JJ Skippy
Well-known member
It’s been a little while since I’ve made one of these “model history by airline” threads, so here’s another one as we pass the Thanksgiving holiday. Icelandair has a long history, rooted deep within the country. They’ve flown for nearly nine decades, but just how many models have been produced? This number could surprise you.
Icelandair’s History
Icelandair began operations in 1937 as Flugfélag Akureyrar. They rebranded to Flugfélag Islands in 1940, then became Iceland Airways for branding outside the country. The airline expanded over time, establishing services into Europe and across the Icelandic island.
A Icelandair DC-3 in the carrier’s 2000s livery. This bird started her flying career with the USAF, then went to Flugfélag Islands in the postwar years. She is now a museum piece in Akureyri at the Iceland Aviation Museum.
Flugfélag Islands added the DC-3 to their fleet in 1946, then moved to the DC-4 and even had some Viscounts. By the 50s, the current Icelandair branding was used for flights outside the country. Flugfélag Islands merged with Loftleiðir in 1973, which formed the current Icelandair by the end of the decade.
Throughout the next 40 years, Icelandair has developed into a fairly successful airline, operating many transatlantic flights to North America, alongside domestic services and flights to Europe. Icelandair operates 40 aircraft to 60 destinations across the Western Hemisphere.
An Icelandair A321XLR with the 2022 livery. Icelandair will replace the 757 and 767 with these birds in 2026 as these become their flagship long-haul aircraft.
The Models
As of November 2025, 47 Icelandair models exist (not including two in preproduction). The first release was a 757-300 (TF-FIX) in 2003 by Gemini Jets. This was also released under Schuco branding, as was the case for a good handful of early 2000s GJ models. Two years later, TF-NPK, the DC-3 in what was then Icelandair’s current branding, was produced by Aeroclassics. It wasn’t until 2010 when they returned to the scale with another TF-NPK release, this time from JC Wings under their Flightline 400 subbranding.
2016 saw a massive surge in Icelandair releases. First was Phoenix with a 767-300ER (TF-ISN), then Gemini Jets released the Hekla Aurora livery. Herpa also tried a go at it a couple months after GJ’s release. 2017 brought some retro Icelandair models with a DC-8-63CF (TF-FLF), 727-200 (TF-FLI), and DC-6B (TF-ISC) from Aeroclassics. They went modern the next year with a 737 MAX 8 (TF-ICE), but still pleased retro collectors with a DC-10-30CF (N1035F).
That wasn’t all for 2018, though. Phoenix released two MAX 8s (TF-ICU, TF-ICY), Gemini released the 80 Years livery, then NG Models joined the scene with a pair of regular liveries (TF-ISF, TF-FIV), Hekla Aurora, and 80 Years release. They will be rereleasing these specials sometime next year too! Lastly for the year, Gemini Jets released TF-ICE.
Rounding out the decade in 2019 was the first MAX 9 (TF-ICA) from Aeroclassics, a 737-400 (TF-FID) from JC Wings, and the 100 Years 757-300 from Gemini Jets. The new decade began quite strongly with a 727-100 (TF-FIE) from Aeroclassics and a National Geographic 757-200 (TF-FIS) from JC and NG. Another short 727 (TF-FIA) came the next year. Older liveries came before the new livery debuted, as NG produced a 757-200 (TF-FII), JC did a 737-400 (TF-FIA), and an even older livery Viscount 700 (TF-ISU) from Aeroclassics.
The first new livery came out in August 2022 with Gemini Jets (TF-ICE). Phoenix joined the scene in 2023 with two MAX 9s (TF-ICB, TF-ICD), and NG did four as well (TF-ICA, TF-ICB, TF-ICC, TF-ICD). A hybrid Nat Geo 757 (TF-LLL) came out later in the year from NG. In 2024, JC started with another old livery 737-400 (TF-FID), then Phoenix released some new livery 767-300ERs (TF-ISW, TF-ISO). JC also announced a pair of 757-300s (TF-FIX), though these are not yet available. NG announced the same tail number with a Fly Khiva variation in April 2025 alongside a 100 Years livery. And lastly, the newest release is the first A321XLR (TF-IAA) in July 2025.
And that’s Icelandair in 1:400 scale! What do you have from this airline?
Icelandair’s History
Icelandair began operations in 1937 as Flugfélag Akureyrar. They rebranded to Flugfélag Islands in 1940, then became Iceland Airways for branding outside the country. The airline expanded over time, establishing services into Europe and across the Icelandic island.
A Icelandair DC-3 in the carrier’s 2000s livery. This bird started her flying career with the USAF, then went to Flugfélag Islands in the postwar years. She is now a museum piece in Akureyri at the Iceland Aviation Museum.
Flugfélag Islands added the DC-3 to their fleet in 1946, then moved to the DC-4 and even had some Viscounts. By the 50s, the current Icelandair branding was used for flights outside the country. Flugfélag Islands merged with Loftleiðir in 1973, which formed the current Icelandair by the end of the decade.
Throughout the next 40 years, Icelandair has developed into a fairly successful airline, operating many transatlantic flights to North America, alongside domestic services and flights to Europe. Icelandair operates 40 aircraft to 60 destinations across the Western Hemisphere.
An Icelandair A321XLR with the 2022 livery. Icelandair will replace the 757 and 767 with these birds in 2026 as these become their flagship long-haul aircraft.
The Models
As of November 2025, 47 Icelandair models exist (not including two in preproduction). The first release was a 757-300 (TF-FIX) in 2003 by Gemini Jets. This was also released under Schuco branding, as was the case for a good handful of early 2000s GJ models. Two years later, TF-NPK, the DC-3 in what was then Icelandair’s current branding, was produced by Aeroclassics. It wasn’t until 2010 when they returned to the scale with another TF-NPK release, this time from JC Wings under their Flightline 400 subbranding.
2016 saw a massive surge in Icelandair releases. First was Phoenix with a 767-300ER (TF-ISN), then Gemini Jets released the Hekla Aurora livery. Herpa also tried a go at it a couple months after GJ’s release. 2017 brought some retro Icelandair models with a DC-8-63CF (TF-FLF), 727-200 (TF-FLI), and DC-6B (TF-ISC) from Aeroclassics. They went modern the next year with a 737 MAX 8 (TF-ICE), but still pleased retro collectors with a DC-10-30CF (N1035F).
That wasn’t all for 2018, though. Phoenix released two MAX 8s (TF-ICU, TF-ICY), Gemini released the 80 Years livery, then NG Models joined the scene with a pair of regular liveries (TF-ISF, TF-FIV), Hekla Aurora, and 80 Years release. They will be rereleasing these specials sometime next year too! Lastly for the year, Gemini Jets released TF-ICE.
Rounding out the decade in 2019 was the first MAX 9 (TF-ICA) from Aeroclassics, a 737-400 (TF-FID) from JC Wings, and the 100 Years 757-300 from Gemini Jets. The new decade began quite strongly with a 727-100 (TF-FIE) from Aeroclassics and a National Geographic 757-200 (TF-FIS) from JC and NG. Another short 727 (TF-FIA) came the next year. Older liveries came before the new livery debuted, as NG produced a 757-200 (TF-FII), JC did a 737-400 (TF-FIA), and an even older livery Viscount 700 (TF-ISU) from Aeroclassics.
The first new livery came out in August 2022 with Gemini Jets (TF-ICE). Phoenix joined the scene in 2023 with two MAX 9s (TF-ICB, TF-ICD), and NG did four as well (TF-ICA, TF-ICB, TF-ICC, TF-ICD). A hybrid Nat Geo 757 (TF-LLL) came out later in the year from NG. In 2024, JC started with another old livery 737-400 (TF-FID), then Phoenix released some new livery 767-300ERs (TF-ISW, TF-ISO). JC also announced a pair of 757-300s (TF-FIX), though these are not yet available. NG announced the same tail number with a Fly Khiva variation in April 2025 alongside a 100 Years livery. And lastly, the newest release is the first A321XLR (TF-IAA) in July 2025.
And that’s Icelandair in 1:400 scale! What do you have from this airline?
