I thought I might do my own year in review. According to MADb, I have 444 models, 2 1/250 models (although I have two that aren't in the database), 25 1/200 models (most of them snap-fits), 25 1/500 models and 391 1/400 models although I have my own spreadsheet which says I have 414. I don't exactly know where the discrepancy came from but for the sake of consistency, I will use the MADb data. I will focus on 1/400.
- As for regions of the world, Europe is dominant with 186 models, followed by Orient and Asia with 96 models, the American continent is third with 77 models, I have 12 models from Africa and 9 from Oceania. But there are 130 models I missed in the count.
- My top 3 1/400 brands are : 1. NG models (108 models), 2. JC Wings (81 models) and 3. Aviation400 (69 models). I also have 6 aeroclassics models, 62 GJs models , 6 Pandas models , 35 Phoenix models , 8 Hogan Wings models, 4 Socatec models, 2 Aeropolaris models, 3 Apollo models and 2 HX models.
In 2025, I liked the Phoenix releases better as they release sets were more diverse than the others whilst delivering in a reasonable amount of time and having overall decent moulds.
JC have made interesting release choices but a lot of them won't be available for a while.
Aviation400 have made, at least in my opinion, exciting release choices but again, they won't be available until 2026 at the earliest.
There has been a drop in my Gemini Jets purchases which is mostly due to the fact that most of what they release is not in my collection criteria and even if they do make something I want, it is usually I rerelease I don't need because either I already have them from GeminiJets themselves or from a competitor. Maybe it will change in 2026.
NG had a fairly controversial year. I still think they are making too many Chinese releases and that they release choices should be more balanced geographicaly. It also doesn't help that there are a lot of approved wish centre models that still haven't being announced as future releases. However a lot of the models that are announced as future releases are useless fantaisies that are taking production slots away from other models. NG's hard product is, however, still top notch as a whole.
Aeroclassics had a decent year in my opinion.
Despite the quality of their hard product, I must confess frustration at Panda and HX because most of what they make are either for other brands, retailer-exclusives or something I am personally not interested in.
I have bought my first Aeropolaris and Apollo models in 2025 and so far I'm impressed.
- As for aircraft manufacturers, Boeing is in the lead with 198 models, followed by Airbus with 184 model. I also have 2 McDonnell Douglas aircraft, a single lockheed aircraft, 4 Concordes (including a broken one) and 3 Embraers.
The top 3 most common aircraft types in my collection are: the Boeing 777 (70 models), the Airbus A350 (56 models) and the Boeing 747 (52 models). They are followed by the Boeing 787 (49 models), the Airbus A330 and A380 (41 models each), the Airbus A320 family (31 models), the Boeing 737 (13 models), the Airbus A340 (8 models), the Boeing 767 (6 models), the Boeing 757 , Airbus A300 and Concorde ( 4 models each), The Embraer E-Jets (E170, E190, E195E2) (3 models), the Airbus A220 and Boeing 727 (2 models each) and the Boeing 707, McDonnell Douglas MD-80, MD-11 and Lockheed Tristar (1 model each).
- For me it is tough to pick a favourite model this year as I think there were plenty of great releases. But if I had to pick one it would be the Aviation400 Emirates A380s in the standard livery because while the EK A380 is not a rarity in the scale, most of them have been released on the JC/GJ mould which is far from being the best A380 mould in the scale (although I have seen worse moulds) and the AV400 A380 mould is fantastic. Other contenders for my model of the year include the HX Pan Am 747-100s, the Panda Model American Airlines MD-11 and the Phoenix Air France 777-300ER in the pre-2009 Barcode livery. As for my worst model of the year, it is also difficult to pick one as I try to avoid models I don't like. But I think the worst model I acquired this year is the Gemini Jets Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 for the simple reasons that there were a sea (pun intended) releases of Hawaiian A330s from Aeroclassics, NG and Phoenix, all of which use better moulds than the GJ version. It's not to say that I don't like the JC/GJ A330-200 mould but it isn't my first choice either.
- My favourite model overall ? Tough to say, I have quite a few models I love. If I had to go the lazy route , my pick would be the first release of the Air France A380 by Av400 just because Air France is the airline I grew up with, the mould is very good and the A380 is my favourite aircraft.
My most disappointing models overall is also from 2024. It is GJ's version of the Air France 777-300ER in the new livery. The model itself is fine but it uses an outdated mould which should have never existed in the first place. I also have 4 Phoenix 747 classics which I expected to be awful but I only bought them because of their subject matters.
- My goals for 2026: diversify my fleet as much as I can whilst remaining in my collection criteria, trying to prioritize the purchases of models with no decent competition and that I really want, reduce the number of models I get and try not to get more than one of each aircraft/livery combination moving forward although there are exceptions.
