Critical Aviator 1/500 collection

[Critical Aviator]

Hello, after starting a thread where I showcase my 1/400 collection, I am doing the same for my 1/500 collection. My 1/500 collection is very small compared to my 1/400 collection so I won't have as many pictures. Despite my tendency to be critical towards Herpa (the main brand in the scale 500 market) , I actually like scale 500 a lot. I think it's a scale that has a lot of potential if used properly. For starters, models don't take as much space as 1/400 or 1/200 ones and if the price is right scale 500 can be a strong alternative to other scales, especially for younger collectors starting their collection or collectors looking to save space. Unfortunately, in recent times, the scale has been facing turbulences mainly due to the lack of competition in the market. Herpa's quality has been going down in the last few years but their official retail prices have been going up, leading a lot of scale 500 collectors to either switch to other scales or stop collecting entirely.
Recent attempts to provide a competitor to Herpa include JC wings who made great models but unfortunately not as many as in other scales and the promising Aether models.
Anyway, here is the first model, a house colours ATR72-600 by Hogan Wings.

 

[Critical Aviator]

Next is this Herpa Club model: the first Airbus A380 (F-WWOW) with stickers commemorating Airbus' 50 year anniversary. I would really love to see this reg made on a modern mould in 1/400. As a club model, it has additional details such as the landing lights and markings on the nose landing gear doors.

 

[LeoMuse747]

Next is this Herpa Club model: the first Airbus A380 (F-WWOW) with stickers commemorating Airbus' 50 year anniversary. I would really love to see this reg made on a modern mould in 1/400. As a club model, it has additional details such as the landing lights and markings on the nose landing gear doors.
View attachment 57847

This makes me mad at Herpa.
By the prices they are charging, all these extra details of the Club models should already be present in regular models too.
It's 2025 and some Herpa models look much inferior to models released some 15 years ago!

 

[Critical Aviator]

This makes me mad at Herpa.
By the prices they are charging, all these extra details of the Club models should already be present in regular models too.
It's 2025 and some Herpa models look much inferior to models released some 15 years ago!

Agreed. And the worst part is that now, club models will no longer be more detailed than regular releases. Fingers crossed Herpa will one day understand the need for more details and better quality but... it's Herpa we're talking about so right now I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

[Critical Aviator]

Emirates Airbus A380-861 A6-EOX with Expo 2020 stickers by Herpa

 

[Critical Aviator]

My only JC wings model 1/500: ANA Airbus A380-841 JA381A Flying Honu 'Lani'. BongoPlanes called this mould the best A380 in 1/500 and I do agree with that statement. The lain problem I have with this mould is that the landing gear is too tall but otherwise, it certainly is better than their 1/400 A380 mould. And the box is also better than its 1/400 counterpart by JC. It's a shame that JC wing didn't make more 1/500 scale models considering how good they are which makes me wonder why they even invested in the 500 scale market.