Show Your Latest 1:400 Purchase

[planes_on_a_shelf]

That's a great and varied selection of models. What is your collection criteria and how many models do you have? I've got 6 of those myself and am very tempted by the two A340s too.

Thanks Richard!

Collection Criteria - bit tricky to clearly be able to state I acknowledge - it'll probably look like a three-dimensional Venn diagram with the following parameters:
- Quadjets/Trijets/T-tails/Airbus wides /757/Soviets - if I look at 'aircraft types'
- Legacy / Mainline / Scheduled / Flag Carriers (I may avoid their latest liveries if they don't excite me) - if I look at fleet building
- Latin America is a region that interests me
- Canadian regionals interest me as well.
- special schemes if they intrigue me
Besides some random 'just because' ones

I've been unable to completely catalogue my collection - given the past few years of switching cities and multiple apartments and being unable to consolidate my models (often leaving them boxed up) - it may have crossed a thousand - hopefully soon I'll know for sure as I put this together

Have a soft spot for A340s - I try to collect as many PHX & PM ones as I can lay my hands on, and have the money for - avoid JC's as much as possible - don't have any Av400 or DW ones - a Hogan I A346 being an exception. Looking forward to NG's!

 

[planes_on_a_shelf]

Super nice! Very beautiful birds, congrats!
I specially like the CAAC 747SP, Saudia L-1011 and Aeroflot Don IL-86.

Thanks Leo!
Those are truly gorgeous.
Will try to post more often as I put my collection together

 

[pons399]

Just received BB400's KAL 747-200B (HL7454):



I've frequently bashed this mould and it's indeed mediocre, but a KAL 747 Classic was too sweet to pass up. Especially since it's a forgone conclusion NG won't do one . JC nailed the slight greenish tinge of classic KALs, while the silver's got a nice sheen to it as well.

This will probably be one of those models I develop a weird soft spot for, despite its simplicity.

 

[Phantom]

JC nailed the slight greenish tinge of classic KALs

Are you referring to the belly? Shouldn't this be some shade of white?

 

[pons399]

Are you referring to the belly? Shouldn't this be some shade of white?

Nope, I was referring to the blue. Belly is dark white as it should be.

 

[LeoMuse747]

Just received BB400's KAL 747-200B (HL7454):

View attachment 29410

I've frequently bashed this mould and it's indeed mediocre, but a KAL 747 Classic was too sweet to pass up. Especially since it's a forgone conclusion NG won't do one . JC nailed the slight greenish tinge of classic KALs, while the silver's got a nice sheen to it as well.

This will probably be one of those models I develop a weird soft spot for, despite its simplicity.

I love the details on the engines. Beautiful model
Nose gear could be slightly shorter but I guess I could live with that

 

[planes_on_a_shelf]

JC nailed the slight greenish tinge of classic KALs, while the silver's got a nice sheen to it as well.

Would this shade of blue be different from the one used by NG on their two 747SPs released in this scheme?

 

[planes_on_a_shelf]

And that is it for the day. What model is ylur most favorite in this batch?

Lovely additions! Turkmenistan is a curious carrier - pretty amazing you've flown on it - I did see a video of Noel Philips flying their 77W FRA(I think)-BKK via ASB - pretty affordable and great views!
For me the B732 has to be my pick! Though I quite like the T5 - painted engines on Eurowhite schemes just change the overall visual balance!

 

[Phantom]

Would this shade of blue be different from the one used by NG on their two 747SPs released in this scheme?

Curious as well. I see the belly looks strange on this, but was KALs blue ever different?

 

[Jazajia]

...and it's indeed mediocre, but a KAL 747 Classic was too sweet to pass up...

So you do get it...

 

[pons399]

Would this shade of blue be different from the one used by NG on their two 747SPs released in this scheme?

Curious as well. I see the belly looks strange on this, but was KALs blue ever different?

The BB400 has a flatter, lighter shade of blue and a slightly darker shade of white than the NG.


A lot of old KAL planes look that way because the blue paint fades over time. You can see this today as well, when comparing planes with and without a fresh coat of paint. Cameras are another factor, old ones weren't as vibrant as those today. To my knowledge the shade of blue hasn't changed, so my original statement was kinda misleading.

 

[YesterAirlines]

Thanks Richard!

Collection Criteria - bit tricky to clearly be able to state I acknowledge - it'll probably look like a three-dimensional Venn diagram with the following parameters:
- Quadjets/Trijets/T-tails/Airbus wides /757/Soviets - if I look at 'aircraft types'
- Legacy / Mainline / Scheduled / Flag Carriers (I may avoid their latest liveries if they don't excite me) - if I look at fleet building
- Latin America is a region that interests me
- Canadian regionals interest me as well.
- special schemes if they intrigue me
Besides some random 'just because' ones

I've been unable to completely catalogue my collection - given the past few years of switching cities and multiple apartments and being unable to consolidate my models (often leaving them boxed up) - it may have crossed a thousand - hopefully soon I'll know for sure as I put this together

Have a soft spot for A340s - I try to collect as many PHX & PM ones as I can lay my hands on, and have the money for - avoid JC's as much as possible - don't have any Av400 or DW ones - a Hogan I A346 being an exception. Looking forward to NG's!

Ha ha that's a pretty random venn diagram but intersects some great models!

 

[YesterAirlines]

The Aeroclassics DC-9 is a wonder and it can't look much better than in the scheme of East African Airways. EAA was of course the joint flag carrier of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda until 1977 and this Tanzanian registered DC-9-32 became 5Y-BBH with Kenya Airways. Later it saw service with Alisarda, British Midland, Sun Air and 1Time finally being broken up in 2012 after 42 years of flying. This one arrived in February from Waffle.

 

[YesterAirlines]

Just received BB400's KAL 747-200B (HL7454):

View attachment 29410

I've frequently bashed this mould and it's indeed mediocre

You are super harsh. This is easily the 2nd best 747-200 that has ever been made in 400 scale

 

[Jazajia]

You are super harsh. This is easily the 2nd best 747-200 that has ever been made in 400 scale

I like DW the most, but yes, early printing and landing gear does have an impact on many of them. The next overall best 742 out there for me is GJ. I know AV400 is pretty good also, but IDK, not many releases, and the IF400s were of questionable QC. And I think the slot-in wings may be a tad overrated.

 

[Jazajia]

The BB/AC 74 molds are great, don't get me wrong, but I think a big part of its popularity has to do with the general appeal and variety of subjects that have been made with it.

I can see the majority of the younger crowd not caring much for it: an antiquated mold of a flying relic, wearing mostly irrelevant liveries from a distant past.

 

[YesterAirlines]

I like DW the most, but yes, early printing and landing gear does have an impact on many of them. The next overall best 742 out there for me is GJ. I know AV400 is pretty good also, but IDK, not many releases, and the IF400s were of questionable QC. And I think the slot-in wings may be a tad overrated.

I agree the mould is definitely obsolescent and probably a 7/10 by today's standards but it isn't 'mediocre'. If it is, much stronger language would have to be used for other 747s classic moulds.

I like the Dragon 747s as well (they're probably as good as the BB 747 but with different weaknesses as you say) but the AV400 747 is clearly the best. It has no wing seam, redesigned engine pylons, a free rudder fit tail and there are versions with and without the dome after the hump. It doesn't really have any weaknesses. It's a crime it never got used for a lot of mainstream releases but it did get used probably more than you think. There were over 30 releases on it but quite a bit of obscure subject matter. I've got 8 of them in my collection (Alia, Air Liberte, Air Madagascar, Air Algerie, Air India, Air Afrique, Caledonian and Qatar Airways).

Interestingly since Gemini updated their 747-200 with better gear it has only been used 17 times in 19 years - and 4 of those were USAF!!!

 

[LeoMuse747]

the AV400 747 is clearly the best. [...] It doesn't really have any weaknesses.

They're indeed great but I can find a few weaknesses on them...

The GE CF6-50 engines are poorly shaped sometimes and also tilted down... poor fitting.
It seems they had two moulds for the GE engines, I wonder why?! This one have a nice engine shape but this one is terrible, with a thin exhaust section.

The JT9D engines could also look better, maybe they're too small?

Not a mould related issue, but some models also have poor cockpit window placement.
Also note how some nose gears are also inclined aft, like this one. Some other models don't have this issue, so I guess it's just poor fitting during model assembly.
I could also say that the main gear doors are a bit too long, but it doesn't bother me that much.

But overall these are all minor issues. The mould is indeed lovely but I guess it doesn't look as smooth as the good old DW for me. If only they had better gears...

 

[YesterAirlines]

They're indeed great but I can find a few weaknesses on them...

The GE CF6-50 engines are poorly shaped sometimes and also tilted down... poor fitting.
It seems they had two moulds for the GE engines, I wonder why?! This one have a nice engine shape but this one is terrible, with a thin exhaust section.

The JT9D engines could also look better, maybe they're too small?

Not a mould related issue, but some models also have poor cockpit window placement.
Also note how some nose gears are also inclined aft, like this one. Some other models don't have this issue, so I guess it's just poor fitting during model assembly.
I could also say that the main gear doors are a bit too long, but it doesn't bother me that much.

But overall these are all minor issues. The mould is indeed lovely but I guess it doesn't look as smooth as the good old DW for me. If only they had better gears...

Yeah the Dragons are good but they did some pretty awful cockpit printing too and it isn't just the gear, the tail join is poor too.

There's definitely a need for a replacement for all these older moulds. I wonder whether the NG version will be it?

 

[pons399]

You are super harsh. This is easily the 2nd best 747-200 that has ever been made in 400 scale

It's the cradle that bothers me more than anything. I vastly prefer the old AV400 mould for that reason.