Critical Aviator 1/400 collection

4 Phoenix 747 classics in one post so I don't spam the thread with those.
- Firstly, KLM Boeing 747-206B PH-BUC 'Mississippi' in the delivery scheme. It flew for KLM from 1971 to 1989. It then went to America West Airlines as N533AW where it flew until 1993. In 1993, it was acquired by the Wilmington Trust Company. It has been broken up in 1994.IMG_6630.jpg
-Secondly, Union des Transports Aériens (UTA) Boeing 747-2D3B F-GFUK. It was first delivered to Alia/Royal Jordianian in 1977 as JY-AFA 'Prince Ali' where it flew until 1989 when it went to UTA as F-GFUK. It stayed with UTA until 1991 when it went to Air France. In 1992, It was transfered to Atlas Air as N505MC and converted to a freighter. It was leased to China Airlines and Polar Air Cargo. It has been scrapped.
IMG_6631.jpg
- Thirdly, Air France Boeing 747-128 F-BPVC in the delivery scheme. It was delivered to Air France in 1970. It was leased to Air Algérie in 1986. It flew for Air France until 1991. It was converted to a freighter in 1991 by IAI and re-registered N3203Y. It was leased to Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo until Evergreen International Airlines acquired it in 1998. It was broken up in 2004 in Tel Aviv.
IMG_6632.jpg
- Finally, Air France Boeing 747-128 F-BPVB in the Barcode livery. It was delivered new to Air France in 1970. It was leased to Kabo Air from April to August 1995 before returning to Air France. It was retired in November 1995 and sent to storage in Marseille in 1996 where it was broken up.
IMG_6633.jpg
 
I knew what I was getting into when I bought those 747s. I did read Yesterday's Airlines' article on the Phoenix 747. I bought those 747s for one reason only: their subject matter. Sure there are better 747 classic moulds on the market but for those specific subjects the better alternatives are difficult to find because either they have been made a long time ago or they have been released by brands like Aeroclassics which have small production runs. There isn't enough supply for the demand. I guess I can get them as custom models but this rant isn't about custom models. It's about my personal frustrations with the state of the 747 classic in 400 scale in 2026. I think I'm not the only one with such frustrations. Aeroclassics/Blue Box, BigBird, JC Wings and GeminiJets all use a decent mould for the type but they don't use it well. Are you telling me that there isn't demand for classic 747s ? Of course there is a demand for classic 747s.
What about HX and NG ? Well the HX mould is the best but most of the releases on that mould have been for other brands, a lot of them are retailer exclusives and HX themselves only released the prototype, a Japan Airlines aircraft, the Pan Am ones from last year and Nalanji Dreaming for the 747-300. They have made a KLM MD11 under the YY Wings brand so maybe one can hope for KLM 747s as well.
NG's 747 classic has been in limbo for a while now, except for the 747SP. They have updated the 747SP and I hope to see the same improvements made for the 747 classics as it would make NG's 747 moulds more consistent. Let's hope the mould is simply being improved. And even when, or even if the mould ever enters the market, the mould usage will either be poor or they will focus on obvious subjects. Sure, a KLM 747-200 has been approved on the wish centre but it isn't the same livery as the Phoenix 747 I have. There are UTA and Air France 747 classics on the NG wish centre but none of them have been approved. I suspect most European 747 classics to be released on the NG mould will be Lufthansa examples. In fact, I'm surprised that YY Wings hasn't released any LH 747 classics yet. As for other 747 classics which aren't in the brands' obvious list, the only way I can see them released or rereleased is through the NG wish centre and hoping that NG will actively use their 747 classic mould unless another brand takes matters into its own hands and release them themselves on either the HX mould or the BigBird mould. Like ARD has done for their upcoming BA 747s on the HX mould. As for the UTA and Air France 747s however, it's a different story. Last time a UTA 747 classic was released before this Phoenix example was in 2006 by GeminiJets as an exclusive model for Socatec. Air France is of the French airlines the most likely to get another release even if some AF 747 classics were released fairly recently (2020 and 2024) by Aeroclassics in their Blue Box series, meaning a low production run. I was surprised when I found one (the AF Cargo 747-200F) but I didn't manage to get the other releases from 2020 and 2024.
GeminiJets has plans for 747 classics, they have an Iran Air 747-100 as a future release and I suspect we might be getting another Pan Am example from them. But I don't see them releasing much else except other US carriers like TWA, Delta, American and United. I would love to be wrong though and see GJ releasing plenty of 747 classics. JC's choices for 747 classics are often either obscure or just trying to kill the competion from the HX mould. None of them are necessarily a bad thing but it takes away from what could be made in terms of 747 classics. BigBird just isn't making as many models as others do. This gap in 747 classics is why Phoenix 747s are still being released.
I bought those Phoenix 747 classics because I wanted those subject matters and I didn't see them being made by anybody else for a while. This is something I usually like about Phoenix, they make models others can be reluctant to make but the 747 classic is an exception. Most of their other moulds are at least decent.
 
Critical Aviator said:
I knew what I was getting into when I bought those 747s. I did read Yesterday's Airlines' article on the Phoenix 747. I bought those 747s for one reason only: their subject matter. Sure there are better 747 classic moulds on the market but for those specific subjects the better alternatives are difficult to find because either they have been made a long time ago or they have been released by brands like Aeroclassics which have small production runs. There isn't enough supply for the demand. I guess I can get them as custom models but this rant isn't about custom models. It's about my personal frustrations with the state of the 747 classic in 400 scale in 2026. I think I'm not the only one with such frustrations. Aeroclassics/Blue Box, BigBird, JC Wings and GeminiJets all use a decent mould for the type but they don't use it well. Are you telling me that there isn't demand for classic 747s ? Of course there is a demand for classic 747s.
What about HX and NG ? Well the HX mould is the best but most of the releases on that mould have been for other brands, a lot of them are retailer exclusives and HX themselves only released the prototype, a Japan Airlines aircraft, the Pan Am ones from last year and Nalanji Dreaming for the 747-300. They have made a KLM MD11 under the YY Wings brand so maybe one can hope for KLM 747s as well.
NG's 747 classic has been in limbo for a while now, except for the 747SP. They have updated the 747SP and I hope to see the same improvements made for the 747 classics as it would make NG's 747 moulds more consistent. Let's hope the mould is simply being improved. And even when, or even if the mould ever enters the market, the mould usage will either be poor or they will focus on obvious subjects. Sure, a KLM 747-200 has been approved on the wish centre but it isn't the same livery as the Phoenix 747 I have. There are UTA and Air France 747 classics on the NG wish centre but none of them have been approved. I suspect most European 747 classics to be released on the NG mould will be Lufthansa examples. In fact, I'm surprised that YY Wings hasn't released any LH 747 classics yet. As for other 747 classics which aren't in the brands' obvious list, the only way I can see them released or rereleased is through the NG wish centre and hoping that NG will actively use their 747 classic mould unless another brand takes matters into its own hands and release them themselves on either the HX mould or the BigBird mould. Like ARD has done for their upcoming BA 747s on the HX mould. As for the UTA and Air France 747s however, it's a different story. Last time a UTA 747 classic was released before this Phoenix example was in 2006 by GeminiJets as an exclusive model for Socatec. Air France is of the French airlines the most likely to get another release even if some AF 747 classics were released fairly recently (2020 and 2024) by Aeroclassics in their Blue Box series, meaning a low production run. I was surprised when I found one (the AF Cargo 747-200F) but I didn't manage to get the other releases from 2020 and 2024.
GeminiJets has plans for 747 classics, they have an Iran Air 747-100 as a future release and I suspect we might be getting another Pan Am example from them. But I don't see them releasing much else except other US carriers like TWA, Delta, American and United. I would love to be wrong though and see GJ releasing plenty of 747 classics. JC's choices for 747 classics are often either obscure or just trying to kill the competion from the HX mould. None of them are necessarily a bad thing but it takes away from what could be made in terms of 747 classics. BigBird just isn't making as many models as others do. This gap in 747 classics is why Phoenix 747s are still being released.
I bought those Phoenix 747 classics because I wanted those subject matters and I didn't see them being made by anybody else for a while. This is something I usually like about Phoenix, they make models others can be reluctant to make but the 747 classic is an exception. Most of their other moulds are at least decent.
Click to expand...

Very wise words. It's so unfortunate that Phoenix have some really stellar choices in their releases but also have the poorest moulds most of the time. They're bringing up an updated A300 mould and their recent IL-62 mould looks fantastic, so I really hope they can also develop a decent 747 aswell.
 
Critical Aviator said:
I knew what I was getting into when I bought those 747s. I did read Yesterday's Airlines' article on the Phoenix 747. I bought those 747s for one reason only: their subject matter. Sure there are better 747 classic moulds on the market but for those specific subjects the better alternatives are difficult to find because either they have been made a long time ago or they have been released by brands like Aeroclassics which have small production runs. There isn't enough supply for the demand. I guess I can get them as custom models but this rant isn't about custom models. It's about my personal frustrations with the state of the 747 classic in 400 scale in 2026. I think I'm not the only one with such frustrations. Aeroclassics/Blue Box, BigBird, JC Wings and GeminiJets all use a decent mould for the type but they don't use it well. Are you telling me that there isn't demand for classic 747s ? Of course there is a demand for classic 747s.
What about HX and NG ? Well the HX mould is the best but most of the releases on that mould have been for other brands, a lot of them are retailer exclusives and HX themselves only released the prototype, a Japan Airlines aircraft, the Pan Am ones from last year and Nalanji Dreaming for the 747-300. They have made a KLM MD11 under the YY Wings brand so maybe one can hope for KLM 747s as well.
NG's 747 classic has been in limbo for a while now, except for the 747SP. They have updated the 747SP and I hope to see the same improvements made for the 747 classics as it would make NG's 747 moulds more consistent. Let's hope the mould is simply being improved. And even when, or even if the mould ever enters the market, the mould usage will either be poor or they will focus on obvious subjects. Sure, a KLM 747-200 has been approved on the wish centre but it isn't the same livery as the Phoenix 747 I have. There are UTA and Air France 747 classics on the NG wish centre but none of them have been approved. I suspect most European 747 classics to be released on the NG mould will be Lufthansa examples. In fact, I'm surprised that YY Wings hasn't released any LH 747 classics yet. As for other 747 classics which aren't in the brands' obvious list, the only way I can see them released or rereleased is through the NG wish centre and hoping that NG will actively use their 747 classic mould unless another brand takes matters into its own hands and release them themselves on either the HX mould or the BigBird mould. Like ARD has done for their upcoming BA 747s on the HX mould. As for the UTA and Air France 747s however, it's a different story. Last time a UTA 747 classic was released before this Phoenix example was in 2006 by GeminiJets as an exclusive model for Socatec. Air France is of the French airlines the most likely to get another release even if some AF 747 classics were released fairly recently (2020 and 2024) by Aeroclassics in their Blue Box series, meaning a low production run. I was surprised when I found one (the AF Cargo 747-200F) but I didn't manage to get the other releases from 2020 and 2024.
GeminiJets has plans for 747 classics, they have an Iran Air 747-100 as a future release and I suspect we might be getting another Pan Am example from them. But I don't see them releasing much else except other US carriers like TWA, Delta, American and United. I would love to be wrong though and see GJ releasing plenty of 747 classics. JC's choices for 747 classics are often either obscure or just trying to kill the competion from the HX mould. None of them are necessarily a bad thing but it takes away from what could be made in terms of 747 classics. BigBird just isn't making as many models as others do. This gap in 747 classics is why Phoenix 747s are still being released.
I bought those Phoenix 747 classics because I wanted those subject matters and I didn't see them being made by anybody else for a while. This is something I usually like about Phoenix, they make models others can be reluctant to make but the 747 classic is an exception. Most of their other moulds are at least decent.
Click to expand...
I share your frustration about the lack of classics 747 releases in 2026, in particular European ones, and I understand your choice to have obtained these Phoenix 747s.
I myself own the 747 KLM Phoenix.
But after reading, like you, the article of "Yesterdaysairlines" on the 747 Phoenix, and confronted with such improvements on the HX and NG molds, it’s difficult for me to "go back in time" about the quality, as with all the "dated" molds besides. I was also tempted to get the other Phoenix 747s, but I prefer to wait and see what the future holds for us, to take advantage of the best developments...
Especially since the number of new molds and new brands continues to increase as they accelerate... it’s quite exciting.
Obviously the wait is difficult !
When I started my collection in 2020, it wasn’t moving fast, we still had to deal relatively with old molds, and the prospects were more limited. But we see that it’s changing, so maybe we will see our wishes come true, and more quickly than we imagine...
 
Air France Airbus A380-861 F-HPJJ by Aviation400. F-HPJJ has been stored in Tarbes Lourdes since 2020.
I think this model is an example of a missed opportunity as F-HPJJ had the Paris 2024 sticker between 2016 and 2018 and as far as I know, the only one to have it. I think Aviation400 should have released F-HPJJ with the sticker and rereleased the standard livery Air France A380 with another registration. But this doesn't take away from it being a great model in my opinion.
IMG_6638.jpg
 
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