BA World Tail Additions

[YesterAirlines]

Since I've been back in the UK I've extended my collection of BA models until 2000, so it now includes the World Tails, which I'd always really liked as a concept. Bedfordshire Diecast just had a sale of a selection of BA and I picked up 5 additions, including the Australian tail 747-400s from Gemini. It wasn't long ago I wrote about GJ twinsets (see here: https://www.yesterdaysairlines.com/gj-twin-sets.html ). The moulds are obviously dated but they still look very nice.

 

[Ciderman]

My very first 1/400 model was Gemini's 747-400 in BA's Rendezvous colours. The year was 1999 and the rest is history.

 

[Danio1988]

These are 2 of my favourite World Tails that Project Utopia produced. Think there is a 3rd Australia tail but not 100% sure on that.

My 2nd 1/400 model and first World Tail was the Irish one which I think was on Victor Papa (G-CIVP) which later became a One World Jet and then broke the subsonic record for the quickest trip over the Atlantic weeks before she retired and Covid struck

 

[Nyup88]

These are 2 of my favourite World Tails that Project Utopia produced. Think there is a 3rd Australia tail but not 100% sure on that.

My 2nd 1/400 model and first World Tail was the Irish one which I think was on Victor Papa (G-CIVP) which later became a One World Jet and then broke the subsonic record for the quickest trip over the Atlantic weeks before she retired and Covid struck

There was a third one - Water Dreaming, which unlike Wunala Dreaming and Nalanji Dreaming, was an original design and not adapted from the Qantas aircraft.

Loved the concept and was lucky enough to pick up the full set of 747s that were produced by Gemini and BigBird in the early 2000s.

For those interested there's a list on Wikipedia of the different tail designs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_ethnic_liveries

 

[YesterAirlines]

Indeed. I have covered the world tails on my BA livery page as well: https://www.yesterdaysairlines.com/ba-liveries-1974-2015.html



The other World Tail additions were a Gemini 737-400 (Crossing Borders), Aviation400 737-200 (Colum) and 767-300 (Wings). That brings my World Tails fleet up to 20. I've generally tried to stick to the better available moulds. Of the 30 British tails (so excluding the 2 Air Liberte and 3 DeutscheBA) I'm missing 6 that have been made and 4 that haven't as follows:

Made: Golden Khokloma, Ndebele Emmly, Kogutki Lowickie, Water Dreaming, Whale Rider, Pause to Remember.
Unmade: Youm al-Suq, Spring, British Blend, Colour Down the Side

Here's my current World Tails:

 

[British Airways fan]

Very nice additions, I remember picking up that 747 twin set many years ago (2007-2008) from Airspotters, I’m a big fan of the world tails so can definitely relate! Old pic from 2022 have a lot more additions of World Tails/Landor and modern to display eventually! Hoping some more world tails are released but I am doubtful

 

[Jazajia]

I have the Australian tail tein pack as well. Picked it up a few years ago on eBay, very affordable IIRC. I was never a huge fan of the World Tails and subsequent Chatham Dockyard livery, but with the years they are growing on me.

Odd coincidence, the last time I recall seeing a BA aircraft in the Landor livery was leaving IAH on the way back home (before living full-time in Houston). Some weather delays caused us to make an extra stop at Caracas before reaching Maracaibo, and it was upon landing at CCS that I saw my first World Tail ever. It was a 777 and I believe it was G-VIIK sporting the Animals and Trees tail. I was sad to learn that Landor was being replaced...

 

[Transnat]

The World Tails were stunning. It was a brilliant marketing concept trashed by Margaret Thatcher. Large collections of these models always look exceptional.