Models you'd never sell, and those you'd like to get rid of?

[pons399]

When collecting a large number of models, there's bound to be some variance in your satisfaction; some you'd like to keep forever, while you may regret getting others. So what are some models you'd never sell, and those you'd like to get rid of? I'll start:


Each of these is a favorite from every airline I collect. Everything from the type and livery to mould and printing are perfect, so these are all definite keepers.


I'd sell these if given the chance. I jumped on the bandwagon for the two Tristars, but due to my criteria, neither hold any value to me. The 739 is just too tiny to convey any feeling of "substance." And although I love Pan Am, I've grown to dislike the billboard livery; the iconic cheatline is so much more classy.

 

[Jazajia]

Good topic to get some small talk going.

Since my collection is first and foremost fueled by nostalgia my keepers include all my Venezuelan models (including the Aeroclassics screw-ups and the Viasa 747s by Magic and Phoenix), the Euro-widebody from the late 1980s to early 2000s that were commonly seen in the USA and South America, and the narrow bodies that when about that region (mainly 727s).

I am very conscious of keeping "collector's compulsivity" in check, but it is almost unavoidable to end up buying models that in the end don't really do it for you. There are a handful of models that I keep thinking are sort of out of place in my collection. Two of the ones that keep coming back are one of the Evergreen DC-8-61s by Aeroclassics from a year ago, and the recent Avianca Lacsa retro A320 by NG.

The Evergreen DC-8 is a very nice model, but the subject is way down the line in my dopamine-inducing list, so I feel that I need to have many other "nice-to-have models" to justify its place in my collection. I got the Avianca A320 because I love the Lacsa 1990s livery and it does look good next to my 732 and 722, but the more I see it the more I think it should be an actual Lacsa A320 in that livery instead of the heritage one.

 

[Jazajia]

And although I love Pan Am, I've grown to dislike the billboard livery; the iconic cheatline is so much more classy.

The cheatline is indeed classier. To me though, it is the Billboard the one that instinctively puts a smile on my face. It is the only Pan Am livery I got to see in person, and after their demise, Avensa continued to wear it during all the years I spent growing up in Venezuela.

Unlike the liveries from the 1990s, which I tend to like without much effort (but I understand are usually not the classiest), I have had to develop a taste for the cheatlines of the 1970s, as I used to find them archaic (uncool).

 

[OscarBravo992]

I’m bringing VH-ZND to my grave.



Nothing will make me get rid of it, my first model and by far my favourite.

However, I do regret purchasing this one:



No doubt it’s a lovely model, but I really jumped on the bandwagon when I bought it. US models have never really held a place in my collection (In fact I only have 5) and even its many redeeming qualities cannot save it. I’ll probably sell it sooner or later.

 

[Jazajia]

I’m bringing VH-ZND to my grave.

View attachment 20943

Nothing will make me get rid of it, my first model and by far my favourite.

However, I do regret purchasing this one:

View attachment 20944

No doubt it’s a lovely model, but I really jumped on the bandwagon when I bought it. US models have never really held a place in my collection (In fact I only have 5) and even its many redeeming qualities cannot save it. I’ll probably sell it sooner or later.

I also bought that Delta L-1011. Also not really a particularly special livery/type combo for me, but as you said, it is a wonderful piece. But I don't necessarily collect for the beauty of the piece as much as I do for the personal meaning of it. I am still happy to have mine though, it is just nowhere near the top of my favorites list.

You touch on an interesting current topic. With NG having a tendency to re-release some of its sought-after models, one might struggle to get rid of them. It is great for collectors that missed out, as I did with the initial run of NG Pan Am L-1011-500s. Personally, I wish a lot of the rare Aeroclassics/BigBird 747/707s, etc... could also get re-released by someone and kill off all the eBay sellers that have them listed for 100s of dollars. But the other side of the coin is that we must be more careful now with our purchases as the option of recovering the investment on the second-hand market might not be there. I think I prefer the re-releases, even if it means I might get stuck with models that I fall out of love with.

 

[pons399]

US models have never really held a place in my collection (In fact I only have 5) and even its many redeeming qualities cannot save it. I’ll probably sell it sooner or later.

As someone who also has the Delta Tristar, I agree with this a lot. Some of my purchases were knee-jerk reactions to hype from other collectors, and later I always found myself scratching my head thinking "what was the point?"

I think I'll keep my Delta though, the experience unboxing it was unforgettable.

 

[Steinar]

Some time ago I decided focus on Nordic/Scandinavian models and models I've flown on. I have reached maximum regarding my display space. I want models on display (not in boxes). In order to create space for new models I decided to sell some models at the Amsterdam Aviation Fair now within a month. Mainly Australian, Korean, Chinese, Canadian and US models. So you will be seeing Qantas, Air Canada, Korean Air and Asiana, China Southern and more.

The model I will bring with me when it's time to leave is the Loftleidir DC-6B TF-LLB which was my very first flying experience back in 1963.

My 82 model SAS fleet, 36 model Icelandair fleet, 25 Nordic model fleet, Thai Airways 30 model fleet and Lufthansa 18 model fleet will be keepers as long as I live.

 

[JJ Skippy]

One group of models I’d never sell would be my Herman collection. I have personal connections to the airline which I only recently found out about.

It’s actually pretty difficult to pick a model/models that I would want to sell. I only sold my first ever models when I was in Dallas for Airliners International, but if I had to pick anything, it would be defunct carriers that I don’t care about. Swoop is one of them as they’ll fold back into WestJet by October.

 

[LeoMuse747]

Since my collection of 1:400 models is focused on 1) Brazilian models of the 1980s/1990s and 2) potential international visitors of Brazilian airports back in the 1980s/1990s, there are many models which are important and which I don't plan to get rid at all. However, there's one model which always seem to catch my eye:

Iberia DC-10 - Model I'd keep!
I'm not really sure why, but I love this model! The Iberia livery is so striking and bright here. The GJ DC-10 mould may not be the most accurate but I think it looks great. A very solid model overall. It was also quite rare and took me some months to finally find it.



Cruzeiro A300 - Model I'd like to get rid of
This is a custom model, based on a Carnival A300 donor (Dragon Wings).
Sadly the decals have two errors: the cheatlines are too thin and the turquoise color is wrong: should actually be a light blue, quite similar to KLM. Some pics of Cruzeiro aircraft can be quite deceiving because the turquoise color seems to be almost green sometimes, but the correct color is actually light blue.

I was quite close to replace my version with the Aeroclassics A300 but sadly the price on the eBay auction went crazy and I had to give up.



Cruzeiro B737-200 - Model I'd like to get rid of
This custom model was based on a Aviation400 donor. Casino Express, if I remember well.
The decals have the same color error of the A300. See how the colors look different from the Aeroclassics 727 tail next to it.
However, there's also a mould issue... this mould is not really my cup of tea and I only realized that after having the model in my hands. There was also a nose gear door replacement, because the original ones are terribly large. I plan to replace it with an Aeroclassics custom version in a near future. The donor have been bought, and now I need to order the decals. I'll see if I can ask for a color adjustment!



Varig B737-200 - Model I'd like to get rid of
Custom model, also based on Aviation400 donor.
Same mould issue of the Cruzeiro example. There was also a nose gear door replacement, because the original ones are terribly large. A new Aeroclassics donor have been bought and I plan to replace my version with another custom version in a near future.



VASP B737-200 - Model I'd like to get rid of
Custom model, also based on Aviation 400 donor.
Same mould issue of the Cruzeiro and Varig examples. There was also a nose gear door replacement, because the original ones are terribly large. Just like her sisters, a new Aeroclassics donor have been bought and I plan to replace my version with another custom version in a near future.



Varig B767-200ER - Model I'd like to get rid of
Custom model, based on United 767 from Dragon Wings.
Decal issues... colors are a bit off. The Aeroclassics version is hard to find and also not my cup of tea, so I guess i'll have to stick around with this one for a while.



TAM Fokker 100 - Model I'd like to get rid of

My custom model is based on a Mandarin F100 from JC Wings.
Actually it doesn't bother me that much. It has some poor cockpit window placement and other small details. With this new Gemini Jets release, I think I might replace my version with the GJ version at some point.

 

[SmallTimeAviation]

Since my collection of 1:400 models is focused on 1) Brazilian models of the 1980s/1990s and 2) potential international visitors of Brazilian airports back in the 1980s/1990s, there are many models which are important and which I don't plan to get rid at all. However, there's one model which always seem to catch my eye:

Iberia DC-10 - Model I'd keep!
I'm not really sure why, but I love this model! The Iberia livery is so striking and bright here. The GJ DC-10 mould may not be the most accurate but I think it looks great. A very solid model overall. It was also quite rare and took me some months to finally find it.

View attachment 20952

Cruzeiro A300 - Model I'd like to get rid of
This is a custom model, based on a Carnival A300 donor (Dragon Wings).
Sadly the decals have two errors: the cheatlines are too thin and the turquoise color is wrong: should actually be a light blue, quite similar to KLM. Some pics of Cruzeiro aircraft can be quite decieving because the turquoise color seems to be almost green sometimes, but the correct color is actually light blue.

I was quite close to replace my version with the Aeroclassics A300 but sadly the price on the eBay auction went crazy and I had to give up.

View attachment 20953

Cruzeiro B737-200 - Model I'd like to get rid of
This custom model was based on a Aviation400 donor. Casino Express, if I remember well.
The decals have the same color error of the A300. See how the colors look different from the Aeroclassics 727 tail next to it.
However, there's also a mould issue... this mould is not really my cup of tea and I only realized that after having the model in my hands. There was also a nose gear door replacement, because the original ones are terribly large. I plan to replace it with an Aeroclassics custom version in a near future. The donor have been bought, and now I need to order the decals. I'll see if I can ask for a color adjustment!

View attachment 20954

Varig B737-200 - Model I'd like to get rid of
Custom model, also based on Aviation400 donor.
Same mould issue of the Cruzeiro example. There was also a nose gear door replacement, because the original ones are terribly large. A new Aeroclassics donor have been bought and I plan to replace my version with another custom version in a near future.

View attachment 20955

VASP B737-200 - Model I'd like to get rid of
Custom model, also based on Aviation 400 donor.
Same mould issue of the Cruzeiro and Varig examples. There was also a nose gear door replacement, because the original ones are terribly large. Just like her sisters, a new Aeroclassics donor have been bought and I plan to replace my version with another custom version in a near future.

View attachment 20956

Varig B767-200ER - Model I'd like to get rid of
Custom model, based on United 767 from Dragon Wings.
Decal issues... colors are a bit off. The Aeroclassics version is hard to find and also not my cup of tea, so I guess i'll have to stick around with this one for a while.

View attachment 20957

TAM Fokker 100 - Model I'd like to get rid of

My custom model is based on a Mandarin F100 from JC Wings.
Actually it doesn't bother me that much. It has some poor cockpit window placement and other small details. With this new Gemini Jets release, I think I might replace my version with the GJ version at some point.

View attachment 20958

If only the Iberia was one you'd get rid of...

 

[Atlspotter]

If I have to choose one model to keep, it would be the GeminiJets Virgin Atlantic A346 w/ a big virgin Atlantic thank you livery. One of my first models, and the mold is flawless! 2018 was the real last stand of GJ quality.My one model to sell would be the GJ SAS A320neo (I am selling it already), good model, just don’t really like it.

 

[LeoMuse747]

If only the Iberia was one you'd get rid of...

haha no, that's a true keeper!

 

[KG3036_SS]

Hmmm that's a hard question for me on the models to keep, but I think there are a few that I just don't want to let go no matter what!
The "Tropical" 744 is definitely a must-keep!

The "Stripes" 744s from JC also sees no reason out to me.

VR-HOP in standard "stripes"
And ZK-NBS in hybrid "TE-CX stripes"
Finally the recent NG "Peter Max" 777 will be a long stay for me till the end of the world.

Meanwhile my models to get rid of do have some contenders....
First up with a pair of Dragonair Airbuses -
1. JC Wings A330-300 B-HLL
2. Pandamodels A320 B-HYS
The two have individual problems that makes them high on my to-sell list. It's that I still yet to find good replacements refrained me from actually selling them.

For the A330 it's the JC mould making her an eyesore to me. It's not end of the world but it's just...weird to me in some ways. The history of B-HLL (Involved in CX780 accident) also makes me consider to switch to other KA A330s with a different reg. Meanwhile the A320 makes into the this list because of her really short stint(Jul 97- Aug. 98) in this color-reg. combination making her the lone one to other KA sisters in my collection.
The NG Lion Air "Boeing" 739 are also high on my to-sell list - but for a different reason from the two above. It's the terribly botched livery that makes me consider to sold her away.
And finally one that I am trying to sell (Unlike the above three which is still at the "Consider" phase) - the "JAL 100th 747" JA8915 by Phoenix. It's a combination of terrible mould(Let's face it, PH 744s are hideous) and nonexistent QC that makes me want to sell it away.

 

[abdulmohiuddin]

My collecting criteria is "anything that has or is theoretically able to fly to Karachi". Of course I will have a few exceptions to that, if the airline is one that I've flown on or if it flies into other airports in Pakistan that aren't Karachi. Most of my collection does fit into this, and I think I've managed to avoid "jumping onto the bandwagon" for new models for quite some while. I tend to think about models I want to buy for really long periods of time before buying them, which has saved me from buying models on impulse.

My number one keeper:
1) Dragon Wings PIA 747-300 AP-BFW

My definite keeper and one that I'll keep in the front of my displays for as long as I live is my Dragon Wings PIA 747-300. It's arguably the most beautiful aircraft I have in my collection, as the Dragon Wings mould still holds up to this day, plus Dragon Wings got the tail artwork almost perfectly. So far it has been the only aircraft I've gone out of my way to order from the internet as opposed to going into a brick and mortar store to buy. I love it and it'll be the one I plan to keep for my whole life, even if it gets a release from someone else.

Honorable mentions for aircraft that I will keep forever but I don't feel as strongly about them as the PIA 747-300 are:
2) Aeroclassics PIA 707-320 AP-AZW

The PIA 80's livery is one I feel very strongly about and one that I want more of! I missed out on the PIA DC-10 that Aeroclassics made in 2020 and I still cope about that loss(I only found out it existed after I saw it on the database and by that point it was too late) and I am a bit too young to have gotten the earlier A300's and 747's that were released in this livery years before I even started collecting. I'm still debating on getting the PIA Cargo sister release, as that one is still in stock at my local retailer.

3) JC Wings Saudia 777-300ER HZ-AK28 75th Anniversary Retro Livery (Flaps Down)
This aircraft wasn't one that I had much reason to buy. It's a special livery and before getting this, I had a dislike for special liveries as they didn't feel like representatives for the airline. However, I found this model on sale as a damaged model at Threshold, and from the very small amount of damage it has on the bottom by the engine, it seems to have been dropped while in the box or cradle and fixed(very nicely I might add) by the guys at Threshold. Upon inspecting the model in hand, I found that it was in really good condition and what pushed me to buy it was that it was in a flaps down configuration. The flaps down gives the model "life" and it's probably my favourite gimmick in this scale.

I think I only have one aircraft I'd truly like to sell or get rid of, as the model itself is in a questionable state.
Gemini Jets Qantas A330-300 VH-QPJ

This was my very first 1/400 scale model and I have no qualm against Qantas, but it's not an airline that I truly want from the bottom of my heart. The model itself is an early JC/Gemini A330 release on the new A330 mould and it suffers from the really high wingtips, and that causes the main gear to be too short and not give the A330 the nose-down position it should have. It also has really poor QC as it seems that the model was tipped over while drying and has this weird paint mark on the bottom because of it. It's the only model that I am dissatisfied with in my collection. Despite all of that, I still can't convince myself to get rid of it since it was my first model and well, I can't let it go because of that.

 

[SmallTimeAviation]

I had to really think about ones I would never get rid of and the Continental meatball DC-10 is at the top of the list. My earliest memory of flying was in this bird.



The IL-96 always intrigued me. Soviet era aviation was always interesting as all I knew was Boeing and Airbus. It took me a bit to find this Cubana variant and it’s one I wouldn’t give up.



The A340-600 is easily one of my top 3 favorite aircraft’s out there. I hate that it came at the wrong time as I would have liked to see more airlines fly them. To me, Lufthansa has the best looking ones in their new livery. Very simple, very clean, very German. This one, too, took a while to track down. And for a decent price too.



There is something about the KLM livery on the MD-11 that just looks right. Again, this is one that took a bit to track down and I didn’t care that it didn’t come with the box. There is no way I’m selling it.



Lastly, you can’t forget about the Queen. The Delta 747-400 was the first 747 I had gotten and it looks amazing to me. Too bad they retired them.



There’s a handful I’m sure I got let go with ease (not including the ones already for sale on eBay), but for some reason these two TWAs are the easiest. Both were impulse buys when I was trying to expand my retro collection, but soon realized they weren’t for me. I do love me some tri-jets, but even that couldn’t save the TWA L-1011.

 

[TheEpicBirb]

I probably wouldn't sell any of my models, as I only have a few at the moment. Since I buy what I like, not something that must fit into the era or the collection, I wouldn't really have to sell any. I see each model as a beginning to a new area in my collecting career. Even if I feel like I don't like a model as much I might just put it away into storage and maybe take it out a little while later and I'll start liking the aircraft again, it always works like this with me lol.

 

[josecolme]

I think I only have two models that I would not mind selling. The Herpa Qatar Airways A300 and the Gemini BBJ both in 1:400. They both have some mould issues I don't like. Other than that, I do have several models that don't go along with my collection but I have them as future custom donors.

 

[TheEpicBirb]

I think I only have two models that I would not mind selling. The Herpa Qatar Airways A300 and the Gemini BBJ both in 1:400. They both have some mould issues I don't like. Other than that, I do have several models that don't go along with my collection but I have them as future custom donors.

What is this "Gemini BBJ" aircraft? I've never heard of this before

 

[Steinar]

Here is one B737 BBJ from Gemini Jets.

 

[TheEpicBirb]

Here is one B737 BBJ from Gemini Jets.View attachment 21055

ooofh yeah I see what you mean, though personally id probably keep it or try to replace some parts such as the gear with modern parts and maybe get some new decals