Hey Richard so as always I went through this intently.
Few thoughts - and I love your work so no hard feelings and we can always argue over this in an imagined future scenario over beer or coffee or whatever choice of beverage yours may be!
:
1) While I get the 'noise' being made regarding this release set, dismissing them altogether may be a bit too extreme - and I now get this feeling that this is subconsciously being conditioned or forced on by the whole 'NG apologist' thingy nonsense - and now you're (unknowingly or unwittingly) going out of your way to disprove that ruse
. So while most of these models deservedly need to go into gas guzzler / workhorse territory - many are also inappropriately languishing in the RStretton jail
2) Many of the 'High Flyers' should actually be supersonic - especially the A330s (you missed the Aviance A332F?) - some are completely new or 'first releases / early releases' to the scale like the Canadian Govt A330s, the Avianca A332F, Sichuan Panda 4 (and yes - they are all different actually - and that's charming and fun too, besides being a cute set - perhaps the most cheerful A350s out there) - others are being made on a best-in-class modern mould for the first time - and I'm talking of CZ (they'll outshine the inferior and detail-less AC versions by far and it is an aircraft/livery combo that is really realy sought after) & the CA A332s (let's keep the hoo-haa on the classic/ultimate/etc bit aside - there's no evidence from the price listings in this set that they are 'that' more expensive than the regular releases - 5pc or so - after looking at the listings on various stores - and we must be okay with that, considering that they're in fact the same prices as inferior offerings by AC & PH - and thus of far far better value). I agree with you of course on the Kuwait A332s - those are really unnecessary now in such close proximity to the previous releases - even though - to state otherwise - the first two releases were extremely popular.
3) The Saudia 1011 grey belly, and the Avianca Gracias / wingtip fences version definitely deserve to be in the HF / SS category - Gracias hasn't been made before - and while I'm unhappy that Avianca repainted the earlier stunning Pride scheme on the same aircraft to the regular livery - this still is the first time it's being made in 1:400. Also, saying 'do we need 7-8 Avianca A320s' is a bit of a hyperbole if we're being objective - as the regular scheme - there are only a couple made now - the rest are all the special commemorative schemes - plus the earlier regular NG one had the sharklet and this one has the wingtip fences. Likewise the Saudia 1011 grey belly is a great addition and companion to their polished belly (despite the minor errors imo - c'mon AC mucked up the Eastern titles this time on the A300) - and on the whole, while we should be rightfully unhappy that we're only getting one 1011 this month, we shoud let ourselves be objective enough to realise what a great model it'll be and much much needed for collectors at large - and perhaps the only one on a perfect 1011 mould - the previous one won't come close to it by a mile - and you know that, but I reiterate nonetheless.
4) Thus if a DL 738 with split scims can be ranked highly, so should an AV with wingtip fences - both never been made before on NG's fab moulds, and before on a detailed top-of-class mould. From the position of a critic / commentator, I urge you to continue to be more balanced and with less rhetoric - and I write this as a friend and as a fellow reviewer/writer/critic (of buildings of course, hehe)
5) There are some schemes that we personally may not be fond of - and the Pokemon and Nok schemes are amongst those (though I love the Eevee scheme purely from a graphic design perspective - with its browns and yellows on a grey belly - and thus I will get it) - NG's 777 is better than the competition - and thus, it's okay to rank it highly, even though Av400 & PH have gotten to the market before them - sometimes it's also not a race to 'who's first' - but about 'when will it be made on this mould' - and inspite of the PH & Av400's availability - NG's are selling like hot cakes - because many collectors (like myself) have been waiting for it on an NG mould.
6) Other than these, I totally agree with everything else you state on the review video.
Cheers!
S
