NG Model - 1:400 February 2023 Release "Hints"

It will be a nice one. I'll have to let it go for now...tight budget. Maybe I can get one later on if I can find it.
Totally understand that. It's been an expensive few months for me as well. I hope you can find one at an acceptable price later on, that's the problem with missing hot releases when they come out!
 
That picture you attached also shows her in ex-Palmdale condition, roll-out/pre-delivery: VR-HHK on the #2, ''Lockheed L1011'' on rear fuselage and line # behind cockpit, as referenced by Phantom earlier. Another photo here showing her on the line (MSN #1118):
This should be what we get if it's indeed the 1975 delivery spec, but I'd personally prefer the 1977-spec with the black radome.
 
Special liveries are great, don’t get me wrong on that, but it feels like all their releases are slowly starting to be dominated by these specials. It seems like they have developed a mindset where any regular livery planes won’t sell, whereas on the contrary specials will.
Agreed. This Southwest special says a lot about this issue. We've had the 73G mould for more than two years, and all we have is a plethora of special liveries without a single regular Heart release. N78 was a really promising hint, but now I can't say I'm not disappointed.

I don't see the point of this livery.
 
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This should be what we get if it's indeed the 1975 delivery spec, but I'd personally prefer the 1977-spec with the black radome.
Actually - it should be as per the other b&w photos I posted just before that one! The palmdale roll-out condition was extremely short-lived and I'm not sure that -HHK actually entered service like this. The #MSN number placement was temporary as was the registration on the #2. So, for 1975 spec. we really need to see her like this:

8295--1975.jpg

...but I would be equally happy with the 1977 spec. ;) Let's see!!
 
It's such a classic. You've got to get one! Got the JC version from a few years back but the NG mould will nail it. Just hope they get all the detail combinations right.
Yep, if NG nails everything this will be the next "Delta Tristar." Iconic aircraft, airline and livery, plus loads of electroplated chrome! Since they're only releasing one livery variant, I think it'll sell out pretty fast.
 
Yep, if NG nails everything this will be the next "Delta Tristar." Iconic aircraft, airline and livery, plus loads of electroplated chrome! Since they're only releasing one livery variant, I think it'll sell out pretty fast.
I'm sure this will go very fast, exactly, just like the Delta - I remember when the 1st one came out in August 2019, it sold out within 48 hours!
 
Actually - it should be as per the other b&w photos I posted just before that one! The palmdale roll-out condition was extremely short-lived and I'm not sure that -HHK actually entered service like this. The #MSN number placement was temporary as was the registration on the #2. So, for 1975 spec. we really need to see her like this:

View attachment 11598

...but I would be equally happy with the 1977 spec. ;) Let's see!!
Ah, right. Love the elongated engine exhausts, those will differentiate this enough from my 1:200 VR-HHY, regardless of which year spec NG goes with.
 
Agreed. This Southwest special says a lot about this issue. We've had the 73G mould for more than two years, and all we have is a plethora of special liveries without a single regular Heart release. N78 was a really promising hint, but now I can't say I'm not disappointed. I don't see the point of this livery.
Planespotters shows that this aircraft is stored. Why not give us an aircraft that is still flying? New Mexico One would have been a better choice?
 
I'm sure this will go very fast, exactly, just like the Delta - I remember when the 1st one came out in August 2019, it sold out within 48 hours!
Went through NG's database, didn't know they released 4 Delta Tristars! Even then, I remember the July '22 releases selling out super fast. Hopefully NG makes the short exhaust and 1990s versions, in addition to whichever one ('75 or '77) that isn't selected for Feb.
 
Great set this month, but NG really needs to slow down with how much they’re pushing out of the factory. Seems like we have the same type of stuff released again as have been the last several months. Qatars, rereleases of the Malev 736 and TAROM A318 (were they popular enough to deserve a rerelease?), and way too many special liveries. Diversity is starting to lack in their releases.

Special liveries are great, don’t get me wrong on that, but it feels like all their releases are slowly starting to be dominated by these specials. It seems like they have developed a mindset where any regular livery planes won’t sell, whereas on the contrary specials will.
Agreed 100%. Special liveries are nice, but standard liveries need to take precedence since they represent the vast majority of an airlines fleet. They really should utilize their A319/A320 and 737 Max molds more often as well. There are so many slam-dunk releases waiting from those molds. I'm also surprised that we've never seen a Frontier, Hawaiian, Avelo, Allegiant, or Spirit Airlines model from them, and yet we've gotten countless Southwest special liveries. European and East Asian narrowbodies are under-represented too. Although they do an overall fantastic job with producing models, their variety has been lessening and the high production rate definitely concerns me from a QC standpoint.
 
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Agreed. This Southwest special says a lot about this issue. We've had the 73G mould for more than two years, and all we have is a plethora of special liveries without a single regular Heart release. N78 was a really promising hint, but now I can't say I'm not disappointed. I don't see the point of this livery.
It's unbelievable that we haven't seen a single normal Heart livery 737-700 despite Southwest having roughly 400 out of their 431 73Gs in the regular livery. They could release a nice set of them in the regular winglet and split scimitar configurations. I bet they would sell out very quickly.

The Coco livery flew for just a few months in late 2017 and early 2018, so it's very disappointing to see this released over a regular Heart livery or even a New Mexico One livery. With how NG has been releasing models, I am entirely unsurprised that we're getting both the Desert Gold and Canyon Blue heritage livery 737 Max 8s before a standard Heart livery. NG's livery selection process is downright perplexing.
 
Great set this month, but NG really needs to slow down with how much they’re pushing out of the factory. Seems like we have the same type of stuff released again as have been the last several months. Qatars, rereleases of the Malev 736 and TAROM A318 (were they popular enough to deserve a rerelease?), and way too many special liveries. Diversity is starting to lack in their releases.

Special liveries are great, don’t get me wrong on that, but it feels like all their releases are slowly starting to be dominated by these specials. It seems like they have developed a mindset where any regular livery planes won’t sell, whereas on the contrary specials will.
Agreed to a certain extent! I can definitely see the frustration with the specials as after 1-2 they become an annoyance. But for some airlines I like seeing the specials for 1-2 releases (e.g, Alaska) and more recently, I was certainly pleased to see the air transat special kids club livery along with their normal scheme as I have been pushing to have these releases for a few years now! I certainly hope we see more regular liveries and some desired releases soon!
 
Agreed to a certain extent! I can definitely see the frustration with the specials as after 1-2 they become an annoyance. But for some airlines I like seeing the specials for 1-2 releases (e.g, Alaska) and more recently, I was certainly pleased to see the air transat special kids club livery along with their normal scheme as I have been pushing to have these releases for a few years now! I certainly hope we see more regular liveries and some desired releases soon!
Just a quick update to my post here, I don’t mind seeing a few specials, but for an airline like Qatar or Saudi for recent examples, 7-8 specials become quite excessive and underwhelming as I’m sure some more diversity and release space could go to underrepresented airlines/ parts of the world
 
Actually - it should be as per the other b&w photos I posted just before that one! The palmdale roll-out condition was extremely short-lived and I'm not sure that -HHK actually entered service like this. The #MSN number placement was temporary as was the registration on the #2. So, for 1975 spec. we really need to see her like this:

View attachment 11598

...but I would be equally happy with the 1977 spec. ;) Let's see!!

Well, there is Chic's most awesome website with plenty of amazing stuff.
But whenever I dig through the TriStar section I'm so totally puzzled by the stated dates as they absolutely don't seem to go together.

Several pictures of HHK on the assembly line (like your attachment in #99) clearly show it with ln 1118 behind the cockpit and reg on the #2 intake. Chic also has some amazing pics of it on roll out. Check.

But then the set of air-to-air shots over the US are said to show first flight (July'75), but the airframe already wears the "Super TriStar" titles and reg on tail.(??) - I've seen images showing the aircraft with blanked out intake reg but wearing its test reg N64854 (ln eliminated already) on what I suppose to be first flight.
The set of Chic's images by Laurie King at OKL - August'75 - also show "Super TriStar" titles etc.

But then there's that September 02 and pics show HHK being welcomed at Kai Tak with the reg on #2 intake again (??!!??) An absolute mystery to me, but "Chic" was at the party. I'm so absolutely curious. Sadly we can't ask him anymore. R.I.P.

But I think we agree that this is what NG's model should look like:
8871316_orig.jpg
 
It's unbelievable that we haven't seen a single normal Heart livery 737-700 despite Southwest having roughly 400 out of their 431 73Gs in the regular livery. They could release a nice set of them in the regular winglet and split scimitar configurations. I bet they would sell out very quickly.

The Coco livery flew for just a few months in late 2017 and early 2018, so it's very disappointing to see this released over a regular Heart livery or even a New Mexico One livery. With how NG has been releasing models, I am entirely unsurprised that we're getting both the Desert Gold and Canyon Blue heritage livery 737 Max 8s before a standard Heart livery. NG's livery selection process is downright perplexing.
I gotta say, I was pleased to see the DG and CB mark the debut of NG's 737 Max. They both have been the most prominent Southwest liveries in the past and I like the tribute/heritage liveries in that sense. Plus the first production of a mould going wrong would not be that great if it were a Heart livery -- arguably the most sought after in the entirety of Max options.

This one however really is perplexing. Like you said it was a one-time livery when there are 430 other 73Gs with better state specials or Heart!

Otherwise, though, I'm delighted to see the pair of jetBlues, especially the Ribbons tail N2142J.
 
Well, there is Chic's most awesome website with plenty of amazing stuff.
But whenever I dig through the TriStar section I'm so totally puzzled by the stated dates as they absolutely don't seem to go together.

Several pictures of HHK on the assembly line (like your attachment in #99) clearly show it with ln 1118 behind the cockpit and reg on the #2 intake. Chic also has some amazing pics of it on roll out. Check.

But then the set of air-to-air shots over the US are said to show first flight (July'75), but the airframe already wears the "Super TriStar" titles and reg on tail.(??) - I've seen images showing the aircraft with blanked out intake reg but wearing its test reg N64854 (ln eliminated already) on what I suppose to be first flight.
The set of Chic's images by Laurie King at OKL - August'75 - also show "Super TriStar" titles etc.

But then there's that September 02 and pics show HHK being welcomed at Kai Tak with the reg on #2 intake again (??!!??) An absolute mystery to me, but "Chic" was at the party. I'm so absolutely curious. Sadly we can't ask him anymore. R.I.P.

But I think we agree that this is what NG's model should look like:
8871316_orig.jpg
Yes! That is a great resource - love all that retro CX memorabilia! But you’re right; what the hell is going on with the timeline between Palmdale roll-out and delivery with the “Super TriStar” titles!? This makes no sense at all. Why move the reg. to the tail, apply those titles to the #2 for July/August then revert to #MSN ex-Palmdale state again pre-delivery, then change back again into service??

The logical explanation would be, the dates are wrong, but somehow I don’t think so by what the photos are showing (test flight etc.) A total mystery and a frustrating puzzle. Too bad “Chic” is no longer around to help solve it.

Definitely agreed though on what the model should look like if it’s truly a “1975 delivery c/s”
 
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