Model Review - Greater Bay Airlines 737-800 by Aero Polaris

[YesterAirlines]

Last month, the new brand Aero Polaris released a sextet of 737-800s covering a nice range of airlines on what was claimed to be their own new mould. I was keen to get hold of one, but it has taken a little while for it to arrive. Now I have one in hand the model and overall package is clearly excellent, but a brand new mould it certainly isn't.

Greater Bay Airlines | Boeing 737-800 | B-KJA | Aero Polaris

HYJLwings had been a semi-independent brand since 2017, producing a good range of models (mostly A321s), often in partnership with NG Models. The brand closed in early 2024 and out of its ashes has appeared a new brand called Aero Polaris. In October they

www.yesterdaysairlines.com

 

[DSA02]

I got the Tui one as it fitted in nicely with my collection , it’s excellent also.

 

[danwashere]

It is a different mould from what I can see

Check the belly side of the model and compare it with an NG one

Aeropolaris added a few new details to it compared to the NG one

 

[YesterAirlines]

It is a different mould from what I can see

Check the belly side of the model and compare it with an NG one

Aeropolaris added a few new details to it compared to the NG one

Nah I can't see any difference. It is 100% a clone and NG have confirmed that it is an unlicensed one

 

[Phantom]

So if you made a scaled replica of something and nailed it 100%, did anyone else who nailed it necessarily clone yours?
Technically (legally?) the answer is only within these models: if you take both versions into pieces and find similar connectors/pins/joints allowing you to interchange parts, then yes.

 

[YesterAirlines]

So if you made a scaled replica of something and nailed it 100%, did anyone else who nailed it necessarily clone yours?
Technically (legally?) the answer is only within these models: if you take both versions into pieces and find similar connectors/pins/joints allowing you to interchange parts, then yes.

Let me be clear:

• The moulds are exactly the same aside from the engine nacelles.
• It lacks a standhole - something almost zero 400 scale models lack except for the NG 737 - this is a dead giveaway
• NG produced models for the former Aero Polaris - HYJLwings including 737-800s
• NG have told me it is illegally cloned

The evidence is pretty damning in this case. Personally I don't really care (and this is hardly the first time this has happened) but I'm not naive enough to pretend that it isn't the case. The Panda 737-800 is also excellent but it clearly isn't the same as the NG one. Likewise the Panda A320 (itself a cloned Aeroclassics mould) and the NG A320.

I am almost 100% certain that the Aero Polaris A350-900 will also be a clone of the NG mould.

 

[Lightsnack87]

This feels very much like the time Aeroclassics procured NG's 757 castings. The casting is nice, but my copy has a crooked flight deck. I would agree that this is different though in that the casting feels copied and not duplicated which is different than the Aeroclassics 757s.



I wanted this model for its obscurity. While the livery is plain, it somehow still appeals to me. The printed cardstock parking bay is a nice addition. But the poor window placement is a downer.