JJ Skippy
Well-known member
Seeing the reception to my previous threads on this matter, I figured to cover another beloved defunct U.S. carrier in AirTran Airways. The amount of models of this airline made is quite lower than I expected, so let’s see what this airline was all about.
AirTran’s History
AirTran began operations as Conquest Sun Airlines in 1993 out of Orlando. The next year, they were purchased by AirTran Corporation, who were the holding company of Mesaba Airlines. You can probably guess what they rebranded to next.
A Conquest Sun Boeing 737-200. This, I feel, would make for a great release.
AirTran slowly grew their fleet and route network over the next few years. In 1997, the struggling ValuJet acquired AirTran. Following a catastrophic engine failure in Atlanta and a crash in the Everglades caused by an in-flight fire, the airline had lost much of their business and were bleeding money. ValuJet executives took the AirTran branding to put the troubled history of the ValuJet branding behind them, which generated some controversy.
Despite the turbulence here, AirTran saw significant growth over the next decade plus. They were the launch customer for the Boeing 717 in 1999 operating nearly 90 examples including the last one built in 2006. They also had a regional airline called AirTran JetConnect. Air Wisconsin operated the flights from 2002 to 2004 with 26 CRJ-200s.
AirTran’s flagship base was in Atlanta, plus they had bases in Baltimore, Milwaukee, and Orlando. In 2010, Southwest announced their intent to acquire AirTran. Their 737s would be integrated into Southwest’s fleet while the 717s were leased to Delta; most of those are still flying with them today. AirTran flew their last flight in 2014.
An AirTran Boeing 737-700 with winglets. AirTran operated 52 examples, all going to Southwest. They can be identified in their fleet with the customer code “BD”, and this also applies to their 717s.
The Models
As of October 2025, just 12 AirTran models have been produced, arguably a pitiful number for a modern-classic U.S. airline that had a plethora of specials to work with.
The first two releases were of the DC-9-30, first by SMA in 2003 (N848AT) and then by Gemini Jets in 2004 (N837AT). Exactly one year later, they released a 737-700 without winglets (N126AT), wearing the carrier’s newer livery, and followed that up with the Elton John 717 (N933AT) a few months later. A standard livery 717 (N986AT) didn’t come out until 2009! That must’ve been a painful wait for that.
In early 2010, Gemini Jets released the Atlanta Falcons 717 (N891AT), one of a few NFL football team liveries they made. The Philadelphia Eagles A319 for US Airways was released as a white box, though this one had the standard GJ box art. The 737-700 with winglets (N330AT) came out that summer, then Phoenix joined the scene by producing the Orlando Magic 717 (N949AT) in September 2010. Gemini Jets released a standard 717 (N948AT) in July 2013, then another 737-700 standard with winglets (N331AT) eleven months later.
It would be nine years until another AirTran model was released, that being the first livery 737-200 (N470AT) by Aeroclassics. 3D Design Deck’s also produced an AirTran 737-200 (N464AT) but with the slightly newer tan livery.
The AirTran Boeing 737-200 first livery by Aeroclassics. I have a feeling this one was celebrated by many AirTran fans.
And that’s all the AirTran models in 1:400 scale! What’s been your favorite AirTran model made, or a subject you want to see produced?
AirTran’s History
AirTran began operations as Conquest Sun Airlines in 1993 out of Orlando. The next year, they were purchased by AirTran Corporation, who were the holding company of Mesaba Airlines. You can probably guess what they rebranded to next.
A Conquest Sun Boeing 737-200. This, I feel, would make for a great release.
AirTran slowly grew their fleet and route network over the next few years. In 1997, the struggling ValuJet acquired AirTran. Following a catastrophic engine failure in Atlanta and a crash in the Everglades caused by an in-flight fire, the airline had lost much of their business and were bleeding money. ValuJet executives took the AirTran branding to put the troubled history of the ValuJet branding behind them, which generated some controversy.
Despite the turbulence here, AirTran saw significant growth over the next decade plus. They were the launch customer for the Boeing 717 in 1999 operating nearly 90 examples including the last one built in 2006. They also had a regional airline called AirTran JetConnect. Air Wisconsin operated the flights from 2002 to 2004 with 26 CRJ-200s.
AirTran’s flagship base was in Atlanta, plus they had bases in Baltimore, Milwaukee, and Orlando. In 2010, Southwest announced their intent to acquire AirTran. Their 737s would be integrated into Southwest’s fleet while the 717s were leased to Delta; most of those are still flying with them today. AirTran flew their last flight in 2014.
An AirTran Boeing 737-700 with winglets. AirTran operated 52 examples, all going to Southwest. They can be identified in their fleet with the customer code “BD”, and this also applies to their 717s.
The Models
As of October 2025, just 12 AirTran models have been produced, arguably a pitiful number for a modern-classic U.S. airline that had a plethora of specials to work with.
The first two releases were of the DC-9-30, first by SMA in 2003 (N848AT) and then by Gemini Jets in 2004 (N837AT). Exactly one year later, they released a 737-700 without winglets (N126AT), wearing the carrier’s newer livery, and followed that up with the Elton John 717 (N933AT) a few months later. A standard livery 717 (N986AT) didn’t come out until 2009! That must’ve been a painful wait for that.
In early 2010, Gemini Jets released the Atlanta Falcons 717 (N891AT), one of a few NFL football team liveries they made. The Philadelphia Eagles A319 for US Airways was released as a white box, though this one had the standard GJ box art. The 737-700 with winglets (N330AT) came out that summer, then Phoenix joined the scene by producing the Orlando Magic 717 (N949AT) in September 2010. Gemini Jets released a standard 717 (N948AT) in July 2013, then another 737-700 standard with winglets (N331AT) eleven months later.
It would be nine years until another AirTran model was released, that being the first livery 737-200 (N470AT) by Aeroclassics. 3D Design Deck’s also produced an AirTran 737-200 (N464AT) but with the slightly newer tan livery.
The AirTran Boeing 737-200 first livery by Aeroclassics. I have a feeling this one was celebrated by many AirTran fans.
And that’s all the AirTran models in 1:400 scale! What’s been your favorite AirTran model made, or a subject you want to see produced?
