving the magazine a fresh look and new manufactuerers such as NG Models have really taken the model market by storm! You can view all their latest offerings over the next few pages. In this issue we also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of GeminiJets. You can see the feature on Page 30. You'll also find 1/400 and 1/200 scale model reviews by our review team. As always, we are always
interested in hearing from you and would welcome any ideas or articles you wish to submit for consideration in a future issue. You can get in touch with us by visiting the contact page on our website at www.modelairliner.com or via email at info@modelairliner.com! Thank you for reading Model Airliner Magazine! Nathan Bennett Editor-In-Chief
m Model Airliner
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LATEST MODEL RELEASES
Editor-In-Chief:
Nathan Bennett
Design:
Nathan Bennett
Contributors:
Richard Stretton
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ODE TO AIRPORT
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2018 MODEL AND MANUFACTURER AWARDS
Daniel Dominguez Andy Payne
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1/400 AEROCLASSICS NORTHWEST DC-6 REVIEW
Published by:
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SPOTTER'S DECK
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1/400 NG MODELS EASTERN 757 REVIEW
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GEMINIJETS 20TH ANNIVERSARY PHOTO GALLERY
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COLLECTORS SPOTLIGHT
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AMSTERDAM AVIATION COLLECTORS FAIR PREVIEW
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1/200 HERPA TWA L-1649A REVIEW
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Donald Gardner Delta Golf Publishing LLC
Cover Photos: Raimond Schulz Herpa Wings Every effort is made to ensure all the information in this publication is accurate. All views and thoughts are solely made by Model Airliner Magazine except within an interview or feature where the views are solely of the interviewee or contributor in question. © Copyright 2019 Delta Golf Publishing LLC. Model Airliner Magazine Issue 09. All rights reserved. Unauthorized redistribution or duplication of this publication is prohibited.
LATEST RELEASES NG MODELS 1/400 | FEBRUARY 2019 RELEASES (Available March 2019) Tajik Air Boeing 757-200 EY-751 Taban Airlines Boeing 757-200 EY-752 DHL Boeing 757-200F G-DHKO British Airways Boeing 757-200 G-BMRJ (Caledonian Livery) DHL Boeing 757-200F VH-TCA (Rugby World Cup 2015) Britannia Airways Boeing 757-200 G-BYAD (Keep Duty Free) DHL Boeing 757-200PCF G-BMRJ (Protecting Rhinos) TUI Airways Boeing 757-200WL G-OOBN
NG MODELS 1/200 | FEBRUARY 2019 RELEASES (Available March 2019)
United Express CRJ-200LR N959SW
Delta Connection CRJ-100ER N779CA
ExecuJet Europe CRJ-200SE D-AANN
US Airways Express CRJ-200ER N418AW
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LATEST RELEASES GEMINI JETS 1/400 | FEBRUARY 2019 RELEASES
British Airways L-1011-1 (Negus Livery) G-BBAG Emirates Airbus A380-800 (Orange Expo Logo) A6-EOU Royal Brunei Airbus A320neo V8-RBA Silver Airways ATR-42-600 N400SV Tarom IL-62M (Old Blue Tail Livery) YR-IRE Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321neo VN-A616 Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 G-VBIG UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11F N280UP
GEMINI200 1/200 | FEBRUARY 2019 RELEASES
American Boeing 737-800(W) (Polished) N921NN American Eagle CRJ200 N230PS British Airways Airbus A350-1000 G-XWBA Gulfstream G650 N652GJ Philippines Airbus A321neo RP-C9930 PSA McDonnell Douglas MD-80 N930PS U.S.A.F. Boeing C-17 (Charlotte ANG) 00183
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LATEST RELEASES PHOENIX 1/400 | JANUARY 2019 RELEASES
Caribbean Boeing 737-800(W) (Bird Logo on Tail) 9Y-ANU
ANA Boeing 787-9 (Star Alliance Livery) JA899A
Caribbean Boeing 737-800(W) (No Logo on Tail) 9Y-JMC
Air Inchon Cargo Boeing 737-400F HL8271
Latam Boeing 777-300ER PT-MUI
JAL Boeing 767-300ER (JAL DREAM EXPRESS 90) JA602J
China Southern Boeing 787-9 (787th B787 Delivered) B-1168
Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787-9 F-OMUA
Chongqing Airlines Airbus A320-200 B-6761
Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX 8 C-FSDQ
Thai Airways Boeing 737-400 (New Titles) HS-TDD
Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX 8 C-FSJH
Thai Airways Boeing 737-400 (Old Titles) HS-TDG
Etihad Boeing 787-9 (F1 2019) A6-BLV
Asiana Airbus A380-800 HL7640
Singapore Cargo Boeing 747-400F (Intl Koala Centre) 9V-SPF
JC WINGS 1/400 | JANUARY 2019 RELEASES Korean Air Boeing 747-400 HL7402
Airbus A330-743 (Beluga) F-WBXL
Far Eastern Air Transport Boeing 757-200 B-27017
Shanghai Airlines Boeing 707-300C (Old Livery) B-2425
ANA Cargo Boeing 777F JA771F
Cargolux Boeing 747-400ERF (Sea Life Trust) LX-ECV
ANA Cargo Boeing 777F (Flaps Down) JA771F
Air Transat Boeing 757-200 C-GTSE
Airbus Blank Airbus A350-1000
Air New Zealand Airbus A320neo (White/Black Tail) ZK-NHA
McDonnell Douglas MD-90 (House Purple Livery) N901DC
Garuda Indonesia Airbus A330-300 (80’s Retro Livery) PK-GHD
JC Wings A330-743 (Beluga).
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LATEST RELEASES JC WINGS 1/200 | JANUARY 2019 RELEASES British Airways Airbus A320-200 (Landor Livery) G-BUSI
Air Canada Boeing 777-300ER “Go Canada Go", Flaps Down
Korean Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 HL7570
United Boeing 747-400 (Blue Tulip Livery) N104UA
Egyptair Cargo Airbus A300-600R(F) SU-GAS
United Boeing 747-400 (Blue Tulip Livery, Flaps) N104UA
Inter Canadian FK-100 C-FICP
Air New Zealand Airbus A320neo (White/Black Tail) ZK-NHA
EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER Sanrio Characters B-16722
Garuda Indonesia Airbus A330-300 (80’s Retro Livery) PK-GHD
EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER Sanrio Characters Flaps Down
FedEx West Atlantic Boeing 737-800W(BCF) G-NPTD
Air Canada Boeing 777-300ER “Go Canada Go” C-FITL
JC WINGS 'FLAPS DOWN' PROTOTYPE IN DETAIL
JC Wings Boeing 747-400 (Flaps Down Prototype).
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LATEST RELEASES INFLIGHT200 1/200 | JANUARY 2019 RELEASES German Cargo Douglas DC-8-73(CF) D-ADUA
Sabena Airbus A340-300 OO-SCZ
British Airways Boeing 747-400 G-CIVJ
Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 B-1136
British Airways Boeing 747-400 G-BNLP
Air China Boeing 737 MAX 8 B-1178
Delta Air Lines Boeing 747-100 N9896 (Polished)
American Airlines Boeing 737-800 N915NN
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner JA888A
Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-VXQ
China Southern Airlines A320neo B-8545
United Airlines Boeing 747-400 N171UA
Freedom Air Airbus A320-200 ZK-OJK
Boeing (House Livery) KC-747 N1352B polished
Eurowings Airbus A330-200 D-AXGF
Royal Jordanian Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner JY-BAH
Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-300 TC-LOC
China Eastern Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner B-206K
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LATEST RELEASES AEROCLASSICS 1/400 | JANUARY 2019 RELEASES Mexicana Boeing 727-200 XA-MXD
United Airlines Boeing 767-200 N68159
Copa Panama Boeing 737 MAX 9 HP-990CMP
Continental Airlines Douglas DC-6 N90960
El Al Boeing 757-200 w/stairs 4X-EBL
Continental Airlines Douglas DC-6 N90961
El Al Boeing 757-200 w/stairs 4X-EBR
Continental Airlines Douglas DC-6 N90962
USAir Boeing 757-200 N602AU
CP Air Douglas DC-8-40 CF-CPJ
Continental Airlines Boeing 767-200 N76151
AeroMexico Douglas DC-9-30 XA-TFO
El Al Boeing 767-200 w/stairs 4X-EAB
Air New Zealand McDonnell Douglas DC-10 ZK-NZR
El Al Boeing 767-200 w/stairs 4X-EAD
AEROCLASSICS 1/400 | FEBRUARY 2019 RELEASES jetBlue Airbus A320 N633JB
El Al Boeing B767 w/Stairs 4X-EAC
Lufthansa Airbus A320 D-AIZC
Polynesian Airlines Boeing B767 C-FBEG
Hawaiian Airbus A321
US Airways Boeing B767 N648US
SUN D'OR Boeing B757 w/stairs 4X-EBS
Air Micronesia Douglas DC-6 N90961
AeroMexico Boeing B767 XA-JBC
Northwest Douglas DC-6 N573
Air Canada Boeing B767 C-GAUS
AeroMexico Douglas DC-10 N10038
El Al Boeing B767 w/Stairs 4X-EAA
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LATEST RELEASES HERPA 1/500 | MARCH/APRIL 2019 RELEASES National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400BCF
Lufthansa Airbus A350-900 - new colors
Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental (New Colors)
Malaysia Airlines Airbus A350-900
TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-900neo
Braniff International BAC 1-11-200 Jelly bean Ochre
CSA - Czechoslovak Airlines Tupolev TU-134A
Braniff International BAC 1-11-200 Turqoise
Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-100
SAS Scandinavian Airlines ATR-72-600
DHL Aviation (European Air Transport) Airbus A330-200F
United Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
Gulf Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
USAF Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy (337th Airlift Squadron)
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ODE TO AIRPORT A BOOK, A MOVIE, A MODEL
Published 50 years ago, Arthur Hailey’s Airport provides not only a classic story, but insight into the operations of major airports a half century ago. The movie adaptation of the novel, Airport (1970), was a similar hit, and resulted in the rise of the disaster film genre during the decade. This is a look into the novel, the movie, and the 1:400 scale model. THE BOOK Lincoln International Airport, the self-proclaimed “Aviation Crossroads of the World” outside Chicago, Illinois, is under attack from the greatest storm in over a decade. 10
By Andy T Payne
Around-the-clock snow fighting on both airside and landside push crews to their limits. An Aéreo-Mexican 707, taxing onto Runway 30, mistakes a taxiway light and becomes mired in mud, closing both the runway and part of the taxiway. The closure of Runway 30 forces departures onto the shorter Runway 25, whose climb-out requires full throttle over the posh community of Meadowwood, ensuing a visit from a hot-headed lawyer and a protest at the airport that very night by disgruntled residents.
Inside the glass and chrome terminal, every seat is taken by stranded passengers and their respective baggage piles into mountains across the floor. Tempers flare, complaints are filed, and airline employees are harassed to resignation. The situation in air cargo is just the same, with time-sensitive perishables for every corner of the globe – greenhouse flowers, cheese, live lobster, and hours-old turkey poults – crammed into the warehouses, waiting for shipment. Air traffic control is short staffed, but manages to hold twenty inbound aircraft to allow a damaged KC-135 to land, further increasing the departure queue to twice the size of the arrivals. An elderly Ada Quonsett, a frequent stowaway, is escorted to a flight back home, but manages to escape to board a different flight to a far-flung destination. Meanwhile, the Golden Argosy, Trans America Airlines Flight 2, boards for its ill-fated trip to Rome, carrying a deranged ex-contractor with a homemade bomb. Hailey not only tells the story of the airport, but the lives of those who make it function. General Manager Mel Bakersfeld sees the need for expansion – the modern airport is obsolescent, for the present, not to mention the planned widebodies and supersonic aircraft to come. Ripped between a failing marriage, relations with Tanya Livingston (a passenger relations agent),
and his job, one must collapse. Joe Patroni is a brash TWA Mechanic willing to stop at nothing to get the job done. His task tonight: get the Aereo-Mexican 707 off the runway before the landing of a crippled airliner…all in one piece or as scrap metal. Keith Bakersfeld is an air traffic controller haunted by a midair collision and the ensuing aftermath. Captain Vernon Demerst, brother in law to Mel, is a Trans America Capitan with a history of affairs with stewardesses, including Gwen Meighen. THE 1970 MOVIE Directed by George Seaton and Produced by Ross Hunter, the movie parallels the book closely, sticking to the original names and most of the dialogue of the novel, while also incorporating various subplots, with a special focus on Flight 2. There are some minor differences in the book and the movie, such as the change of airline names from “Trans American” to “Trans Global” and Runway 30 to Runway 29. Filming was conducted at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport in early 1969, and the real-life traffic of the time was captured in the film. The terminal in the film is the Charles A. Lindbergh Terminal, completed in 1962. Today, it is Terminal 1 – Lindbergh. The snow used in filming is artificial; the weather was clear during filming.
A diorama rendition of Lincoln International Airport. Photo by Andy Payne.
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The cast is notable as being filled with famous actors of the time. The cast is as follows: Burt Lancaster as Mel Bakersfeld, Dean Martin as Capt. Vernon Demerest, Jean Seberg as Tanya Livingston, Jacqueline Bisset as Gwen Meighen, George Kennedy as Joe Patroni, Helen Hayes as Ada Quonsett, Van Heflin as D.O. Guerrero.
Caledonian, Zambia Airways, Bangladesh Biman Airways, Libyan Arab Airlines, Arkia Israel Airlines, El Al, Omega Air, and Transbrasil. She was written off while under lease flying for Transbrasil after crashing while on approach to São Paulo, taking all lives onboard and twenty two on the ground on March 21st 1989.
The film plays out as a soap opera, with a hearty amount of clichés. Even while in theaters, it was criticized as lacking zest and suspense. On the other hand, as noted by its 1970 New York Times review, it conjures nostalgia of a bygone era, “not only for the innocence of old movies but also for the innocent old times in which we saw them.”
THE MODEL
Alfred Newman scored the movie, which was his last work. The film received ten Academy Award nominations (Hayes won Best Supporting Actress), and was the second highest grossing film of 1970, making $100.5 million from a budget of $10.2 million. Three sequels followed, Airport 1975, Airport '77, The Concorde: Airport '79, with generally decreasing reviews chronologically. Astute viewers will recognize a few quotes from Airport used in Airplane!, and a similar airline name to the book. The following aircraft were also included in the film: American Airlines 707; Braniff BAC-111; North Central Convairliner; Northwest: 707, 727, L188; Saturn DC-861F; United 727; Western B732; MN ANG C97G
The Trans Global 707 has been represented in 1:200 and 1:400 scales. In the scale of 1:200, Blue Box released the 707 with the “sparkle” in 2010. Inflight 200 released a polished version in 2018. The model represented in this article is the Aeroclassics model released in May 2004. The box itself has no mention of Aeroclassics, rather “Golden Falcon Models,” nevertheless it is the respectable 707-320B/C mold of the brand. It is listed as a “redemption model,” limited to 120 units. Today, it is a rather uncommon model and as such frequently commands high prices (occasionally triple digits). Aeroclassics has done their homework, noting 707320C specific details, such as the rectangular nose gear doors, cargo door, and hat rack door.
THE REAL DEAL
The livery itself, of course, reflects the real life prototype, and the printing is well done. However, the cockpit windows seem a tad high, but it is a minor scruple. The Aeroclassics 707/720s are prone to bent HF Antennae, but this example required little correction.
One of the stars of the movie was the aircraft itself, N324F, a Boeing 707-349C (C/N 19354, L/N 503). This 707 in particular has had a colorful history.
My personal tastes are towards polished metal to represent unpainted portions, but this appears to be an aluminum color paint.
First flown out of Renton on June 9th, 1966, on the 21st of the same month she was leased to Flying Tiger Line. She was loaned to Universal January-March 1969 for filming, and returned. She was sold shortly after to Aer Lingus, and for almost 20 years flew for Qantas, British
Overall, despite its age, it is a fine model of an aircraft immortalized in the 1970 classic film. For those who hold the film (or the book, or both) in high regard, it is a musthave, and a shining work of art in any collection.
Photo Left and Bottom: AeroClassics 1/400 scale TransGlobal Boeing 707. Photos by Andy Payne.
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THE DIECAST FLIER
2018 MODEL AWARDS
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD STRETTON
2018 has been an excellent year for 1/400 scale, probably the best that I have seen in the decade or so that I have been collecting. There has been a diversity of manufacturers and brands restored to the market that has been sorely lacking since Witty went under back in 2014. Not only is Panda still about, but the arrival of Aviation400, NG Models and HYJLwings has stimulated the scene like never before. This year I reviewed 53 models in total and I have tried to represent the majority of the market where possible. In this end of year review I’ll dive into the trends for each manufacturer and announce my brand and model of the year. As you hopefully know I review models in three scored categories: • The mould of the aircraft • The paint and livery • Printing and quality control Each can get a maximum score of 10 for a section giving a maximum combined total score of 30. The total score then falls somewhere in the following range:
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The overall total for the year of all models averaged out is an improvement over that of 2017, however this is partly a result of the arrival of NG Models and HYJLwings. If anything my feeling is there has been a decline among the legacy manufacturers as a whole despite some attempts by them to fight back. Take out the scores for NG / HYJLwings and the averages are less impressive but it is also the fact that in general I avoid buying knowingly bad models that means the average is higher this year than in 2017, when I had less choice over what I reviewed. Looking at what I’ve reviewed here are the totals for each manufacturer: 16 AEROCLASSICS 10 NG MODELS / HYJL WINGS 8 JC WINGS 6 PHOENIX
5 GEMINI JETS 4 PANDA MODELS 3 AVIATION400 1 BIGBIRD MK3
There have been some changes since last year. The biggest is that I have started only reviewing models I buy for my own collection, or that are sent to me by the manufacturers. This is because it is simply too difficult to shift models on the seconds market in New Zealand to make it worthwhile. This has most heavily impacted GeminiJets. It is symptomatic with my boredom with Gemini that I only reviewed 5 of their models this year and none of them were widebodies. This lack of interest has also impacted Phoenix although less so (down from 10 to 6). Aeroclassics remain steady with the same number of reviews as in 2017. I love Aeroclassics release selections, if not always the finished product, and bought over 50 of their models this year. Panda stay roughly static whilst Aviation400 get a trio of reviews enabling them to feature for the first time. The single review for Bigbird Mk3 tells you that they do not produce enough models to really matter. Herpa are as bad and I haven’t acquired any of the handful of models they have made this past year. The big change though of course is the arrival of NG Models and HYJLwings and this year I have purchased almost as many of their models as I have Aeroclassics. They would have more reviews if they had a wider mould portfolio (it’s coming) but even so they got 10 reviews in 2018.
Here is the 2018 rundown of the 7 qualifying manufacturers from worst to best:
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PHOENIX = 23.3 (last year 23.8) Phoenix continue to be the sort of boring and unoriginal manufacturer that just doesn’t interest me much, especially as the majority of their models are made by others, often on superior moulds. Only one of the six models I reviewed this year got into the top ‘High Flyer’ category and that was a Boeing 777 (a mould which has long been one of their best but which has now been eclipsed by JC Wings’ 777). Phoenix 1/400 Boeing 777-300.
JC Wings 1/400 Lucky Air A330.
Head Desk! Check out the fuselage rego and the one on the wing – sigh. I also stooped to reviewing a Phoenix 747 this year, which predictably scored poorly. The new 737 MAX-8 mould is ordinary at best and the new Phoenix innovation, of spinning engine fanblades, is in my opinion a waste of time and introduces the opportunity for QC errors with the now multi-piece engine nacelles.
Phoenix 1/400 Air China B737 MAX 8
Phoenix Uni-top Airlines Boeing 747-400F
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AEROCLASSICS = 24.3 (last year 24.8) Aeroclassics still produce the best range of 1:400 scale models in terms of variety, however 2018 was another underperforming year. My relationship with AC has been complicated and I started the year as a kind of Judas in their eyes. Now my relationship with them has improved hugely and I know that they are working hard to improve the quality of their models and have taken major steps to work on the detailing of them. Aeroclassics 1/400 LAM Mozambique DC-10.
Aeroclassics 1/400 Seaboard World C-46.
Aeroclassics 1/400 Aloha Vickers Viscount.
This will hopefully bear fruit in 2019, but looking at the 2018 scores you can see it is the livery application and more worryingly the quality control (something that 5 years ago wasn’t an issue for them) that have produced the most wobbles. Aeroclassics 1/400 Ariana Afghan DC-10.
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Aeroclassics 1/400 Ozark DC-9.
Even so they are more than capable of making great models and a quarter of the reviewed models score 28 out of 30. Sadly 3 others score less than 22. The 737 MAX moulds although welcome have been disappointing and need some work to make them competitive with those from JC Wings and Panda (and even Phoenix). The new 767 is better but has also required some modifications, which have impacted the early releases. Aeroclassics 1/400 TWA Boeing 767-200.
Aeroclassics 1/400 Mauritania Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Where Aeroclassics still knocks it out of the park is with its Douglas moulds and propliners. I know Aeroclassics have some other new material on the horizon in 2019 and I look forward to seeing where they go. They will do better in the new year I am sure.
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GEMINIJETS = 25.2 (last year 23.4) Gemini actually improved their score significantly this year, but to be honest that is probably more a reflection of the models I bought of theirs rather than the quality of the models themselves. Certainly, I have seen plenty of complaints about Gemini releases from other collectors. GeminiJets 1/400 Alaska ERJ-175.
GeminiJets 1/400 China Eastern BAE-146.
GeminiJets 1/400 Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737-500.
The only models they make that really interest me are the Chinese ones and even then really only narrowbodies, which means my reviews tend to focus on the more obscure types (BAE 146s, 737500s, Saabs) and not 787s etc. In fact my Gemini reviews are such outliers that I feel my overall Gemini score should come with a disclaimer. Nonetheless the models I bought were solid if not spectacular 1/400s. I can’t see myself reviewing a lot more Gemini products in 2019 as they continue to produce airline/aircraft combinations that fall well outside my collection criteria and many of their moulds (757s, 777s, 787s, A320s, A330s, A350s, A380s) are out of date and surpassed by competitors.
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JC WINGS = 26.8 (last year 25.8) JC Wings have improved upon their 2017 score (last year they came 2nd to Panda) and of the 8 models reviewed this year most have been very good (half have scored 28 or 29). Nonetheless as with Gemini (whose mould catalogue they share) I avoid certain models (A320s, A330s, A380s) so they don’t feature in the reviews to bring the score down. Also the updates to older moulds have been middling. The updated 757 mould is fine (although not a patch on NG’s) but the one I reviewed was poor in the non-mould categories, whilst the updated Witty Tristar was disappointing. JC Wings 1/400 Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER (Asia's World City).
JC Wings 1/400 Xiamen Air Boeing 787-9 (United Nations).
JC Wings 1/400 SF Airlines Boeing 757-200.
JC Wings 1/400 Ukraine International Boeing 777-200.
JC Wings 1/400 Cathay Pacific L-1011.
They do have several world class moulds (737 MAX-8, 777s and 787s) and in 2019 these should be joined by a 747-400. If they could only produce models at all close to the dates they were announced I think JC would garner more respect in the marketplace than they do. Everytime I post about them people complain about the long wait times. They don’t show any sign of actually changing this but even so sometimes JC models are worth the wait.
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AVIATION400 = 26.7 (last year N/A) AV400 are a new entrant to the 1:400 scale but as they are part of the Inflight empire they are not new to the die-cast scene. This is a plus and a minus. On the plus side their models introduce elements that are seen in 1:200 (stands and navigation beacons) but on the minus side they have a small mould catalogue and their production is JC Wings like in its stop start releases. Some announced models have never seen the light of day and simply disappeared. Aviation400 1/400 Sichuan Airlines Airbus A350-900.
Aviation400 1/400 Airbus A350-900 (House Livery).
Aviation400 1/400 Cathay Pacific Airbus A340-300.
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They are also far from immune to the sort of lazy research that bedevils all the older manufacturers and show no interest in engaging with the collectorate. None of the three models reviewed score above 27, but then again none score less than 26 either. On the plus side they have very good Airbus widebody moulds with their A350 bearing the brunt of the releases and being the best in 1:400 (although not perfect). Whether they will expand their footprint in this scale or continue to dabble in 2019 is one of the big questions of the year for me.
PANDA MODELS = 27.3 (last year 28.0) Panda have reached outside of China in 2018 or at least they have identified Northern Europe and Switzerland as worthwhile markets. They also have an interest in Easyjet, all the more so since for legal reasons few other manufacturers will touch that airline. Ironically this has meant that they are less interesting to my collecting and in 2018 I have bought only 11 of their models (compared to 37 in 2017). Panda 1/400 COMAC ARJ21-700.
Panda 1/400 Shenzhen Airlines Airbus A320neo.
Panda 1/400 Air China Boeing 737-89L.
Panda’s score has actually dropped from last year but even so the general quality of the Panda releases has remained high and they place well above the legacy manufacturers. If it wasn’t for the new players on the scene they would take the trophy.
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NG MODELS / HYJL WINGS = 28.4 (last year N/A) For the purposes of this review I have combined NG and HYJLwings together. They are not strictly the same as HYJLwings is run separately, but the models are all made by the same people. HYJLwings has sole use of the excellent A321 series of moulds but also uses the NG 757 mould too. NG itself has moulds for the Comac 919, Boeing 737-800, 757-200 and 787-9 with several more to come (Beluga XL, L-1011 Tristar 500 etc). NG 1/400 United Boeing 757-200.
NG 1/400 C919.
NG 1/400 Airbus A321neo (House Livery).
NG Models walks away with the 2018 prize for best manufacturer easily. Of the 10 models I’ve reviewed none score lower than 28. The quality is amazing across the board. This is a staggering achievement made all the more impressive by the friendliness and community spirit that Lily of NG has shown. They have been amazingly open with the collectors (mainly on the DAC forum) and asked for and taken onboard advice from many sources (including yours truly). It has been a pleasure to work with them and assist in the production of such fabulous models. If NG can continue to build on their success in 2019 then 1:400 scale will be in a great state. I am hugely impressed with them. Their engagement and responsiveness is unmatched and the models top class. Great work NG!
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR 2018 NG MODELS | 1/400 scale 22
MODEL OF THE YEAR 2018 HONEYWELL AVIATION BOEING 757-200 NG MODELS | 1/400 scale
NG 1/400 Honeywell Boeing 757-200.
NG 1/400 Qantas Boeing 787-9.
NG 1/400 Britannia Boeing 737-800.
For model of the year it has to be one of the ten NG Models/HYJLwings I’ve reviewed. Eight models scored 29 or above in 2018 and six of these were from NG Models (the other two were a Panda Models 737 MAX-8 and a JC Wings 77W). For many model of the year was the NG Qantas 787-9 but the version I reviewed was a sample and didn’t score as highly as the production version would have done. Two models have scored 100% (or 30/30), which frankly I didn’t think was possible. These were the Britannia 737-800 and the Honeywell 757, and for me it is the latter that must win model of the year. Producing a bespoke model with all that extra detailing for a single release shows everything that has made NG a success so far. It is a lovely model and considering the impetus the NG 757 has given 1:400 scale as a whole a 757 is a deserving victor. I look forward to continuing my reviews into 2019 and there are plenty of new and exciting models in the pipeline, especially trijets!
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MODEL AIRLINER MAGAZINE REVIEW
Northwest DC-6 Aeroclassics 1/400 Scale
[N573] Article and Photos by Richard Stretton N573 is part of Aeroclassics 1/400 February 2019 release lineup.
Aeroclassics is nowadays not only the only manufacturer in 1:400 scale producing classic prop-liners, but about the only manufacturer producing propeller driven aircraft on a semi-regular basis at all, aside from the Gemini Saab or DHC-8. That is a shame, but at the same time Aeroclassics is usually very good at its props and has covered much of the golden age of aviation from 1945-1960 when props ruled the skies. Even better it is revisiting old releases and remaking them on newer moulds. Such is the case with this Northwest DC-6B.
THE REAL THING In the immediate postwar era Douglas Aircraft Company aircraft ruled the skies. The DC-3 had already been a massive success prewar, but during World War Two Douglas made a further nearly 30,000 aircraft of which a sizeable number were C-47s and C-54s (military variants of the DC-3 and DC-4). Lockheed of course stole a march on Douglas immediately at the end of the war with its Constellation, but Douglas quickly fought
back with the pressurized DC-6 and after some teething troubles the type would form the backbone of many airlines’ fleets – or at least the DC-6B variant would. Northwest Orient Airlines, as its name suggested, was building a trans-pacific network from its Seattle and Minneapolis hubs across to Tokyo, via Anchorage in Alaska and Shemya in the Aleutian chain and onwards to Seoul, Shanghai and Manila. The ‘Great Circle’ Orient flights were initiated with C-54s in 1946 and supplemented in 1949 with ten luxurious Boeing 377 Stratocruisers. The former was however approaching obsolescence and the latter hopelessly expensive to run and not particularly reliable either. Northwest needed a more practical workhorse for its trunk domestic routes and the longer Pacific services and during the 1950s went on a serious spending binge as it placed orders for 63 prop aircraft. Twenty-four of these would be the versatile Douglas DC-6A/B, widely held to be the most efficient and reliable piston airliner ever made. Northwest received
The livery colours are accurate with the purple dark and red bright.
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its first in January 1954, although the first five were actually the cargo variant DC-6A. The first 76-seater DC-6B proper joined in October 1954. Northwest had actually ordered the long-haul Lockheed Super Constellation also, but only four were ever delivered and served for only three years before replacement with further DC-6Bs and new DC-7Cs. With DC-7Cs joining increasingly the DC-6s would operate on the domestic network. Indeed, the DC-6B would continue to join the Northwest fleet even into 1959 and work alongside the DC7Cs into the mid-60s, by which time all the DC-7Cs were pure freighters. Unlike the DC-7s, the more reliable engines of the DC-6s gave them decent secondary careers and N573, which had been delivered in February 1957, was sold in May 1964 to the Danish charter airline Sterling Airways. As OY-BAU she served, alongside several former Northwest machines, until she was broken up at Copenhagen in June 1970.
A view of the underside of N573.
THE MODEL The format for my reviews is to split them into three key areas: • The mould of the aircraft • The paint and livery • Printing and quality control Each can get a maximum score of 10 for a section giving a maximum combined total score of 30.
THE MOULD Aeroclassics is actually onto its third DC-6 mould as it created its first back at the dawn of the 1:400 age prior to the usage of Tampo printing. The second mould appeared in 2004 and to be honest wasn’t a sizeable improvement partly because of a square cut wing seam cradle mounting (similar to several other early Aeroclassics prop moulds), but mainly due to a rather inaccurate nose region. Fortunately, in 2010 Aeroclassics produced a new casting which along with its equally good DC-4, DC-7 and DC-7C moulds mean they have an exceptional line-up of Douglas props to call upon. The initial releases had a longer radome but all those since 2014 have a rounder stubbier nose – both are accurate for a DC-6B, however in this case the longer nose would be more accurate for a Northwest DC-6B. I get the feeling the long nose casting is no longer available. The mould is very good. The nose and cockpit region is perfect, whilst the long thin nosegear bay doors and nosegear itself are finely detailed and remarkably robust. No need for rolling gears here and the aircraft is better for it. There is a small seam line (as this is still a cradle mould) but it is discrete, following the wing and is not an issue. The wings are great and as Aeroclassics commonly does with its props the engine cowlings are plastic addons, which allows for greater detail. Lastly the rear fuselage and stabilizers are pretty much perfect. There really isn’t anything substantial to complain about with this mould. It is one of the best and would garner a perfect score if it had the longer nose. SCORE – 9/10
PAINT & LIVERY
had Northwest titles in the red cheatline under the cockpit and some never wore the large compass logo aft of the cockpit. Some also had the registration on the fuselage rather than tail. Upon delivery this aircraft definitely did have the compass logo present and reg on the tail as a photo from 1958 of N573 at Honolulu shows. Perhaps as the DC-6s were repurposed for domestic duties they lost the trappings of international service like the compass logo and large flag on the wings? The livery colours are accurate with the purple dark and the red bright (unlike on later jets where the red is often too dark). The original Northwest release actually has the NORTHWEST titles in the red cheatline forward and so is probably incorrect. This new version matches the photos I have seen and has superior definition of the compass logo (which is correctly oriented on both sides). Even so there are a couple of minor errors near the nose. Firstly, the aircraft fleet number 673 is present on the nosegear doors, albeit so faintly I had to use a magnifying glass to see it, but it is incorrectly placed near the anterior tip rather than at the midway point. Secondly the red stripe should downcurve ever so slightly as it touches the black radome and it does not.
detail is also good, even on the nosegear where the black painting is sometimes rather hit and miss on Aeroclassics props. The mould is relatively simple to construct, that is if it weren’t for the multi-part engine assemblies. On this model all four engines are perfectly constructed and look excellent. Everything else is in its place properly. SCORE – 10/10
CONCLUSION Aeroclassics can certainly do prop-liners, often better than it does jets. This model is more than a worthy successor to the earlier release (of sistership N572) and once again shows that when to comes to Douglas aircraft Aeroclassics has a high standard. I look forward to further DC-6s to expand my prop fleet and replace older DC-6s on the previous mould casting. FINAL SCORE – 28/30
SCORING CHART
Another difference between the old release and the new is that on the old release the red wingtips do not continue onto the flaps whereas on the new version they do. I don’t have photographic evidence either way so I’ll give this version the benefit of the doubt here. SCORE – 9/10
PRINTING AND QUALITY CONTROL The level of printing detail required on old prop-liners is a lot less than on modern types and in this case the mould has detailing for control surfaces so they don’t need to be printed. Even so the printing present (things like the forward aerials, and belly cargo doors) is fine and there are no print quality problems. Painting A forward view of the 1/400 Aeroclassics Northwest DC-6.
Northwest is of course famous for its red tails but there was substantial variation in the various red tail schemes throughout time even during the 1950s when all the prop-liners wore almost the same scheme. The DC-6s never seem to have 25
K C E D S ' SPOTTER minguez
Photos by Daniel Do
Welcome to our Spotter’s Deck. We realize that many aviation enthusiasts are photographers as well so we wanted to showcase their talents! Enjoy some photos from regular contributor Daniel Dominguez.
AeroMexico Boeing 787-9 "Quetzacoatl" XA-ADL at Mexico City International Airport.
Night shot of British Airways A380-800 G-XLEB on final approach at LAX.
Birdseye view of El Al "Retro" Boeing 787-9 4X-EDF at LAX.
Air France Airbus A380-800 prepares for its next departure from Mexico City.
KLM Boeing 747-500 PH-BFU touches down at Mexico City International Airport.
Want to be featured in our Spotter’s Deck? Submit your photos to info@modelairliner.com! 26
MODEL AIRLINER MAGAZINE FIRST NG MODEL REVIEW...
Eastern Boeing 757-200 [N510EA] NG Models 1/400
NG Models 757 mould is gaining a strong following and has now been used not just by NG themselves but also Dream Air, HYJLwings and Aeroclassics. Impressively they have also produced several versions of the standard mould, the latest of which features the earlier Rolls Royce RB211535C engines. So far, I have been able to replace 8 of my older Gemini 757s and 1 Dragon Wings with the new mould and Eastern is of course an obvious choice for a new release.
THE REAL THING The 727-200 Advanced was without a doubt the aircraft of the 1970s and formed the basis of the fleets of most major Western airlines (aside from British Airways). In the USA its dominance was even more marked but as the oil crisis hit and new technologies like high-bypass ratio turbofans arrived the 727 design began to look a little long in the tooth. Boeing responded with two new related designs, one of which was the 7N7. Initially this looked rather odd, having the nose and T-tail of the 727 but with a long thin fuselage and two engines mounted under the wing. Fortunately, this chimeric design never saw the light of day and the final design for what would become the 757 had an all new nose and tail configuration. Eastern and British Airways had become launch customers with a 40 aircraft order signed on August 31, 1978. Two engine options were available but both the launch customers chose the Rolls-Royce RB211-535C making it the first time that a Boeing aircraft was launched with non-US engines.
Article and Photos by Richard Stretton
Eastern in the late 1970s was enjoying something of a rebirth under the leadership of former Astronaut Frank Bormann and was even starting to make some money again after a less than stellar period in the 1960s and early 70s. Eastern’s fleet was relatively old, consisting of lots of older 727-100s and DC-9s, yet Eastern’s lack of cash had led to them taking a punt on the Airbus A300. Boeing was keen to regain Eastern as a customer with its new 7N7. Eastern was the first carrier to put the new 757 into service, accepting its first aircraft on January 1, 1983 less than a year after the type’s first flight on February 19, 1982. Unfortunately for Eastern the industry had changed since it had placed its order and the 757s, proudly displaying their type name in huge letters on the tail, were to be the last new aircraft Eastern ever operated. Deregulation had opened up Eastern’s network to competition, it faced a powerful Delta at its Atlanta hub and the US had entered into recession. Eastern in fact struggled to be able to afford the 757s at all. Faced with these omens Bormann attempted to negotiate with his workforce for pay concessions but ran afoul of powerful union figures personified by the machinist’s union leader Charlie Bryan. The result was the sale of Eastern to Frank Lorenzo’s Texas Air and a downward spiral that saw the airline close its doors on January 19, 1991.
The aircraft type is displayed on the tail of the model.
The Rolls-Royce logo can be found on both engine nacelles.
Nose section.
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Unlike much of their fleet the majority of Eastern’s 27 757s served until the end. Many found second homes with USAir but some moved to Europe. N510EA joined Airtours International, as fittingly G-MCEA, in February 1995. Her career ended with them, renamed as MyTravel Airways, in March 2005 and she was finally broken up in late September 2005.
THE MODEL The format for my reviews is to split them into three key areas: • • •
The mould of the aircraft The paint and livery Printing and quality control
Each can get a maximum score of 10 for a section giving a maximum combined total score of 30.
THE MOULD I have owned the Gemini Jets Eastern 757 release for close to a decade and admit it was one of my favourite 757 models,
however as nice as it is it cannot compete against the NG 757, nor would you expect it to given its age. The fuselage shape of the NG Models mould is excellent across the board, particularly the attractive nose shape and wingroot area. The latter is a really nicely contoured design with an exceptionally tight fit for the wings. The biggest weakpoint of the old Gemini 757s has been the landing gear. This has recently been updated to compete more evenly against the NG mould but even so is still inferior to the delicate and finely detailed nosegear leg of the NG. It’s not just the leg either – the tyre is lovely and the gear doors accurately sized.
engines, which not only have different nacelles but also different pylons. I have seen some criticism of the depth of the pylons above the engines but looking at photos they really were rather chunky. It is possible that the angle at the nose of the pylon is slightly inaccurate but it is minor if that is the case. The engines themselves show the differing exhaust profile of the 535C well. As a mould the NG Models 757 is effectively faultless and easily beats all previous versions of one of the most attractive airliners ever built be they Dragon Wings, Gemini Jets or Phoenix model examples. SCORE – 10/10
This attention to detail transfers over to the maingear legs and doors also. The control surfaces on the NG mould are full metal but still crafted to a fine degree. The wings and stabilisers fit tightly to the fuselage and flaps and ailerons etc are beautifully etched. This version of the NG mould is one of the first to feature the original RB211-535C
Eastern's Boeing 757-200 aircraft were powered by Rolls-Royce RB211-535C engines.
The level of printing detail NG Models has applied here is as good as I think it can ever get in 1:400 scale.
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PAINT & LIVERY Eastern didn’t really have a settled version of their silver New Mark (commonly known as the hockeystick) livery. Throughout the 1980s there were at least four variants floating around although the 757s were one of the few types to all wear the same version, that is until 1990 when the last version of the scheme was created and the 757s began to lose their distinctive tail titling. There are other differences between the two schemes and indeed NG Models have released an Eastern 757 in the later livery as well. This model wears the characteristic delivery scheme with a low thin double blue cheatline of Ionosphere and Caribbean blue. The colours are perfectly reproduced as is the unusual font for the main 757 titles on the tail. Impressively the very thin white outlining around the cheatlines, EA falcon logo and the Eastern titles is present, however it has not been continued onto the outline of the fuselage doors, which is about the only inaccuracy I can see here. The detailing of the US flag on the fuselage is quite exquisite and the aircraft fleet number is positioned correctly within the cheatline at the nose. Lastly the often hard to see black nosecone tip is present and correct. SCORE – 9/10
PRINTING & QUALITY CONTROL The level of printing detail NG Models has applied here is as good as I think it can ever get in 1:400 scale. They print the smallest details as standard on all their models and in the finest detail. Particularly welcome are the ever so fine nose radome lines and the engine nacelle paneling. This is all the more impressive on a model with a mainly natural metal finish. Of the existing manufacturers at this scale only Panda and JC Wings come close to replicating this quality.
diately becomes one of the finest models in my 1800 strong collection. For NG Models however it is just another standard model. I wish I could say that this level of ability and care was being shown by all the manufacturers in this scale. FINAL SCORE - 29/30
SCORING CHART
The build quality of this model is prefection. I have received NG Models 757s with the nosegear detached but it has never been a major issue and the one time it was missing NG sent me a replacement. This model doesn’t have any issues anyway. SCORE – 10/10
CONCLUSION I am running out of superlatives to describe the models NG are producing. I have yet to come across a model from them (and including HYJLwings examples I’ve bought over 40 in 2018) that has disappointed me in terms of the research, printing or build quality. This Eastern example demanded to be made and imme
This model wears the characteristic delivery scheme with a low thin double blue cheatline of Ionosphere and Caribbean blue.
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As GeminiJets celebrates its 20th Anniversary, we invite you to enjoy this photo gallery of some of their releases throughout the years! Photos by Khoa Vu.
G2AAL029 1/200 scale GeminiJets American Airlines Boeing 727-200.
G2PSA001 1/200 scale GeminiJets US Airways Airbus A319 “PSA Heritage Livery”.
G2DAL061 1/200 scale GeminiJets Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200.
GJAAL572 1/400 scale GeminiJets American Airlines Boeing 767-223.
Gemini200 DC-9 Model Gallery A few of GeminiJets 1/200 scale DC-9 model releases. For the full list of 1/200 scale releases visit www.geminijets.com.
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GMUSA058 GeminiMacs 1/400 scale USAF Lockheed C-5A Galaxy “Dover Air Force Base".
GJTCA046 GeminiJets 1/400 scale Trans Caribbean Boeing 727-200.
GJVIR001 GeminiJets very first model release Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 “Lady Penelope”.
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COLLECTOR'S SPOTLIGHT
Here are some fantastic pictures captured in model form by collector Stella 1. Inflight200 1/200 Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-200. 2. JC Wings 1/200 SAS Scandinavian Airbus A340-300. 3. JC Wings Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-400F. 4. Hogan Wings/Custom Decals CityBird McDonnell Douglas MD-11. 5. JC Wings Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER.
1. 2.
4.
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3.
5.
Semeraro.
A A C F
msterdam m
viation
ollectors air
2nd International Amsterdam Aviation Collectors Fair www.aviationfair.com
Date: Sunday February 24, 2019 Time: 10.00 a.m. - 17.00 p.m. Location: Van der Valk Hotel Schiphol A4
2019 Amsterdam Aviation Collector’s Fair Preview www.hotelschiphol.nl
After the enormous success of the 1st Amsterdam Aviation Collectors Fair we are very happy to welcome you again at the 2nd edition of this fantastic event, the first major Article by Donald Gardner | Photos Courtesy of Patrick Van Rooijen Aviation Collectible show in 2019, don’t miss it!! it
• 200+ tables with models,MAM: books, safetycards, slides, Who are your sponsors for this MAM: Will you have any new year’s fair? attractions or activities instruments, postcards and airline/airforce memorabilia, at this year’s event? offered for trade by exhibitors from overtothe PVR: We’re veryall excited have world. Model
Last year's inaugural Amsterdam Aviation Collector’s Fair (AACF) was a success. Over 1,000 aviation enthusiasts attended the event and exhibition space has already sold out for this year’s show. We recently had the opportunity to chat with show organizer Patrick van Rooijen about what’s in store for this year’s fair.
Airliner Magazine on-board as our official
PVR: Since our show is new, we focused
er Magazine and they help us with world-
tables per exhibitor, while attempting to attract new exhibitors. We have been very successful with both. Various new military exhibitors and scale modeling/diorama exhibitors will in attendance. Over 30% of our exhibitors will be new. Unfortunately we had to put some of last year’s exhibitors on a waiting list. We sent out an email to all of last year’s exhibitors first, but like us, they didn’t expect the large number of registrations from June 2018, the opening date of the registration. Considering what happened with this year’s event, we expect the 2020 event to sell out very quickly.
• All in one large exhibitionpartner room (more than 2000 m2) inon growing the numbers by changing the again this year. We have a perfect relationship, as we promote Model Airlinfloor plan and limiting the number of front an excellent hotel on the east side of highway A4.
wide promotion of our show. We have a • Only 10 minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, MAM: You guys certainly had a lot of other promotional partners as well for those who wish thevisit fair some very successful fair last year. How to combine and you can ourwith website www.aviamany vendors are you expecting for tionfair.com for the complete list. airplane spotting. the 2019 show? MAM: What kind of items can the Celebrate the 100th anniversary of KLM Royal Dutch aviation enthusiast expect to find the show? Airlines with us: be part ofatthis great event!!
PVR: For this year’s show we’ll have approximately 130 vendors and have fully booked our maximum number of tables which is 271. Last year we had 113 vendors with 207 tables. Although we cannot increase the size of the exhibition room, we’ve been able to grow the fair by changing the way we handle and place the tables. Attendees can expect more ‘shops’ in the hall (stalls placed in a U-shape), but the aisles will be just as spacious as they were last year.
PVR: The location is easy to reach by:Our show will offer at least 542 meters of aviation related items of which 1. Car, free parking the first 24 hours atwillthe around 80 meters be hotel. is diecastFor only (1/500, 1/400 and on 1/200 scalesides collectvisitors free parking is also available both of ibles). Furthermore, there will be stalls the A4. When parking on west take the withthe diecast andside, otherplease aircraft models bridge to the east side. (72 meters), books and magazines (47 meters), safety-cards and timetables (44 2. Free hotel shuttle bus from Airport and art meters).Schiphol Aviation memorabilia, (97 meters), flight gear, instruments and (bus stop A9‐A13, every 40 minutes). MAM: How many attendees did you parts (40 meters), photos and slides (55 have1. at last year’s fair? postcards meters) Public transport (Arrivameters), busline 361 (37 and 365and lots of other stuff such as dioramas, and t-shirts Schiphol Airport). PVR: Lastfrom year we had 1,030 visitors, will be available. which was huge for a European indoor aviation collectors show. This year we expect to go over that number, although we amsterdam@aviationfair.com will be happy if we have the same amount of visitors as last year. : facebook.com/aviationfair
Entrance fee : € 2
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MAM: Where is the event located? PVR: The show will be held at Van der Valk Hotel A4 Schiphol located in Hoofddorp, very close to Schiphol Airport. They have a free shuttle bus from Schiphol Airport and it takes only 10-15 minutes to travel from the airport to the hotel. For the exact location details you can have a look at our website www.aviationfair.com. MAM: What parts of the world will visitors and attendees come to Amsterdam from? PVR: We have exhibitors and vendors from all over the world. 50% are from Holland and 50% are from the rest of the world including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Belgium, Canada, Poland, Hungary etc. We expect visitors from all over the world. Last year, we had attendees from Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, United States, Canada and all over Europe. There will be a lot of first time visitors from all over the world as well as returning visitors who can’t wait to visit our show again. We are very proud we have succeeded in bringing so many aviation enthusiasts together in one location.
MAM: Who makes up the planning team for this year’s event? PVR: We have the same team as last year and are not planning to make any changes. We work very well together, are all three very different and we think that is why it works so well for us. The team consists of Arjan Vaarwater, who is responsible for the promotional stuff (flyers, banners etc.), Rutger van Hasselt, the one who is always thinking “outside the box” as well as myself. I’m responsible for Facebook promotion as well as the website updates and serve as the main point of contact for exhibitors. MAM: Are there a lot of aviation enthusiasts in Amsterdam? PVR: The Netherlands is home to many aviation enthusiasts. We have six civil airports in Holland, which is a large number for such a small country. MAM: Do you have any other information you would like to share with our readers?
tion at our show. We organize this show because we love aviation and enjoy our trips to other countries to share our love. We want to give something back to our fellow enthusiasts abroad as a thank you for having us as their guests. MAM: What is the admission fee? Do the proceeds benefit a certain cause? PVR: The admission fee is €2 euros. We try to keep admission and table fees as low as possible to give everyone the possibility to participate or attend. The eventual proceeds will be used for further promotion for our show and aviation in general. MAM: Where can enthusiasts learn more about the show? PVR: For more information on the Amsterdam Aviation Collectors Fair please visit www.aviationfair.com or our Facebook-page: www.facebook.com/aviationfair.
PVR: We, the Amsterdam Aviation Collectors Fair team, welcome every aviation enthusiast to enjoy a lovely day of avia-
Last year's Amsterdam Aviation Collector's Fair was a success and attracted 1,030 visitors from all over the world.
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MODEL AIRLINER 1/200 REVIEW
TWA Lockheed Constellation L-1649A [N7321C] Article and Photos by Donald Gardner Herpa 1/200 Scale
The Connie Story During the latter 1930s, Boeing and Douglas Aircraft sought to make advancements to passenger airliners that would offer a longer range, along with faster cruising speeds. Lockheed worked to gain a share of this emerging market and began work on a new four-engine aircraft, which would become known as the Model 44. In 1939, the manufacturer released its plans for a new airliner and the Model 44, gained a new name as Excalibur. Aviation pioneer and TWA majority shareholder Howard Hughes would soon become involved with the project as he offered to finance the production of Excalibur. Hughes also expressed to Lockheed that he wanted to create an airliner that would revolutionize air travel. He had ambitions for the capabilities of this new aircraft and wanted it to cruise at speeds upwards of 300 miles per hour, transport 36 passengers, and have the ability to complete a non-stop trip of 3,600 miles. Lockheed soon decided the Excalibur
would require new engines instead of the original planned Wright GR-1820 motors to meet the demands of Hughes. Plans were developed to utilize the Wright R-2600 engine instead of the Wright GR1820 powerplant. An upgraded engine design and other enhancements would lead to two additional name changes and the Excalibur would eventually become known as the Lockheed L-049 Lockheed Constellation.
The L-1649A The initial concept for the L-1649A launched as Lockheed fought to improve its early versions of the Constellation to compete with the Douglas DC-7 aircraft. Lockheed aimed to increase the range and maximum takeoff weight of the L-1049 Constellation. Early research by TWA, revealed that this aircraft would not be profitable. With this information in hand, Lockheed did not initially see a purpose for the continued development of this airliner and discussed dropping the
new design altogether. However, Hughes opposed this idea, and eventually, the L-1649A program moved forward. This upgraded airliner would begin service for TWA in June 1957 with an inaugural flight between New York and Frankfurt. The L-1649A’s life was relatively short-lived at TWA, as the dawn of the jet age, and new airliners such as the Boeing 707 made the aircraft obsolete. In the early 1960s, TWA converted several of its L-1649A's to freighter aircraft.
Nose section of HE558372.
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History of N7321C N7321C was delivered to TWA in July 1957 and remained in the carrier's fleet until it was acquired by Bush Aviation in 1965. Its time with Bush Aviation was relatively short-lived as it would go on to join the Association of Flying Travel Clubs in 1966, followed by Janus Enterprises in 1969. The aircraft ended its flying career with West Air in 1973 and was eventually scrapped.
tires seem to be a bit thin compared with those located on the main gear. One noticeable feature is the aircraft’s very long nosewheel strut. The model features a large aircraft antenna on top of the forward fuselage section. At first glance, the antenna appeared to be a bit tall, but a further research confirmed the antennas on the real aircraft were very tall. A stand is included and can be used to display the model. Overall this mould is very well designed, and I have no complaints.
hance the realism of the model. An American flag is painted on both sides of the fuselage, while the Trans World Airlines name is visible at the center of the model. Another noticeable feature is the "Radar Jetstream" wording. This aircraft was one of the first to feature onboard weather radar, which helped circumvent adverse weather. HE558872 is very detailed from nose to tail, and I’m very impressed with the paint and markings. They accurately depict the actual aircraft very well.
The Review
SCORE 9/10
SCORE 10/10
In this review, I evaluate the aircraft’s mould, paint and livery as well as quality control. Each section has a maximum score of 10 points, meaning the highest attainable score for the model will be 30 points.
Paint and Livery
Quality Control
HE558872 features the well known TWA double red-stripe paint job which stretches from the forward to aft fuselage. The TWA Jetstream logo is painted on the left and right side of the forward fuselage. TWA referred to its L-1649 aircraft as “Jetstreams” due to the fact the airline operated them on long haul domestic and international routes. The plane also had the range to fly non-stop between Europe and the West Coast of the United States. The nose section of the aircraft also features accurately detailed windshield wipers and a black nosecone. Moving towards the center section of the fuselage, the aircraft’s beacon is painted on the top. I have to say it would be nice to see a jewel beacon on this aircraft instead of one that is depicted, as that would only en-
When it comes to the quality control of this model I did notice a couple of areas that could be improved. There was a bit of wing damage located on the aft left wingtip and well as on the outboard right wingtip. With that being said, the most important thing to me is that the model arrived fully intact with all contents in the box. The wing is firmly attached to the fuselage as well.
The Mould I have to say I’m impressed with the sturdiness of L-1649A's diecast mould. It is not too heavy either with the entire model and its packaging weight roughly 2.3 pounds. The model features a rendition of the Connie’s four Wright R-3350 Turbo-compound engines. These motors were designed to be more fuel efficient while providing more power than earlier versions of the R-3350. The landing gear is also constructed very well, with my only gripe being the nosewheel tires. These
SCORE 7/10
A view of the L-1649A's Wright R-3350 engines.
A bit of left wingtip damage can be seen near the bottom section of the wing.
TWA's L-1649A aircraft were among the first to feature on-board weather radar as depicted by the "Radar Equipped" markings.
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Overall
SCORING CHART
For any TWA or Lockheed Constellation fan, this model is a must-have. I would recommend it as there are not too many Lockheed Constellation’s on the market for collectors. Aside from the minor quality control issues, the aircraft is a gem in my opinion. HE558372 replicates one of the most iconic aircraft to grace the skies in the history of aviation. FINAL SCORE - 26/30
A birdseye view of Herpa Wings TWA L-1649A HE558372.
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BACK ISSUES If you are a new reader thanks for picking up a copy of Model Airliner and showing your support in helping the publication grow. You can order back issues of the magazine directly through our website! As always, each copy will be shipped directly to your door and packed full of articles, reviews, competitions and tutorials. Model Airliner Magazine is the perfect coffee table magazine for all your model airliner needs. We will soon announce a subscription service where you can pay up front and receive each issue at a reduced member rate. DIALOGUE WITH THE DON: NEW FEATURE FROM GEMINI
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VELOCITY MODELS SHORT BUT SWEET
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AIRPORT SPOTLIGHT: A MODEL RENDITION OF MEXICO CITY'S BENITO JUรกREZ INTL AIRPORT
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AMSTERDAM AVIATION COLLECTORS FAIR 2018 PREVIEW
THE DIECAST FLIER - FIRST ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION
m Model Airliner ISSUE 5 | DECEMBER 2017
m Model Airliner ISSUE 6 | FEBRUARY 2018
m Model Airliner
THROUGH THE YEARS WITH THE BOEING 747 PART 1
BEST OF 2017 MODEL & MANUFACTURER AWARDS
SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT 1937-1949
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ISSUE 7 | APRIL/MAY 2018
AIR BERLIN TRIBUTE SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION
MODEL REVIEWS... AEROCLASSICS HORIZON AIR F28 HERPA FLYBE EMBRAER ERJ-195 GEMINI JETS KLM FOKKER F70
2017 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE LATEST RELEASES... THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO MODEL AIRLINER COLLECTORS
SPOTTER'S DECK!
OUR NEW SECTION FOR PLANE SPOTTERS
MODEL REVIEWS... HERPA TWA B707-320 GEMINI JETS SOUTHWEST MAX 8 SKYSHOP TAP A330 RETRO LIVERY PHOENIX A380 HOUSE LIVERY
AIRPORT SPOTLIGHT F.L.O. AIRPORT
MODEL REVIEWS... GEMINIJETS ALASKA ERJ-175 NG MODELS AIR CHINA B757F GEMINIJETS LUFTHANSA A350-900 INFLIGHT200 IRON MAIDEN B747-400
THROUGH THE YEARS WITH THE 747 - PART 2
AMSTERDAM AVIATION COLLECTORS FAIR 2018 REVIEW
ALL THE LATEST RELEASES IN ALL SCALES
ALL THE LATEST RELEASES IN ALL SCALES
THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO MODEL AIRLINER COLLECTORS
THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO MODEL AIRLINER COLLECTORS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
This issue’s featured model aircraft related social media group....
Group name: HERPA WINGS AIRPORT DIORAMEN Platform: Facebook Current members: 315 (as of 16th February 2019) Admins: 4 Summary: This group is for the many diecast aircraft model enthusiasts around the world to share their 1/500 scale model airports. Search ‘Herpa Wings Airport Dioramen’ on Facebook to find the group. The group is a closed group which means you will be vetted before being allowed to join. 39
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2nd International Amsterdam Aviation Collectors Fair www.aviationfair.com
Date: Sunday February 24, 2019 Time: 10.00 a.m. - 17.00 p.m. Location: Van der Valk Hotel Schiphol A4 www.hotelschiphol.nl
After the enormous success of the 1st Amsterdam Aviation Collectors Fair we are very happy to welcome you again at the 2nd edition of this fantastic event, the first major Aviation Collectible show in 2019, don’t miss it!! it • 200+ tables with models, books, safetycards, slides, instruments, postcards and airline/airforce memorabilia, offered for trade by exhibitors from all over the world. • All in one large exhibition room (more than 2000 m2) in an excellent hotel on the east side of highway A4. • Only 10 minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, for those who wish to combine the fair with some airplane spotting. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines with us: be part of this great event!! The location is easy to reach by: 1. Car, free parking the first 24 hours at the hotel. For visitors free parking is also available on both sides of the A4. When parking on the west side, please take the bridge to the east side. 2. Free hotel shuttle bus from Schiphol Airport (bus stop A9‐A13, every 40 minutes). 1. Public transport (Arriva busline 361 and 365 from Schiphol Airport). Entrance fee : € 2 amsterdam@aviationfair.com : facebook.com/aviationfair