This black livery was much better when the grey leaf was present, just like this model.
1:500 fleet.
- Thread starter Charter
- Start date
This black livery was much better when the grey leaf was present, just like this model.
Critical Aviator
Well-known member
I don't understand why JC gave up on 1:500. I mean they clearly invested in the scale and if they had made as many models as they do in 1:400 and 1:200 I'm sure they could have been quite sucessful as their 1:500 releases have been well received. Makes me wonder why they even bothered with 1:500.
Hopefully JC have fixed the issues on that Virgin Atlantic 747 because it is a nice subject matter that we probably will never see again in 1:500.
HERPA STREAMING on Instagram, just finished.
GERMAN LANGUAGE for 90% of the hour, of course, i am sorry if i did not learn German language like a member of another forum suggested me to solve all Herpa problems...
For what i understood (very few):
- YES Turkish Airlines and Sun Express models in 2026
- YES Swissair A350-900 "Wunderlust"
- YES more Smartwings and Czech Airlines models in 2026 (i wonder which Czech Airlines models if the airline Is flying with A220-300, already produced, and two A320, a "100 Years" already produced and and almost white fuselage A320)
- YES more Condor models
- YES Edelweiss A320neo
- YES B737-100/200
- YES Transavia models (maybe A320neo)
- YES Luxair models (maybe E195-E2)
- NO L-1011 and DC-10
- NO B737-300/400/500 mould update
- NO A300 and A310
- NO Sundair, Jet2holidays, Volotea, Sun Express, Neos (MAX8)
- impossibile to understand about WIZZ Air A320neo/321ceo/321neo
- in talk with Air India for the A350-900 latest livery
- MAYBE Air Algerie A330-800neo
NO ANSWERS about:
- when will we have Binter Canarias and Helvetic E195-E2
- why you stopped to produce SSJ-100, Il-86, Il-96 models despite the moulds are perfect
- airSerbia A319/320, FreeBird A320, Ukraine International B737-800 and or B737-900ER
- why no B767-400 Delta and United Airlines latest livery and, if the urban legend says that the moulds was broken, why don't you update It
- when Austrian Airlines A320neo regular livery and Lauda Air A320
Then questions about Qatar and Air China B777F.
GERMAN LANGUAGE for 90% of the hour, of course, i am sorry if i did not learn German language like a member of another forum suggested me to solve all Herpa problems...
For what i understood (very few):
- YES Turkish Airlines and Sun Express models in 2026
- YES Swissair A350-900 "Wunderlust"
- YES more Smartwings and Czech Airlines models in 2026 (i wonder which Czech Airlines models if the airline Is flying with A220-300, already produced, and two A320, a "100 Years" already produced and and almost white fuselage A320)
- YES more Condor models
- YES Edelweiss A320neo
- YES B737-100/200
- YES Transavia models (maybe A320neo)
- YES Luxair models (maybe E195-E2)
- NO L-1011 and DC-10
- NO B737-300/400/500 mould update
- NO A300 and A310
- NO Sundair, Jet2holidays, Volotea, Sun Express, Neos (MAX8)
- impossibile to understand about WIZZ Air A320neo/321ceo/321neo
- in talk with Air India for the A350-900 latest livery
- MAYBE Air Algerie A330-800neo
NO ANSWERS about:
- when will we have Binter Canarias and Helvetic E195-E2
- why you stopped to produce SSJ-100, Il-86, Il-96 models despite the moulds are perfect
- airSerbia A319/320, FreeBird A320, Ukraine International B737-800 and or B737-900ER
- why no B767-400 Delta and United Airlines latest livery and, if the urban legend says that the moulds was broken, why don't you update It
- when Austrian Airlines A320neo regular livery and Lauda Air A320
Then questions about Qatar and Air China B777F.
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Critical Aviator
Well-known member
Thanks for the update, I didn't know they did a livestream. You don't need to be sorry if you didn't learn German, it's Herpa's responsibility to realize that their customers aren't all from German-speakers and to communicate accordingly. It does seem like the typical Herpa livestream though.
In fact, very typical...many news meaning no news!
It seems also that Alaska Airlines and Egyptair will be produced in 2026.
Then it seems that Sundair will be produced, like Aerologic B777F, Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 and Delta Air Lines A350-900 "100 Years".
For Delta it doesn't seem probable the production of "Olympic" liveries.
BubblesAviation
Well-known member
Looks amazing!! What happened to Inflight500?
Failed more that 10 years ago and this was a disaster for 1:500 scale.
A message to Herpa and all those who staunchly defend it in a narrow-minded, uncritical manner.
ITA Airways will make the final flight of the A330-200 in December 2025, marking the end of a glorious history that began in 2021 with the founding of ITA Airways and the A330-200 fleet, the true backbone of long-haul flights.
This the timetable:
Rome FCO - Dehli last flight 29 December 2025
Rome FCO - New York JFK last flight 30 December 2025
Rome FCO - Boston last flight 31 December 2025 (return to FCO 1 January 2026)
Herpa had a full five years to produce the model, but once again, Herpa maintained its shameful quality and marketing standards, ignoring a (sadly) historic date and NOT planning to produce the 1:500 scale A330-200, perhaps the most beautiful livery in the sky. Once again, Herpa arrives unprepared for a historic event in the world of civil aviation and aircraft collecting, demonstrating "immense attention to details, especially those related to the state-of-the-art of civil aviation".
Aether Models, a new entry, has already planned production of the A330-200 in ITA Airways colors, and even though it's no longer in the fleet, we will at least have the immense pleasure of owning the wonderful ITA Airways A330-200 in 1:500 scale. NO thanks to Herpa simpley because Herpa doesn't care of collectors wishes!
The 1:400 scale model has already been available for years...
Instead, Herpa proudly announces the production of about 7-8 models among A330MRRT, C-5 Galaxy and C-17. Absolutely no words!
Thanks and long life to Aether Models!
ITA Airways will make the final flight of the A330-200 in December 2025, marking the end of a glorious history that began in 2021 with the founding of ITA Airways and the A330-200 fleet, the true backbone of long-haul flights.
This the timetable:
Rome FCO - Dehli last flight 29 December 2025
Rome FCO - New York JFK last flight 30 December 2025
Rome FCO - Boston last flight 31 December 2025 (return to FCO 1 January 2026)
Herpa had a full five years to produce the model, but once again, Herpa maintained its shameful quality and marketing standards, ignoring a (sadly) historic date and NOT planning to produce the 1:500 scale A330-200, perhaps the most beautiful livery in the sky. Once again, Herpa arrives unprepared for a historic event in the world of civil aviation and aircraft collecting, demonstrating "immense attention to details, especially those related to the state-of-the-art of civil aviation".
Aether Models, a new entry, has already planned production of the A330-200 in ITA Airways colors, and even though it's no longer in the fleet, we will at least have the immense pleasure of owning the wonderful ITA Airways A330-200 in 1:500 scale. NO thanks to Herpa simpley because Herpa doesn't care of collectors wishes!
The 1:400 scale model has already been available for years...
Instead, Herpa proudly announces the production of about 7-8 models among A330MRRT, C-5 Galaxy and C-17. Absolutely no words!
Thanks and long life to Aether Models!
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BubblesAviation
Well-known member
That was a really quick retirement - I didn’t know about it until today. Really beautiful livery however hopefully IAD will get the A330-900 or A350 now. I did get a picture one back in March.
Well, quick for ITA Airways history, starting by 2021.
EI-EJG/H/P have, respectively, 15.6, 15.2 and 13 years of age considering Alitalia before and ITA later.
Critical Aviator
Well-known member
Yet another example of Herpa being late to the party... and I doubt it will be the last.
Critical Aviator
Well-known member
Some of those 747-8 BBJs have really lovely liveries in my opinion.
To relaunch the 1:500 scale market and to try to revitalize an aircraft collecting sector that had clearly been dying for many years, something that all the most attentive and critical collectors can see, except for those few who continued and continue to defend Herpa tooth and nail without any critical spirit and contenting themselves with a handful of Lufthansa, Emirates, Qantas and C-17s, A330MRRTs, and C-5As, many proposals have been made in the past, both by myself and by other important collectors around the world. These proposals were sent both to the old Herpa management and to the great Mr. Borgmann and to the new management and to Mr. Kuelgen.
1) Create a low-cost brand to stem the unstoppable price hike and prevent an ever-increasing number of collectors from abandoning the 1:500 scale. A low-cost brand based on F-Toys-type models, a "luxury plastic" brand with perfect replicas of real aircraft, but made of plastic, with much more detail on the fuselage and improved landing gear. Prices would be halved, at least 30% lower, despite the excellent quality, even though they're made of plastic.
2) Transform all old generation models (about a thousand between B737-200/300/400/500/600/700/800, B757-200/200F, B767-200/300, B767-300F, B777-200/300, B747-200/300/400, B747-200F/400F, B727-100/200, B727-100F/200F, DC-10/10F, MD-11/11F, L-1011, MD-80/87
A319/320/321, A300, A310, A330-200/300, A340-200/300) into new generation models using next-generation molds with state-of-the-art landing gear and leveraging the licenses still held for older models and defunct airlines for years. It would have taken years of work and a wonderful relaunch, especially since the vast majority of Herpa old generation models, despite having older molds and rolling gears, are wonderful models of iconic airlines.
3) Create a truly exclusive Wings Club with exclusive models available only to members, offering discounts on regular production, but only for members, to encourage true membership.
4) Relaunch the 1400 scale. Herpa has produced and occasionally produces good 1400 scale models, and although mostly made of plastic, in my opinion it ranks fourth or fifth after NGModels, Gemini, and Phoenix. It could forcefully enter the 1:400 market by creating high-quality models at truly competitive prices for the 1:400 scale, offering a valid alternative to lesser-quality manufacturers.
5) Listen to our customers—us, the customers—the millions of collectors who buy Herpa models worldwide, with online questionnaires, questions and answers in English, and attentiveness to our customers' desires and dreams.
6) Create a special online repository to collect collectors' requests, so we can take them seriously and bring them to life by producing the most popular and sought-after airlines and models. In fact, the voting system for the most popular and desired models, liveries, and airlines should be recreated, allowing collectors (perhaps club members) and customers to vote.
7) Share the marketing strategy and licensing policy, without delving into company policy, of course, to understand why it is so difficult to obtain licenses at 1:500 scale. Whether it is a matter of greed on the part of Herpa, which wants to earn too much compared to what it offers the airline, or whether it is a problem of the appeal of the 1:500 scale compared to the 1:400 scale.
8) Involve collectors registered with the new Wings Club in marketing decisions, always respecting their roles and market laws, to involve the collecting world in Herpa's decisions.
9) Greater transparency in communication. Timely disclosure of which airlines have granted licenses, greater communication regarding quality control and pricing trends.
There has never been a response to all this, demonstrating an arrogance that has led and is leading to the absurd "failure" situation regarding the 1:500 scale where the disgust and irritation of collectors are now well-known, with an ever-increasing diaspora towards the 1:400 scale.
1) Create a low-cost brand to stem the unstoppable price hike and prevent an ever-increasing number of collectors from abandoning the 1:500 scale. A low-cost brand based on F-Toys-type models, a "luxury plastic" brand with perfect replicas of real aircraft, but made of plastic, with much more detail on the fuselage and improved landing gear. Prices would be halved, at least 30% lower, despite the excellent quality, even though they're made of plastic.
2) Transform all old generation models (about a thousand between B737-200/300/400/500/600/700/800, B757-200/200F, B767-200/300, B767-300F, B777-200/300, B747-200/300/400, B747-200F/400F, B727-100/200, B727-100F/200F, DC-10/10F, MD-11/11F, L-1011, MD-80/87
A319/320/321, A300, A310, A330-200/300, A340-200/300) into new generation models using next-generation molds with state-of-the-art landing gear and leveraging the licenses still held for older models and defunct airlines for years. It would have taken years of work and a wonderful relaunch, especially since the vast majority of Herpa old generation models, despite having older molds and rolling gears, are wonderful models of iconic airlines.
3) Create a truly exclusive Wings Club with exclusive models available only to members, offering discounts on regular production, but only for members, to encourage true membership.
4) Relaunch the 1400 scale. Herpa has produced and occasionally produces good 1400 scale models, and although mostly made of plastic, in my opinion it ranks fourth or fifth after NGModels, Gemini, and Phoenix. It could forcefully enter the 1:400 market by creating high-quality models at truly competitive prices for the 1:400 scale, offering a valid alternative to lesser-quality manufacturers.
5) Listen to our customers—us, the customers—the millions of collectors who buy Herpa models worldwide, with online questionnaires, questions and answers in English, and attentiveness to our customers' desires and dreams.
6) Create a special online repository to collect collectors' requests, so we can take them seriously and bring them to life by producing the most popular and sought-after airlines and models. In fact, the voting system for the most popular and desired models, liveries, and airlines should be recreated, allowing collectors (perhaps club members) and customers to vote.
7) Share the marketing strategy and licensing policy, without delving into company policy, of course, to understand why it is so difficult to obtain licenses at 1:500 scale. Whether it is a matter of greed on the part of Herpa, which wants to earn too much compared to what it offers the airline, or whether it is a problem of the appeal of the 1:500 scale compared to the 1:400 scale.
8) Involve collectors registered with the new Wings Club in marketing decisions, always respecting their roles and market laws, to involve the collecting world in Herpa's decisions.
9) Greater transparency in communication. Timely disclosure of which airlines have granted licenses, greater communication regarding quality control and pricing trends.
There has never been a response to all this, demonstrating an arrogance that has led and is leading to the absurd "failure" situation regarding the 1:500 scale where the disgust and irritation of collectors are now well-known, with an ever-increasing diaspora towards the 1:400 scale.
BubblesAviation
Well-known member
Not a big fan of Disney liveries, flying billboard, too colorful.
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