In October 2022, I wrote an article titled "A Poor Man's Classic 747 Collection in 1:400 Scale." The article was about how hard it was to find Aeroclassics 747s in 1:400 scale, and how, in many cases, I had to settle for examples of lesser prestige.  Among the models featured in that article was a Pan Am 747-100 in the Billboard livery by the original Blue Box, N747PA Clipper Juan T. Trippe. For well over a decade, that model was the only Pan Am 747 in the Billboard livery in my collection. As it turns out, that model, along with many others released on the same mold, is also one of the worst Pan Am 747s in 1:400 scale. But beggars can't be choosers, and for well over a decade, I was glad to have it in my collection.  Things improved a bit in May 2024 when I found a Dragon Wings example for a decent price on eBay.  Little did I know that just over a year later, in July 2025, I was going to have in front of me two dozens of fresh-from-the-oven Pan Am 747s in a brand new, state of the art, 747-100 mold by a new brand called HX Model. Of course, such volume was for retail purposes, but one of them found its way into my collection. Then, only a few months later, in August 2025, Waffle Collectibles rolled out the "largest 1:400 collection sale EVER!!!," which enabled me to add to my collection two more Pan Am 747s in the Billboard livery. A GeminiJets that I missed out on in 2015 during a collecting hiatus, and an Aeroclassics that had been released in February of 2008, only eleven months before buying my first 1:400 scale airplane model, coincidentally, from Waffle Collectibles as well (They were called Air Paradigm at the time).  After having gotten my hands on the HX example, I didn't really need the two from the Waffle sale from a level-of-accuracy standpoint. However, I needed them for historical purposes.  I encourage you to go ahead and get comfy, and maybe have a bookmark ready, because with these five Pan Am 747s, we are going to cover a lot of ground on the hobby of collecting 1:400 scale airplane models. To see a comprehensive set of comparison photos, scroll to the bottom of the publication. About Pan Am and the 747 Pan American World Airways is probably the most influential airline in current history, as it propelled the air travel industry into what it is today. Pan Am was instrumental in the materialization of the Boeing 747, the first jumbo jet in history, and became the largest operator of the original variant of the type, the 747-100. The airline also operated a good number of the shorter 747-SP.  N747PA "Clipper Juan T. Trippe" at New York - JFK Oct. 18, 1990. Sunil Gupta © via Wikimedia Commons ( Source ) Pan Am went out of business in 1991, but its legacy is far from forgotten, and collectors from every corner of the world, young and old, cherish the airline, which is why Pan Am 747s are so popular. To date, there have been a total of 63 Pan Am 747s mass-produced in 1:400 scale. In case you are wondering, there are several airlines whose liveries have adorned far more 1:400 747s (JAL could be at the top with 120+ models), but it is still not bad for an airline that only operated one major variant of the type, and that went out of business several years before 1:400 airplane models became a thing.  At least 20 of those 63 models wear the Billboard livery, the last livery of the airline. Every major player in the hobby, except Phoenix (I don't think many people will be upset by it), has made its own contribution to this list, as well as one obscure brand called Radscale Models (the only mold that will not be featured in this article). Aeroclassics even launched a dedicated sub-brand to weather potential licensing hurdles: The Pan Am Model Company (PAMC).  The Models I will present the models in the order they were released, and not in the order in which I acquired them, as it offers an excellent opportunity to go over the evolution of 1:400 scale.  Model 1, Dragon Wings: Boeing 747-121 N737PA "Clipper Ocean Herald" Pan Am 747-121 N737PA "Cliper Ocean Herald" Dragon Wings 1:400 Released in 1999, this is the first Pan Am 747 produced in 1:400 scale wearing the Billboard livery. 1999 was also the first year that Pan Am 747s were released in 1:400 scale in any livery, with GeminiJets releasing another two (a -100 and an SP, both in the cheatline livery). Dragon Wings themselves are thought to be behind the first 1:400 airplane models ever mass-produced, only three years prior, in 1996, according to Yesterday's Airlines.  For its time, Dragon Wings produced outstanding models. To this day, the shape of their 747-100 fuselage is considered to be a near-perfect replica of the real thing. Their models came with removable landing gears and a nice display stand.  Some of their drawbacks include unrefined details on areas such as engine pylons and landing gear struts, a lack of printed details, and, for some people, the plastic wings and tail. It is worth noting that not all of DW's molds were as stunning as their 747s.  Dragon Wings was based in Hong Kong, but conducted businesses in the same way that the other major airplane model brands of the time did, all of which were based in Western countries (Herpa in Germany, and GeminiJets in the U.S.). Dragon models were licensed, their packaging portrayed a standardized artwork format, and they had a solid distribution network outside of Asia. They offered a good product with a large consumer base in mind, instead of the niche of connoisseur collectors, who at the time focused on 1:200 scale. The model in question is well-executed. The one glaring inaccuracy that jumps out at me is the name of the aircraft, which is black instead of blue. The cockpit windows are a tad low and a tad small, also, but at least they are not oversized. Model 2, Blue Box: Boeing 747-121 N747PA "Clipper Juan T. Trippe" Pan Am 747-121 N747PA "Clipper Juan T. Trippe" Blue Box 1:400 This model was released in 2005 in a different landscape than that of the late 1990s. By now, several players had entered the scene. Relevant to the discussion of this model is one particular brand: Aeroclassics. Remember how I mentioned that in the late 1990s, most mass-produced scale airplane models were licensed (DW, GJ, and Herpa) and appealed to the general consumer instead of connoisseurs, who mainly collected 1:200 models at the time?  Well, that 1:200 connoisseur collecting community was concentrated in Europe, mainly in England, and the issue of licensing was just not part of it. We are talking about a rather underground network of hobbyists whose production lines were closer to artisan shops than to the industrial assembly lines of the Far East, and whose clientele was equally niche. One of these UK modellers decided to make smaller models in 1:400 scale (maybe inspired by the 1:500 and 1:600 models that were coming out of Germany at the time?). They became known as Aeroclassics, and their residency in the UK was short-lived as they moved to China in 2000, about two years after their inception. As mentioned earlier, the close-knit community of UK modelers was largely oblivious to the issue of licensing. And that did not change when Aeroclassics moved its production to China. And so began one of the great dilemmas of the hobby: licensed vs. non-licensed, legal vs. illegal, fake vs. genuine.  With the arrival of new brands and the introduction of the unlicensed mass-produced airplane model, the hobby started to proliferate, and some local actors started to try their hand at making models on their own, without a Westerner or Hongkonger at the top. One early brand from Mainland China was Blue Box. Blue Box became known for its L-1011s, while its "sister" brand, Magic Model, became known for its 747s. Nonetheless, several 747s using the "Magic" mold were released under the Blue Box banner as well.  The reason I decided to use this section to explain how Aeroclassics came to be is that I believe they were a huge influence/inspiration for Blue Box. By 2005, Aeroclassics and Big Bird, their newfound friend from Hong Kong, had been putting out a series of highly praised 747s using a line of innovative molds that earned them a solid place in the market, much to the dismay of the well-established brands.  While Blue Box and Magic went on to find their niche markets before failing, many of their 747 releases were clearly a copy of - or heavily inspired by, you could say - what Aeroclassics was doing at the time. Such is the case of the model presented here. The Blue Box/Magic 747-100 does seem like a poor copy of the Big Bird/Aeroclassics mold, with some improvements, nonetheless. Without dissecting the model, I would say the tail of the Blue Box mold was better than the Aeroclassics one, but the nose section and the wing box were worse. Everything else was comparable. Some collectors have said that the Blue Box/Magic 747-100 mold is the worst in the scale, but I actually share Yesterday's Airlines' opinion on this one: overall, it is not a bad mold for its time.  Blue Box/Magic 747s were notorious for poor paint application, which resulted in many severe cases of paint bubbling (sometimes mistaken for zinc rot). My Pan Am example only suffers mildly from this condition, and it is limited to the wing fuel tank coroguard.  On the brighter side, these models show us the first inclination of Chinese brands to focus on innovation and luxury packaging. Blue Box boxes were particularly sturdy and incorporated a liftable flap, which was an exclusive feature of GeminiJets boxes at the time. Additionally, Blue Box/Magic 747s featured a series of bumps on top of the fuselage, which represent one of the first attempts at introducing antennas in 1:400 models. Primitive rolling gears are also present (either that, or the tires have become loose with time). As we now know, today's brands from Mainland China (NG, Panda, HX) are on a tier of their own when it comes to mold accuracy and level of detail, and attention to packaging continues to be a common theme among them. Brands such as Patriot Model largely base their business model around luxury packaging. We also have NG's "Ultimate" collection, and even regular boxes of Chinese brands feature very tasteful artwork.  As far as the model itself, I can easily see two issues. First, the placement of the cockpit windows is clearly too low. Looks very awkward. The other issue is that I believe N747PA never wore the Billboard livery without also featuring the Side Cargo Door (SCD) on the port side, which is not present on the model.  Model 3, Aeroclassics (PAMC): Boeing 747-121 N744PA "Clipper Ocean Spray" with Yellow Ribbon Pan Am 747-121 N744PA "Clipper Ocean Spray" Aeroclassics 1:400 For many years, the mold in which this model is cast was considered to be the best in its class, and to this day, Aeroclassics and Big Bird (Your Craftsman 400) branded 747s, especially from the 2000s, are very sought after. As a matter of fact, out of all the models featured in this article, this is the one that I have paid the most for, and not by a small margin.  The mold first appeared in 2003, and from the start, it was used by both Big Bird and Aeroclassics. The mold is still active under the control of JC Wings, which has enabled its use under different brands in recent times, including their own, and remains largely unaltered (perhaps the longest in-use mold in 1:400 scale?). In fact, recent Aeroclassics 747s are effectively identical to those from the 2000s, mold-wise, as they don't feature antennas, and artwork remains basic. However, older Aeroclassics, such as the model presented here, are considered superior, as recent ones exhibit a series of shortcomings in terms of artwork application, mold polishing, etc.  The mold was revolutionary for its time because it offered several advantages over the competition (Dragon Wings, GJ 1st gen., and Herpa). It was all metal, only had one seam (wing box), its overall shape was very eye-pleasing, and its landing gear was very detailed.  In 2005, both Big Bird and Aeroclassics (under the PAMC banner) started to produce a series of Pan Am 747-100s. Soon after, Blue Box followed suit and started to almost duplicate every release using their inferior mold (including Model 2 above).  By 2006, Blue Box had given up copying Aeroclassic and Big Bird's Pan Am 747s. The last release was a titleless version of N747PA released under the Magic brand name (Magic became known for producing those obscure livery variations).  However, Aeroclassics was not done yet, and in February 2008, the PAMC released one last quartet of 747-100s, which included the model presented here. After that quartet, Pan Am 747-100 releases in 1:400 scale have been very punctual.  In 2013, two were released, still using the Big Bird mold. However, at the time, the mold was owned by Witty Wings, and the models were released under the Apollo banner. Then in 2015 (Mar. & Dec.) GeminiJets released another two using a considerably improved version of their 741 mold (we will see one of these releases next). And in February 2024, the PAMC 747 made a reappearance with one release using the Big Bird mold. JC Wings itself has since announced yet another Pan Am 747-100, but as of the writing of this article, it has not seen the light of day. It is assumed that it will also be cast using the Big Bird mold, but in its slightly updated variant known as Big Bird Mk.3 (it's got antennas, and models released on it wear modern printed details). Then, of course, we have the recent HX series, which we also cover later in this article. Oh yes, and there was also that Radscale release in 2024.  Regarding the model in question, for its time, it is absolutely superb, very sharp, and very eye-pleasing. The color blue seems a tad oversaturated, but I like it that way. Aercolassics at its best. I could not find any photos of the real aircraft showing the yellow ribbon on the port side, but anyone who has spent some time trying to verify the accuracy of livery reproduction on scale models should know that it doesn't mean much.  Model 4, GeminiJets: Boeing 747-121 N741PA "Clipper Sparking Wave" Pan Am 747-121 N741PA "Clipper Sparking Wave" GeminiJets 1:400 GeminiJets made us wait a long time for their iteration of this iconic aircraft, which was released in December 2015. This is the fourth Pan Am 747-100 produced by GeminiJets, the only one in the Billboard livery, and probably the last one we will see as Gemini has a strict policy of keeping re-releases to a minimum, unless an airline requests it (a difficult thing to do when the airline no longer exists).  I don't know if it was a coincidence or planned, but Gemini waited until all the dust had settled between Aeroclassics and Blue Box to release their first Pan Am 747-100s in well over a decade. By the time of this release, Gemini's 747 mold had been considerably improved, which makes this a rather nice model with modern printed details, well-proportioned antennas, and detailed rolling gears. I wish GeminiJets used this mold more often. Model 5, HX Model: Boeing 747-121(SCD) N747PA "Clipper Juan T. Trippe" Pan Am 747-121 (SCD) N747PA "Clipper Juan T. Trippe" HX Model 1:400 The first Pan Am 747-100s in 1:400 scale made by a brand from Mainland China appeared 20 years ago, and were not much more than a subpart copy of Aeroclassics and Big Bird (Model 2 in this article). But a lot has happened in those 20 years, and now there is no shortage of innovative brands from Mainland China that have taken 1:400 scale to a whole new level. While the current generation of standalone Chinese brands started to appear in the mid to late 2010s (Panda in 2015 and NG in 2017), according to Yesterday's Airlines, and seemingly had no meaningful connection to any of the traditional brands, HX's history is different. The brand itself is new (2024, I believe). However, its roots seem to go well before Panda and NG were created, as the brand appears to have links to JC Wings. Details are unclear (and largely irrelevant for this discussion), but it appears that HX was born out of a dispute that took place within JC Wings recently.   HX is the only 1:400 brand that has an active 747-100 mold with slot-in wings, besides Phoenix. However, the latter has so many deficiencies that even current cradle molds such as GJ and Big Bird are considered superior.  The curves of the 747 fuselage, especially around the forward section, are very difficult to replicate accurately, but HX has done a good job in this area, no worse than any other competitive molds in the scale. This, combined with highly accurate slot-in wings, refined details such as pylons and landing gears, and top-notch paint application and pad printing, has created an exceptionally well-received product.  This model is part of a series that HX released in June of 2025, which included five Pan Am 747-100s, four in the Cheatline livery, and one in the Billboard livery. They all came in a nicely executed flaps-down version as well.  Unlike Blue Box's effort (Model 2), HX's version does have the side cargo door.  Conclussion While these five models have allowed us to cover a lot of ground on the evolution of 1:400 scale, there are many areas that we did not get to touch on. For that, I would like to refer you to www.yesterdaysairlines.com , a site that I have also used extensively in researching for this article.  Some of you are probably wondering which of these five models is the best. Well, I think that's a very subjective question, so that's for you to decide. But as usual, I have an opinion.  The Blue Box one (Model 2) is indeed the worst. The cockpit windows alone are a deal breaker. The Dragon Wings one (Model 1) is not bad, but by now it is just too primitive to be competitive.  The remaining three are all valid options with pros and cons. While I would choose the HX example if I had to keep only one, I think the other two (AC and GJ) are also highly regarded models with their own strengths.  It is worth noting that it isn't only about how innovative a model is, but in some cases, it is about the collectible value that time and other unique factors confer to a model. Comparative Galleries The following is a set of photo galleries designed to facilitate comparing the models.

"In the nineties the Chinese got into the game and changed everything forever, although to start with their models were quite crude it didn't take them long to up their game. Keith and John had to change their business model quickly or disappear like so many of their rivals." The above excerpt is a direct quote from the Scale Model Technical Services (SMTS) website . It refers to the boom of Made in China airplane models that took place during the 1990s. Coincidentally, I wrote an article about it not long ago, before ever reading the agreeing statement from SMTS. Yes, finding a supporting source gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Recently, there has been a resurgence of what I have referred to as "home-made" airplane model manufacturers, but now I think "Western" is a more fitting label than "home-made." I say this because SMTS is not exactly a home-made operation, and while the title of this article has the word "tradition" in it, in this day and age, airplane model making is as much of a tradition, if not more, in China as it is in the UK, or elsewhere, for that matter.  So, who is SMTS? According to their website , they are a scale-model manufacturing company that was founded in 1983 in Hastings, United Kingdom. A town on the south coast of England, not too far from London.  SMTS not only manufactures airplane models. In fact, they seem to focus on automobiles. But according to Chris Sayers' The One True Scale (TOTS) Newsletter No. 10 (Dec. 2011), SMTS made many of the 1:200 airplane models that were sold for many years at Collectors Aircraft Models (CAM), near Heathrow airport. With the demise of CAM in 2011, SMTS started marketing their airplane models under the Sky Classics banner, many of which were exclusives for Aviation Retail Direct (ARD), the unofficial successor of CAM.  As one would expect, Sky Classics' output has been much smaller than that of the Chinese factories. So much so that I had never heard of them. Granted, I belong to a new generation of collectors, and I focus on 1:400 scale. Nonetheless, you would think I would have at least seen their name somewhere after 15 years of perusing through the different online stores and forums. That changed with a recent announcement from MTS Aviation Models.  MTS is an aviation collectibles shop located in Dayton, Ohio. MTS can be considered the successor of Jetstreams USA, a defunct shop from Columbus, Ohio, and the former U.S. distributor of many of the 1:200 models that were made in the UK before the Chinese boom, and one of the entities behind the creation of InFlight200.  So, in keeping with old traditions, a recent announcement from MTS included Sky Classics models. Just like the Jetstreams USA catalog used to include InFlightLE models, the UK hand-made line that preceded the Made in China InFlight200s of today. Quite the musical chair in the world of 1:200 scale airplane models. Sky Classics could have easily continued to go unnoticed by me if it weren't for one particular model, a NASA Martin WB-57F Canberra.  Initially, I was only interested in the model itself, which I thought was a typical 1:72 military model. But after some digging, I found out that it actually was a 1:200 model, and, as quoted directly from MTS: "... casted, and hand finished in the United Kingdom... Sky Classics models are diecast models casted in white metal and made in very limited quantities. The models are made to be displayed on their landing gear and do not have rolling wheels." I quickly translated all that to: Huh! These are old-school, but current-day, Made in the UK 1:200 models. It felt as if I had discovered that dinosaurs were alive today. If you have read some of my recent blog posts or have come across some of my content on social media and the forums, you know I have been having a fixation of sorts with precision airplane models that are not made in China. I was under the impression that most of such models were a distant memory of a time when the UK was the Mecca for 1:200 scale precision airplane replicas, and that the resurgence of smaller airplane model manufacturers in the West, mainly making 3D printed models, was the modern-day version of that English tradition. But it was surprising to find out that there are still airplane models being mass-produced from scratch in the UK today.  This model caught my attention because NASA's WB-57s are one of the major local attractions for Houston's aviation enthusiasts. I happened to have learned to fly at Ellington Field, where NASA's WB-57Fs are based. So, by purchasing this model, not only was I adding to my collection a replica of a relevant aircraft in my life, but also one of those peculiar Made in the UK models that I have been so interested in as of late. Let's check the model out: The model comes in a typical "artisanal" style plain box, common among such models. No outer sleeve with fancy artwork, just a simple sticker, but it is more than enough. Box of NASA WB-57F N928NA by Sky Classics in 1:200 scale Box Sticker of NASA WB-57F N928NA by Sky Classics in 1:200 scale Once the box is opened, the cushioning material is not the typical foam, but rather the less common expanded polystyrene (EPS), similar to the only Small World Super Constellation that I have in my collection. That Small World Connie arrived looking as if it were covered in snow, which makes me doubt the suitability of EPS as a cushioning material for metal models. NASA WB-57F Canberra N928NA Sky Classics 1:200 I am not going to pretend to be a WB-57F expert, but putting my opinion in simple terms, I would say the mold resembles the aircraft quite well. It is a one-piece mold, so there's no need to worry about loose wings and such. There is a discrete supporting leg on the underside to prevent it from sitting on its tail, a clever addition. NASA WB-57F Canberra N928NA Sky Classics 1:200 NASA WB-57F Canberra N928NA Sky Classics 1:200 The model is decaled. The decals are fine, but there's room for improvement in this area. But, hey, if you want a NASA WB-57 made out of metal in 1:200 scale, this is it, and I'm okay with that. Below are some photos of the WB-57 operations I got to enjoy during my time as a Flight Instructor at Ellington Field. Unfortunately, I never caught one with the NASA titles on the tail. The model sits nicely on my 1:200 shelf. Even though it has been referred to as The One True Scale, the fact of the matter is that 1:200 is probably never going to become more popular than 1:400 in the same way that the latter has largely displaced 1:500. 1:200 is just not nearly as practical. Having said that, small to mid-size aircraft display wonderfully on the larger scale.

Pre-orders are often a controversial topic among collectors. Many airplane model stores, at least in the U.S., take the payment as soon as a pre-order is placed, but most collectors know that in many cases it can take more than a year for the model to arrive. In some cases, the model never arrives, as releases that don't generate enough demand (pre-orders) do get cancelled before going into production. It takes a while to get used to handing out your hard-earned money in hopes that you will eventually receive either a model or a refund. Many collectors prefer to wait and buy models once they are in stock, understandably so. Manufacturers and retailers, on the other hand, love pre-orders. Holding inventory costs money and takes up space, so having a some of your stock already sold before it arrives, or before it even enters production, is wonderful. There are some downsides for retailers, though. For instance, sometimes manufacturers cannot fulfill orders in their entirety, which can leave retailers with no option other than to issue refunds, which usually irritates customers; talk about a lose-lose situation. Also, pre-orders increase the workload and stress associated with record-keeping and customer service.  Nonetheless, there are good reasons for any new retailer looking to get a strong foothold in the market to put in the effort and try to develop strategies to capture some pre-orders regularly. It is worth noting that undercutting everyone else, though tempting, is not a good long-term strategy to gain market share. Many retailers already list models at the minimum asking price, so anyone who undercuts will be automatically violating the policies of many manufacturers and distributors; not a good situation to be in, especially as a new retailer. In the same way, and more importantly, there is not a whole lot of room to offer discounts before starting to flat-out bleed money.  Note: When I first started brainstorming ideas for this article, there was a lot of price competition taking place among the newer generation of retailers, as well as some not-so-new ones. However, by the time of the publication, it seems that a majority of retailers are starting to raise prices in unison. Probably as a result of the tariffs of 2025. And also because it is a matter of time before one understands that model retailing is a business, a hobby at best, but seldom a charity. However, for this article to make sense, and for future reference, the paragraph on undercutting will be kept. All retailers should aim to be one of those outfits whose loyal customers would not mind, care, or notice paying a buck or two more than the competition for certain models. And how do you do that exactly? There is an infinite number of ways. Everyone has to develop their "secret sauce."  One thing that I have done at Yankee Victor 400 is come up with a method for customers to pre-order in an easy, reliable fashion without having to pay up front. It is a quite simple solution; it is the same method that manufacturers and distributors use to gather orders from retailers. Also, a method that some stores already use: a Pre Order form. As the name suggests, it is a signup sheet of sorts. Not only does it allow customers to pre-order without having to pay up front, but it also allows me to post new releases quicker, as I don't have to upload them to the site, which can be quite time-consuming (even when uploading in bulk).  You can access the Yankee Victor 400 Pre Order forms for the different manufacturers on the drop-down menu under the Pre Orders tab. Below: Left: Mobile, Right: Desktop/Laptop. If hovering over the "Pre Orders" tab on the desktop version doesn't drop the menu, click around and try again. Most pre-order forms are active only during the manufacturer/distributor pre-order period. Sign up for the mailing list to get notified when new pre-orders are added to the site. One issue that I quickly found after rolling out the Pre Order form is that it did not account for shipping costs. To save my customers the unpleasant surprise of last-minute added shipping costs, I have recently included a shipping estimate table with the form. I hope that in this way, customers can get a highly accurate estimate before submitting a Pre Order form at Yankee Victor 400. I don't expect, nor want, anyone to abandon their go-to retailer in favor of some random new outfit. After all, I still have my go-to retailer and have good relationships with many others. But if you are new to the hobby and haven't established a long-lasting relationship with any retailer, or don't currently have a go-to retailer for whatever reason, check out www.yankeevictor400.shop and maybe use one of our pre-order forms for the next set of new releases that includes something you like.

I am weird. Okay, maybe not weird, but peculiar; I'm very interested in something that not a whole lot of people are: airplane models.  While many people find airplanes interesting and can appreciate an airplane model collection, and maybe even own some models themselves, the truth is that airplane models don't have the same appeal that other luxury items, or collectibles for that matter, do. What a bummer! I yearn for those years when I would wake up bright-eyed, and the promise of stopping by the airplane model shop before going back home was all it took for me to put up with an entire day of girls' shopping with my mom and sisters. Sometimes, we didn't even have to step into the model shop; a mere walk by that allowed me to get a glimpse of these exquisite gems through the window was all it took to make my day (maybe I am actually weird).  But numbers don't lie, and the fact of the matter is that finding a local customer base large enough to support a brick-and-mortar die-cast airplane model shop, or die-cast airplane models at all, as many physical hobby shops that are still in business don't carry them anymore, seems a daring task. At least if one is to judge by the number of model stores that have gone online-only or shut their doors altogether in the past few decades, at least in the U.S. While online shopping is efficient and convenient, it takes away that feeling of joy that could only be experienced by taking a trip to the local model shop. If I had to describe what it felt like to buy an airplane model in person, I would say it was a mix of anticipation, surprise, and gratitude followed by sheer awe. I'm always looking for opportunities to experience the joy of purchasing models in person. I do this by trying to attend one or two airline collectibles shows a year, and by visiting model stores around the world, whenever I get the opportunity.  During the most recent Houston Airline Collectibles Show (December 7, 2024), I got to experience for the first time what it feels like to be on the other side of the business. What it feels like to be the guy selling models, the purveyor of joy to the aviation enthusiast. In doing so, I missed out on buying models for my personal collection, but I spotted one or two that I liked. After the show, I got in touch with one of the local sellers who had one of the models I liked to see if it was still available. It was, and after working out a deal, the question was, did I want the model shipped to my house, or did I want to pick it up? Guess what I chose to do... You know, I am a city person. I grew up in one of those places where a car was convenient, but not a necessity, and where staring out of the window was as entertaining as watching TV or reading a book. I thought that was how every relevant urban congregation in the world was supposed to be. The more relevant a city was in the global scene, the more bustling of a metropolis it ought to be, right? Well, yes, in many cases, and no, in many other cases, such as my current hometown of Houston, Texas. When my dad came back home from business trips, he always described Houston as the bustling capital of the oil industry in the Western World. I recall photos of him in downtown Houston; skyscrapers and people filling the background of the frame satisfied my perception of the city being just like New York or London, as I had seen them in movies and magazines.  When I first visited Houston in 1994, I quickly realized that it was not exactly how I had imagined it. The tall buildings were limited to a very small area of ​​the cityscape, and there were not many people on the streets. The city was far, far away from being an inspiring metropolis like Paris or Tokyo. In reality, Houston is the quintessential traffic-ridden American sprawl. It is still a cosmopolitan city, but its charming urban pockets are in short supply. I drive a lot, but I seldom drive with the sense of purpose and joy that I drove that day to pick up that model. Just like the old days, driving to purchase an airplane model in person. We had agreed to meet in an office that was located in one of my favorite areas of the city: Rice Village, near Rice University, where the collector I was buying the model from had been a professor until recently. Rice Village is one of those nice urban pockets of Houston, a well-established, centric neighborhood with that charm that only time can concede; a charm impossible to find in the newer suburban developments that are plagued by big-box stores and restaurant chains. So there I was, a guy with a peculiar interest, in a peculiar part of the city, on a peculiar mission. And for a moment that morning, I got to experience my idea of a perfect world. A world in which you can dive into a bustling metropolis, interact in person with other people who share the same peculiar interests, and obtain those peculiar objects that the city has to offer, such as highly detailed, limited-edition airplane replicas.  Below: Left: a British Airways 747-100 in 1:500 scale on board a United Airlines 737-900 shortly after take off from Newark, New Jersey. The model had been purchased earlier in the trip at WestMain Toys in Hong Kong. Right: a World Airways 747-200 in 1:400 scale overlooking Osaka, Japan from a high-rise. The model had been purchased earlier in the day at Crosswings. That morning in Houston, not only did I pick up one airplane model (I ended up picking up two, actually), but I also got to chat with a very experienced airplane model collector who, in about 45 minutes, gave me more information about this hobby than I could have ever found on my own in my entire life. When I first discovered die-cast airplane models, I was still a kid. I knew they were expensive and took up a lot of space. What I didn't know is that the days of driving, walking, riding the bus, or taking the train to the model shop were soon going to be a thing of the past. While I have fully embraced online shopping and social media, and I understand their advantages, it is nice to indulge in the hobby now and then without a computer keyboard in front of me. Below you can see the two models that I got that day: The first one is a 1:200 Japan Air Commuter YS-11 by Hogan, exclusive for the Japanese market. I have gathered a small collection of these Japan-exclusive Hogan models over the years (mainly 1:400), the majority have been purchased in Japan, so it is always nice to find them out in the wild. The second model I got that day is a 1:200 scale Ozark 727-200 made by Martin Beacom under the InFlightLE banner. I had heard about these "home-made" models from the UK that were the predecessors of InFlight200, so I got it for its historical value. Coincidentally, the day prior, I had received my first shipment from 3D Design Deck, a Canadian maker of 3D-printed airplane models. Though Beacom and 3D Design Deck are fundamentally different types of models, I couldn't help but notice some similarities due to both being home-made products, as opposed to being mass-produced in China. It felt as if the hobby had come full circle . Below you can see my ANA 1:400 collection, including many Japan-exclusive models made by Hogan, and part of my 1:200 collection showing the YS-11. You can see another YS-11 in the colors of ANK. That model came from the same collector who sold me the models in this history, albeit a few years prior.

On January 8, 2025, I received my first shipment from 3D Design Deck, a Canadian brand that manufactures 3D-printed airplane models. I was so impressed by how well their resin models stood up against their Made-in-China die-cast counterparts that I promptly wrote an article in which I implied that 3D printing could be the future of scale airplane model collecting. Just imagine a world in which you could just contact a manufacturer in Canada and tell them exactly what model you want. No more getting upset over all those B and N regs from NG, or the endless Delta and Emirates releases from GJ. Scalpers charging fortunes for your holy grails on eBay? Not a problem, 3D printing can give you a better one for a fraction of the cost. That was an admittedly naive thought, but, well, I am naive, and I was also trying to sell 3D Design Deck models . They do fine, by the way.  3D Design Deck airplane models compare well to die-cast models, and 3D printing allows for the production of niche and rare subjects not usually found in die-cast. The morning after I published that article, I went to purchase a 1:200 die-cast model for my personal collection from a seasoned local collector who happened to have many old models, including many made by Martin Beacom, an influential modeler from England. I had heard about these 1:200 home-made models from the UK, but had never seen one in person. I could not help but notice how, in spite of their fundamental differences, 3D printed Canadian models from 2025 shared many similarities with spun-cast British models from the 1990s. Presumably, by virtue of both being home-made models in Western countries. Handwriting on the boxes and liveries applied using decals and UV printing rather than pad printing are some of the characteristics that indicate these models are not mass-produced in China. A striking difference was how these two types of models came to be. Before the boom of Made-in-China airplane models during the 1990s, there was very little choice for collectors to obtain precision aircraft replicas other than from aviation enthusiasts who made them from scratch at home. The rise of manufacturing in the Far East, with its advantageous economies of scale and lower production costs, almost extinguished these home-made model-making outfits. Some collectors have argued that the move to China was good, as it would not have been viable to produce many of the die-cast airplane models that have been made to this day if it weren't for the benefits of mass production.  But clearly, mass production has also been failing to meet the needs of many collectors, as evidenced by the rise of successful 3D printers, which dominate the growing resurgence of the home-made airplane model segment. On the flip side, it can also be argued that if it wasn't for 3D printing (or any other form of home-made model making), many models would not have seen the light of day either!  Chinese mass production is as responsible for almost killing spun-cast models from the UK in the 1990s as it is for kickstarting 3D-printing model making in the 2020s.  So, it begs the question: are we coming full circle? Has mass production of die-cast airplane models failed? I don't think so. Mass production in the Far East is not shrinking. Also, 3D Design Deck is expanding at such a pace that those of us looking from the outside are wondering if they are approaching the limits of home-made production. It will be interesting to see if and how they scale up. There are many factors at play, but it would not be surprising to see 3DD growing to become a Western version of a Chinese airplane model factory rather than the boutique operation they currently are. Instead, we could be looking at a small point of a much larger cyclical pattern. A point of equilibrium in which mass production gives up some of its potential growth to allow for a palpable resurgence of small home-made manufacturers, many of which could evolve into the next generation of large mass producers of airplane models, just like 1:200 home-made models from the UK gave birth to InFlight200, today's leader in the 1:200 market, more than 20 years ago. By the way, there is also a resurgence of 1:200 home-made metal models made in the UK in the form of SkyClassics models, look them up. I find this topic fascinating because airplane models are my great passion. I spend a lot of time perusing through the community forums and social media groups, and one of the most common topics discussed there is the dissatisfaction with the release choices of established manufacturers. Releases have become largely predictable, and while most manufacturers try to include a mix of exciting, niche, and exotic subjects in their announcements, they continuously leave many collectors dissatisfied.  3D printing has been getting a lot of attention lately as a potential avenue to effectively satisfy the demand of unattended markets. But it is evident that anybody entering the business of producing scale airplane models quickly starts to shift their focus to more mainstream subjects. Which is a logical move if profitability is the goal. But the paradox is that the market of mainstream subjects is more competitive, and consumer behavior is not as straightforward as one might think, as there are plenty of seemingly popular models gathering dust like a champ on the shelves of retailers worldwide.  In the end, there is both bad and good news. The bad news is that no, 3D printing will likely not give you that holy grail that no other manufacturer wants to make, in spite of, at least in your eyes, it being a no-brainer release.  The good news is that all manufacturers, including the big boys from the Far East, as well as home-made outfits in the West, will also likely give you many holy grails (some that you don't even know you need in your collection) in due time.  The fact of the matter is that this hobby is so quirky that I don't think there will ever be a one-size-fits-all solution, and no matter what manufacturers do, there will always be someone unsatisfied.  Make no mistake, there are modelers out there who can fill in the gap and make that model that no one else will. Unfortunately, the skill level required would make a made-to-order scheme not worth the value for most mortals. At the end of the day, you do have to buy what you like and like what you buy (and this includes not buying what you don't like).  Take a break from all the releases that bombard us month after month, and go enjoy what you have right now. Make an impromptu diorama, take some artistic photos of your models, tell us why you love a particular model. Just enjoy the ride, because that holy grail will show up when it does, regardless of how many wishlist threads you post on MAF and DA.C, and how many requests you send to 3D Design Deck and NG.

For the English version of this article click here . A pesar de que mi colección de modelos en escala 1:400 es relativamente modesta, se encuentra en constante crecimiento y ya tiene el tamaño suficiente para que sea complicado elegir cual de todos es mi modelo favorito. Todos tienen algo que los hace particularmente especiales, pero hay algunos que sobresalen por encima del resto. Luego de mucho pensar y analizar la colección, he llegado a la conclusión definitiva de cuáles son mis cinco favoritos. Se trata de un grupo de modelos que tengo desde hace ya varios años y que en su mayoría están relacionados con gratas memorias de mi niñez. Número 5: Boeing 727-224 Adv. de Aeropostal matrícula N79749 hecho por Phoenix Models en escala 1:400 Este fue el primer modelo de Aeropostal en escala 1:400, y al mismo tiempo el segundo de una aerolínea venezolana. Los modelos de aerolíneas venezolanas nunca han sido comunes, así que cualquier modelo venezolano de mi colección ya lleva puntos de ventaja. Pero este es particularmente especial al ser de Aeropostal, la aerolínea más antigua del país, y en su momento la más grande. A parte de lo anterior, el modelo como tal es tremenda pieza. Es viejo, pero por eso se beneficia del dicho “ya no los hacen como antes.” Puede que no goce de muchos de los detalles que vemos en las nuevas generaciones de modelos, pero absolutamente todos los detalles importantes de la librea, incluyendo los más mínimos, están presente y nítidamente aplicados. El modelo también goza de una construcción particularmente robusta. Además, como es el caso con muchos de estos modelos, cuando empecé a coleccionar ya este tenía algunos años de haber salido al mercado y se encontraba completamente agotado (salió en el 2004 y yo obtuve el mío en el 2009). Así que me tocó cazarlo por un tiempo hasta poder encontrar un ejemplar a un precio razonable, y eso siempre le agrega valor sentimental a la pieza. Por último, yo recuerdo personalmente a los 727s de Aeropostal, e incluso logré capturar a este mismo avión (N79749) con mi primera cámara digital en el 2003. Así que tengo una conexión personal con el avión que este modelo representa. Sin embargo, la razón por la que este modelo se lleva el último lugar en este Top 5 es que, a pesar de lo mucho que me gusta el 727-200, no asocio este avión con tiempos particularmente buenos para Aeropostal, o el país. Según yo recuerdo, Aeropostal trajo estos 727 luego de que el ambicioso plan de renovar su flota internacional con equipos Airbus A320 y A310 fracasara. Los que leen la salud de un país por medio del termómetro de la aviación podían darse cuenta que la decisión de reemplazar equipos Airbus por obsoletos 727-200 en pleno siglo XXI indicaba que un desastre se asomaba en el horizonte. Así que debido a los recuerdos un tanto amargos que los 727 de Aeropostal me traen, este modelo se lleva el puesto número cinco. Aeropostal Boeing 727-224 Adv. N79749 Phoenix Models 1:400 Aeropostal Boeing 727-224 Adv. N79749 Phoenix Models 1:400 Número Cuatro: Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. de Avensa matrícula YV-97C hecho por Aeroclassics en escala 1:400 Recuerdo que me emocioné mucho cuando el lanzamiento de este modelo fue anunciado. Los 727 de Avensa significan mucho para mí. Recuerdo haberlos visto durante toda mi niñez, y volé muchas veces en ellos (incluyendo mi primer vuelo en avión). Fueron específicamente los 727 de Avensa los que hicieron que este avión, particularmente el -200, se convirtiera en mi favorito. Y fueron las ganas de tener uno de ellos en mi colección (antes de que este modelo saliera al mercado) lo que me llevó a aventurarme con la construcción de kits de plástico, y la modificación de aviones a escala de metal (customización) para crear mis propios 727 de Avensa. Luego de haber leído lo anterior quizás se pregunten por qué este modelo no se lleva el primer puesto, si es tan especial para mí. Explico: El primer detalle es la librea que el modelo lleva. Si bien yo recuerdo haber visto varios aviones de Avensa con esa librea, fue la que le siguió, con el logotipo sin el borde blanco en la cola y los motores de los costados al desnudo, la que me trae más recuerdos chevere de mi infancia. El otro detalle es que a pesar de que Aeroclassics hizo un buen trabajo con este modelo, me hubiese gustado que tuviese un poco más de detalle. Aunque no me molesta para nada que los modelos tengan un alto nivel de detalle, generalmente no es un requisito para que algún modelo me guste o deje de gustar. Sin embargo, en este caso en particular, con una librea tan sencilla, me parece que el modelo se ve muy simple. Yo tuve la oportunidad de pasar incontables horas viendo de cerca a los 727 de Avensa desde la terraza del Aeropuerto la Chinita en Maracaibo, y a través de los ventanales de Maiquetía y Miami. Así que me acostumbré a apreciar detalles como las líneas de remaches y manchas de aceite en el fuselaje de estos aparatos. Si este modelo tuviese impreso algunos de los elementos que vemos en muchos de los de hoy en día, como paneles de acceso y sensores, luciría un poco más como los 727 de Avensa que yo recuerdo. Así como está, por muy bonito y especial que sea, al modelo le falta carácter y no me impresiona de la misma manera que el avión real lo hizo. Sin embargo, es un 727-200 de Avensa, así que siempre será parte del top cinco de mi colección. Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C Aeroclassics 1:400. Debo admitir que luego de verlo desde este ángulo consideré darle un puesto más alto Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C Aeroclassics 1:400 Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C Aeroclassics 1:400 Número 3: Boeing 727-227 de American Airlines matrícula N718AA hecho por GeminiJets en escala 1:400 Al igual que el 727 de Avensa que se llevó el puesto número cuatro, los 727 de American Airlines estuvieron presentes durante gran parte de mi niñez y adolescencia, y también volé en ellos varias veces. Incluso, la primera vez que vine a Estados Unidos lo hice a bordo de uno (Maiquetía-Miami en 1994). La primera vez que American Airlines inició operaciones a mi ciudad natal, Maracaibo, lo hizo con equipos 727-200. Esta es una de las razones por las que decidí poner a este avión por delante del 727 de Avensa en este Top 5. Recuerdo que me emocionaba mucho ver estos aparatos visitando mi ciudad, que muy rara vez aparecía en la lista de destinos de aerolíneas extranjeras. Tomando en cuenta lo grande que American Airlines era en los noventa, era un orgullo que tuviesen a Maracaibo en su mapa de rutas, colocando así a la ciudad en la escena global. El modelo como tal, a pesar de no ser perfecto, es muy bonito. Su fuselaje está perdiendo su lustre con el paso de los años, pero esto es común en los modelos de metal cromado, y sobre todo en modelos viejos como este que originalmente salió en el año 2000; yo adquirí mi ejemplar en el 2011. Pero a pesar de esto, los colores de su librea y logo aún resaltan más que los de cualquier otro modelo en mi colección de American Airlines. Algo que me gusta de este modelo es el detalle de ese panel de color gris y forma peculiar, donde se une la toma de aire del motor #2 y la cola, sobre el cual está colocada la bandera de Estados Unidos. Yo recuerdo haber notado ese detalle en los 727-200 de American Airlines en la vida real, y recuerdo que me dio mucha nostalgia verlo replicado fielmente en el modelo. Una de las cosas que no me gusta tanto del modelo es que, al menos mi ejemplar, tiene las ventanas de la cabina de mando mal posicionadas; muy altas. Sin embargo, es un detalle que no se nota mucho cuando el modelo es visto desde lejos. De hecho, este modelo es el que más a menudo captura mi atención cuando le estoy echando un vistazo general a la colección, y es el que mejor me transporta al pasado. Cuando lo aprecio de cerca, trato de verlo desde arriba para ocultar el error de las ventanas de la cabina de mando. American Airlines Boeing 727-227 N718AA GeminiJets 1:400 American Airlines Boeing 727-227 N718AA GeminiJets 1:400 Número 2: Boeing 747-436 de British Airways en la librea Landor Matrícula G-CIVI hecho por GeminiJets en escala 1:400 La librea de British Airways que este modelo lleva es una de mis favoritas. Comúnmente llamada “Landor,” debido a que fue creada por la agencia de diseño corporativo Landor Associates, esta librea de British Airways es el epitome del enfoque principal de mi colección. No solo sintetiza la imagen moderna y elegante, con colores sobrios, que caracterizaba a los logotipos y libreas de aerolíneas en la década de los noventa, sino que además lo hace de una forma única. En mi opinión ninguna otra aerolínea logró capturar la elegancia casual y el glamour del viaje por avión de los noventa como lo hizo British Airways con la librea Landor. A pesar de que yo nunca he volado con British Airways, la he tenido muypresente desde que era muy joven, justo cuando la librea Landor estaba en pleno auge, y tengo varios recuerdos de los 747s de British Airways en esta librea. El mejor regalo de Navidad (Santa) que me han dado se trató de un set de juguetes de British Airways producido por la marca Matchbox que traía un par de aviones, un 747-400 y un Concorde, junto con tres vehículos. Tanto la caja como las cinco piezas que venían adentro tenían estampado nítidamente el logotipo Landor. Eran juguetes de muy buena calidad, quizás superior al resto de los productos Matchbox de aquella época, y hacían un buen trabajo en poner la marca British Airways bajo buena luz. Recuerdo que pedí ese regalo a Santa precisamente luego de verlo en una juguetería local de Maracaibo. Es increíble lo eficaz que British Airways era en hacer que su elegante, pero amigable imagen llegara a todos los rincones del planeta, validando así su eslogan de la época: The World’s Favourite Airline (La aerolínea favorita del mundo) Otra forma en la que la imagen Landor de British Airways impactó mi niñez fue cuando mi padre trajo a la casa un folleto promocional de British Airways World Cargo de alguna conferencia de la industria petrolera a mediados de los noventa. En una época en la que la internet y las computadoras personales eran prácticamente inexistentes en mi vida, la mayoría de la información que yo obtenía sobre el mundo de la aviación provenía de este tipo de publicaciones que mi papá u otros adultos me proporcionaban. Yo aun no hablaba ni leía inglés, pero la mayoría de los folletos venían llenos de imágenes de alta calidad y llenas de información en si mismas, y yo pasaba horas viendo esas fotos. El folleto de British Airways en cuestión fue mi favorito por muchos años. También recuerdo haber visto a los 747 de British Airways robándose el show con su elegante traje Landor en El Aeropuerto de Maiquetía durante mis visitas a Caracas. Recuerdo una vez en particular que fuimos al aeropuerto a buscar a un familiar que venía en un vuelo internacional y pudimos entrar a la zona estéril (antes del 9/11). Cerca de la puerta donde arribaría el vuelo que esperábamos se encontraba estacionado un 747 de British Airways. Se veía enorme a través de los ventanales del terminal y recuerdo que lo absorbí por completo con mis ojos por un buen rato. La última vez que recuerdo haber visto un avión de British Airways en la librea Landor fue en Houston a principios de siglo, cuando ya estaba siendo reemplazada por la librea de la utopía. Recuerdo que me encontraba a bordo de un MD-80 de Continental en IAH mientras las operaciones del aeropuerto se encontraban prácticamente paralizadas debido a un gran sistema de tormentas que se desplazaba sobre el área. Mientras mataba el tiempo mirando por la ventana, recuerdo ver a este enorme 747 de British Airways con la librea Landor salir de entre las nubes por unos segundos para inmediatamente ascender y volver a perderse en ellas. Se trataba de una aproximación frustrada en la que el avión se asomó por unos segundos en medio del proceso. Más nunca he visto una aproximación frustrada tan dramática como aquella, y más nunca recuerdo haber visto un avión de British Airways portando la librea Landor. A parte del valor sentimental que las anécdotas anteriores le dan a este modelo, la pieza como tal tiene sus propios méritos. No solo es un modelo bien hecho, sino que también es interesante ya que captura la transición entre dos generaciones del molde de 747-400 de GeminiJets. El modelo trae llantas giratorias, a diferencia de la versión anterior, pero los rines no son tan detallados como en la versión subsiguiente. Aún GeminiJets no le había colocado antenas a su 747-400, lo cual no es un problema para mí, pero ya empezaban a aprecer el nuevo nivel de detalles impresos que se ven en las generaciones actuales de modelos. Por ejemplo, aqunque el cono de nariz (radomo) no está presente, las lineas pararrayo que se encuentran en el si lo están. En general me alegra ver que a pesar de no estar completamente dentro de los estándares modernos, este modelo al menos se encuentra un paso más adelante que el 747-400 original de GeminiJets, que es bastante anticuado. Como se podrán imaginar, este es uno de esos modelos que tienen muchos admiradores (tales como yo) por todo el mundo, lo que significa que está completamente agotado desde hace años, y es prácticamente imposible conseguir un ejemplar – ni siquiera a precios exorbitantes – en el mercado de segunda mano. Yo fui muy afortunado al haberlo podido comprar nuevo en las tiendas cuando salió en el 2013 y por eso también lo aprecio bastante. Lamentablemente, no puedo decir lo mismo de otros modelos que me he perdido por no andar pendiente y hoy en día son inalcanzables. British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI GeminiJets 1:400 British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI GeminiJets 1:400 British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI GeminiJets 1:400 Número 1: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 de Viasa matrícula YV-135C hecho por GeminiJets (distribuido por Aeroclassics) en escala 1:400 Cualquier persona que me conozca un poco y haya leído algunas de mis publicaciones anteriores probablemente ya sabía que este modelo se llevaría el primer lugar. La verdad es que no llegué a ver muchos aviones de Viasa durante mi niñez. La aerolínea siempre tuvo una flota pequeña, y se enfocaban principalmente en ofrecer vuelos desde Caracas a destinos internacionales. Debido a esto, los que vivíamos en el interior del país, a pesar de estar muy conscientes de la existencia de nuestra gran aerolínea bandera, pocas veces teníamos la oportunidad de ver uno de sus aviones. Cuando empecé a tener acceso a la internet a finales de los noventa, una de las primeras cosas que hice fue dedicarme a investigar sobre nuestra enigmática, y para entonces difunta, línea aérea bandera. Rápidamente me obsesioné con el tema. Durante mis investigaciones me enteré que existía un modelo de DC-10-30 de Viasa hecho por la marca Herpa en escala 1:500. Aproximadamente diez años más tarde se me ocurrió ver si había alguna forma de encontrar un ejemplar. Apenas empecé a buscar en Google, me di cuenta de que existía una nueva generación de modelos que ofrecía más variedad, y eran hechos en una escala un poco más grande; 1:400. Así que, aunque este no fue mi primer modelo a escala 1:400, si fue el que dio inicio a mi interés en ella. Por lo tanto, este modelo es el epicentro de mi colección actual, y todos los otros están en mi colección para hacerle compañía a él. El modelo como tal está muy bien hecho, y tomando en cuenta en la época que fue producido (2005), la verdad que no tiene nada que se le pueda criticar. Lleva la librea de los tres tonos de azul de Viasa, que era la que estaba vigente cuando yo nací, y es la que mejor recuerdo. Me costó bastante encontrarlo, y estoy muy agradecido de tenerlo (x2) en mi colección. Este es genuinamente el rey de mi colección de modelos a escala 1:400, y dudo mucho que algún otro modelo logre destronarlo. Mis dos ejemplares del DC-10-30 YV-135C de Viasa junto al Airbus A300 YV-161C el día que inauguré mi primera maqueta de Maiquetía bajo el sol de Texas en la primavera del 2014. De todo el tipo de cosas relacionadas a la aviación que me gusta coleccionar, los modelos a escala 1:400 son mis favoritos. El nivel de detalle que se ve en muchos de los nuevos modelos es verdaderamente increíble, y muchos de mis favoritos que no aparecieron en este Top 5 pertenecen a esta nueva generación. Sin embargo, no puedo ocultar que el valor sentimental que algunos de estos modelos tienen, y los buenos recuerdos que me traen son el factor determinante, y no la calidad del modelo como tal, lo que más importa para mí al final del día. Para cerrar este relato comparto con ustedes algunas de las fotos y antigüedades aeronáuticas personales que he mencionado en esta historia, y que ayudan a entender por qué estos cinco modelos son tan especiales para mí. 1) Una de las primeras fotos de aviones que tomé, y una de las pocas que tuve la oportunidad de tomar en Maiquetía, mostrando al N79749 de Aeropostal (el que se llevó la posición número cinco) en primer plano. Tarde nublada en Maiquetía. Aeropostal 727-200, Air France A330-200, American Airlines 737-800, Santa Bárbara 727 Super 27, Santa Bárbara DC-10-30, British Airways 767-300. 2) Concorde con la librea Landor de British Airways del set de juguetes que mencioné es el mejor regalo de Navidad que me han dado. El set también traía un 747-400 (como el que se llevó la posición número dos), pero hoy en día solo tengo acceso al Concorde. British Airways Concorde por Matchbox 3) Folleto de British Airways World Cargo de la época Landor. Si hacen click en la imagen pueden disfrutarlo casi en toda su totalidad ya que escanee todas las páginas que aún conservo (solo falta una). ¡Imagínense a alguien que no entendía inglés ojeando ese folleto y viendo todas esas fotos cargadas de la imagen Landor! Folleto publicitario de British Airways World Cargo de los años noventa 4) Mapa de rutas de un itinerario de American Airlines del 15 de junio de 1995 mostrando a Maracaibo en rojo indicando que era un nuevo destino. Esta operación inicial de American Airlines en Maracaibo solo duró algunos meses, pero recuerdo que me encantaba ver sus 727-200 (como el que se llevó el puesto número tres) en el aeropuerto de mi ciudad. Mapa de rutas de American Airlines 15 de junio de 1995 5) Colección de libretas de abordaje de Avensa de vuelos en los que yo estuve abordo datando de finales de 1988, cuando tenía menos de un año, hasta 1993, cuando tenía casi cinco años. Siempre supe que mis padres consideraban que viajar por avión era un evento importante, y por eso habían guardado varios mis boletos aéreos. Pero no fue sino hasta que decidí escribir esta historia que me di cuenta que hay un récord prácticamente completo de todos mis viajes por avión durante mis primeros cinco años. Algunos de los más recientes tienen números de vuelo de Servivensa, lo que indica que probablemente fueron operados por DC-9-30. Pero, por la época, es válido asumir que la mayoría se trata de vuelos operados por 727s de Avensa (como el que se llevó la posición número cuatro). Colección de libretas de abordaje de Avensa del periodo 1988-1993 Jorge A. Zajia

Haga click aquí para la versión en Español de este artículo At present time, my steadily growing collection of 1:400 scale models sits at around 280 pieces. While a modest size, it is still a lot of models that I had to mentally sort through to pick the favorite five. But after a while, the first three easily came out. These are models that I have had since my first stint with 1:400 scale around 2009; a time in which it wasn’t clear if the few models I had were part of a collection or a set of decorative items that packed a huge amount of sentimental value. Number four also came out fairly easy, as you will see, but when it came to choosing the fifth one among 280+ pieces, there was a lot of soul-searching involved before the clear owner of the title was chosen. Without further ado, the top 5 models of the YV400 collection: Number 5: Aeropostal Boeing 727-224 Adv. N79749 “Christine” by Phoenix Models This model has a lot of pros in many areas. First, It is one of those older models that are simple but to the point. Attention to even the smallest of details of the livery was given, and the printing and built are just good. Second, it is a model of a Venezuelan airline, the second one produced in 1:400 scale in fact. And not any airline, but the country's oldest airline (airline brand at least). Additionally, the model was released in 2004 and I got it in 2009, which meant that I had to look for it for a while and that always makes me value a model more. The final reason why I like this model so very much among the 280+ in my collection is also the reason why it is the last one on this list. I actually got to see this aircraft in person and was able to even take a picture of it with my very first digital camera. However, this also means that I was already old enough when this aircraft was in Aeropostal’s fleet (2002-2005). Turns out, Aeropostal introduced the 727 in the early 2000s after their Airbus fleet renewal attempt became unviable. So as much as I love the 727, and while the aircraft does have a place in Aeropostal’s history, it is not an aircraft type generally associated with the airline’s good times. And for those that knew how to read the health of a country through the aviation thermometer, the fact that the then-largest airline in the country brought 727s to replace A320s in the XXI century meant that there was trouble brewing. Because of the not-so-great memories that I associate with this otherwise very special model in my collection, it takes the last place in the Top 5. Aeropostal Boeing 727-224 Adv. N79749 1:400 by Phoenix Models. Notice the tiny name "Christine" in cursive on the nose area. Aeropostal Boeing 727-224 Adv. N79749 1:400 by Phoenix Models Number 4: Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C by Aeroclassics I was expecting this model to rank higher on the list. Out of all the models in this ranking, Avensa 727s were the ones that I got to see the most throughout my entire childhood. Avensa 727s are the reason I fell in love with the legendary trijet, particularly the -200, and they are the epitome of the main focus of my collection. The urge to add an Avensa 727 to my collection is the sole reason I ventured into building kits and customizing die-cast models. Not to mention that I flew extensively on them (including my first flight), and YV-97C himself likely took me from MAR to MIA at least once sometime during the nineties. So how come this isn’t number one in the collection? I’ll explain. There are two main reasons this model ranks so low in the Top 5, given how significant it is to me. First, while I do remember seeing Avensa 727s wearing the livery this model wears, the livery that I remember the most is the one used in the late nineties, which consisted of a slightly different tail logo, and bare metal engines #1 and #3. Also, since I spent countless hours looking at these birds up close from the MAR observation deck, as well as through the windows of MIA and CCS, I got used to seeing the rivet lines and oil stains. Don’t get me wrong, Aeroclassics produced a superb model, and I’m usually perfectly okay without a whole lot of extra details. But in this case, with such a simple livery, and based on my particular experiences with Avensa 727s, I need some more detail, maybe even a nose cone outline could go a long way. The model just looks too clean and simple and failed to impress me in the same way that the real thing did. Nonetheless, it is an Avensa 727-200, so it will always be in the top 5 no matter what. Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C 1:400 by Aeroclassics. I have to admit that after looking at the model from this angle I considered moving it up the list. Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C 1:400 by Aeroclassics Avensa Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. YV-97C 1:400 by Aeroclassics Number 3: American Airlines Boeing 727-227 N718AA by GeminiJets Just like the Avensa 727 that took the 4th place, this AA 727-200 fits right in the middle of my collecting criteria. I also flew many times on them, and while my first flight ever was not on board one of them, my first flight to the U.S. was (CCS-MIA in 1994). These aircraft also served my local airport, MAR, during AA’s first stint in the city in 1995. This aircraft is right there with the Avensa 727-200 in terms of sentimental value, but what pushes it over the edge is the fact that American was such a recognized airline during the nineties, that I remember thinking that it was so cool that they served our city, which rarely appeared on the route network of foreign airlines. The model itself has a few things I don’t like. The American Flag is a bit misplaced on the tail, but that’s not too big of a deal. However, a bigger mistake that I wish the model didn’t have is the placement of the cockpit windows, which are printed too high. Besides those errors, the model also has some really nice attributes. While the metal is starting to tarnish a bit, the colors of the titles, logos and cheatline still pop like no other AA bird in my collection. This one also has that particularly shaped grey panel on the #2 intake/vertical stab join, which I distinctly remember seeing on the real aircraft (this detail really moved me when I got this model). The cheatline and the chrome help hide the misplaced cockpit window from a distance. In fact, this model continues to catch my eye every time I give a general glance at the collection, and it always takes me down memory lane in a way that no other model in my collection does. When appreciating this model, I try to look at it from the top to hide the cockpit window misplacement. American Airlines Boeing 727-227 N718AA GeminiJets 1:400. My favorite angle to look at this model from. American Airlines Boeing 727-227 N718AA GeminiJets 1:400 Number 2: British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI “City of Gloucester” in the Landor livery by Gemini Jets There is something about the Landor livery that captivates me. It is the epitome of the nineties’ commercial aviation scene, and to me, it really stood in a class of its own, with a unique combination of colors and a subtle elegance unmatched by any other livery of the time. Looking back, I can attest that the World’s Favourite Airline campaign must have been very effective, because I got plenty of exposure to the British Airways brand (in the Landor corporate image) in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Exposure to British Airways in the Landor era came in the way of what remains the favorite Santa gift that was ever given to me: the British Airways Matchbox Gift Set, which I requested after having seen it at a local toy store – that should give you an idea of how effective BA was in spreading its image to every corner of the world. Around the same time, my dad also brought home a British Airways World Cargo brochure , probably from an oil-industry conference. Before the internet era (we didn’t even have a PC at home at the time), I used to spend hours looking at those airline brochures that came my way. I couldn’t read English at the time, but there were plenty of good aircraft photos in them, and that BA brochure was one of my favorites to look at. Finally, while I have never flown on British Airways, I did get to see a fair amount of 747s wearing the Landor livery during my childhood and early teen years, and I have two lasting memories from that time involving BA 747s in the Landor colors: One time went to pick up a relative arriving from an international flight at CCS, and somehow managed to go into the boarding area (pre 9/11). Close to the gate where our relative's flight was going to arrive, there was a Landor 747-400. It looked so big and close to the terminal window, and boy did I get an eyeful of that beauty while we waited for our relative's flight to arrive. Another time, probably the last time I saw an aircraft wearing the Landor livery in real life, I was sitting on board a Continental MD-80 at IAH during a ground stop as a massive line of thunderstorms was rolling through the area. Looking out the window, I remember seeing this British Airways 747-400 in the Landor livery break through the clouds for a few seconds only to climb back out and disappear again in the clouds. I’m guessing they had already started to execute a missed approach but broke out below the clouds for a bit in the process. I have never seen such a dramatic missed approach ever since. And of course, there is the model itself. Back when I got this one, I was still somewhat unfamiliar with the ins and outs of 1:400 collecting, and I was still under the impression that all sought-after 747s had been made already and I had missed out, period. It really took me years to understand how fortunate I had been to be able to purchase this model new when it was released. Not only it is a beautiful model, but also an interesting one, as it seems to have some transitional elements between the previous and current generation of GeminiJets/JC Wings 747-400s. Notice that it has rolling gears, but the gear hubs are not as detailed as the current ones (still much better than the gear hubs on the previous generation of GJ 747s). No antennas, of course (which is totally fine). And also notice that while it lacks the radome outline on the nose, it does have the lightning diversion strips. Overall, a very decent amount of detail to go along with one of my favorite liveries of all time. British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI 1:400 GeminiJets. Landor Colors British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI 1:400 GeminiJets. Landor Colors British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVI 1:400 GeminiJets. Landor Colors Number 1: Viasa McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 YV-135C GeminiJets/Aeroclassics If you have been reading anything put out by me, chances are you already knew this model was going to take the first place, so predictable… As a kid, I did not get to see many Viasa aircraft. Their fleet was small and they focused on flying out of CCS to international destinations. So, anyone living in the interior of the country (which was my case), while acutely aware of the existence of our proud flag carrier, did not get to see their aircraft too often. But I was aware of the fact that we had a proper national airline, and as an aviation enthusiast, that meant a lot to me. So, when I started to gain access to the internet in the late nineties, one of the first things I did was conduct research about our defunct and enigmatic flag carrier. I quickly became obsessed with it. While conducting that research I found out that Herpa Wings had released a 1:500 scale model of a Viasa DC-10 during the nineties. Years later I decided to look for that model on the internet, but all the results pointed to a new generation of models that included more variety and were of a slightly larger scale; 1:400. Therefore, this model of YV-135C is how I got introduced to 1:400 scale, and it is the epicenter of my 1:400 collection (though it was not my first 1:400 model). It wears the Viasa’s three-shades-of-blue livery from the late eighties/early nineties, which is the livery that I remember seeing as a kid, and it is a lovely and sought-after model that took me a while to find. I am beyond grateful for having it (x2) in my collection. This is the unequivocal number one model in my collection and I cannot think of any other model that could ever take its place. My two examples of Viasa DC-10-30 YV-135C alongside A300B4-203 YV-161C during the official unveiling of my, now defunct, CCS Diorama under the Texas sun in the spring of 2014. I love how this shot turned out. I truly enjoy collecting many aviation-related items, but scale models are by far my favorite category of aviation collectibles. The level of detail of new models is really impressive and some of my favorite models that didn’t make it to the top 5 belong to this new generation of models. However, I can’t hide the fact that the models of interestingly-shaped jetliners of the eighties and nineties, and the sentimental value they carry is what really makes a model special to me. Memorabilia Finally, I'd like to show you some personal items/photos that I talked about in this story, and help illustrate why these five models are so special to me: 1) One of my first aviation photos, and one of the few that I ever got to take at CCS, showing Aeropostal N79749's tail (number 5 in the top 5) in the first plane. Lazy Maiquetía afternoon showing the following aircraft: Aeropostal 727-200, Air France A330-200, American 737-800, Santa Barbara 727 Super 27 and DC-10-30, British Airways 767-300. Picture taken from an Aeropostal MD-80. 2) A toy model of Concorde from the British Airways Matchbox Gift Set in the Landor livery that I got as a Santa gift sometime during my childhood. The gift set also included a 747-400 (number 2 in the top 5) and some very well-made cars, all displaying very nitid BA Landor markings above the standard Matchbox quality. Concorde is the only piece of the set that I have access to currently. British Airways Concorde from a Matchbox Giftset in the Landor Corporate Image 3) The British Airways World Cargo brochure that was given to me as a kid. Click on it and enjoy it in its entirety as I have scanned and uploaded every single page that is available (all but one). Imagine a kid that couldn't read English going through it and looking at all those pictures without much context! British Airways World Cargo 1990s Brochure. Landor Corporate Image 4) A route map from an American Airlines timetable from June 15, 1995, showing Maracaibo, Venezuela in red, indicating it was a new destination. The operation only lasted a few months, but I was really excited to have the 727s of the mighty American Airlines (number 3 on the list) in my hometown. The year prior I had flown on an AA 727 from Caracas to Miami on my first visit to the U.S. American Airlines route map from the June 15 1995 international time table showing Maracaibo as a new destination starting on July 1st, 1995. 5) And finally, a collection of Avensa boarding passes booklets from flights that I took from late 1988 to mid-1993 (since I was less than a year old, up until I was approximately 5). I knew my parents thought flying in airplanes was big deal, and therefore had kept many of my first boarding passes, but honestly, it was while putting this story together that I realized that they seemed to have kept every single boarding pass from those early years. Some of the last ones had Servivensa flight numbers, so those had to be flights operated by DC-9-30s. But judging by Avensa's fleet history, the dates, and my blurry memories, it is safe to say that the majority of the early ones were on board Avensa 727s (number 4 on the list). Collection of Avensa boarding passes sleeves from the late eighties/early nineties Jorge A. Zajia

Three-dimensional printing (3D printing) is a technology that can trace its roots to the 1940s, but many of us probably heard about it for the first time sometime in the last couple of decades, as that is when 3D printers started to appear in schools, offices, and households. In the precision airplane model world (can't use the phrase " die-cast airplane model" here, although the models we are going to talk about have more in common with them than with any other type of aircraft models) 3D printing has already been used extensively. Many ground service equipment makers have been in business for a few years, and we have already seen the first "big" 3D-printed airplane model brand come and go (Shapeways).  However, nobody has quite cracked down the crowd-pleaser formula and captured the full potential of 3D printing in the airplane model world just yet. Shapeways was too big, which ultimately made them unsustainable, and they focused on blank models instead of ready-to-display models. Others are too small: customizers and artisans of sorts that aren't going for mass production.  There is a brand, however, that is starting to become a major player in the precision airplane model world and shows no signs of stopping: 3D Design Deck, a family-run company based in Toronto, Canada.  Collection of Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 Q100 by 3D Design Deck 1:400 3D Design Deck models have absolutely nothing to envy to traditional die-cast airplane models. The models come safely packed in the same way die-cast models do, they have the same level of detail that all modern die-cast brands offer (even more in some cases), and they look just as good.  Below you can see detailed photos a 1:200 scale USAF Fairchild Metroliner and its packaging by 3D Design Deck: Of course, 3D Design Deck Models have some key differences from traditional die-cast airplane models, but there are advantages as well. How do 3D Design Deck Models differ from die-cast airplane models? As you would expect, they are lighter. They are made out of resin, so the fuselage is solid while the wings and tail feel similar to the plastic used strategically by many die-cast brands such as Herpa, Dragon Wings, and more recently YRD Models. Wheels don't roll. However, propellers do spin. 3D Design Deck has been improving its products at a fast pace, so I wouldn't be surprised if rolling wheel capability is eventually achieved - Though it isn't a necessity, and many modern die-cast models don't have rolling wheels to begin with. Some artwork elements are of slightly lower resolution than that achieved with pad-printing. However, the artwork of 3D Design Deck models is printed onto the model using UV technology, so they feel as smooth as die-cast models, and there are no decal edges present (unlike your average homemade custom). Comparison between two Canadian Dash 8s. Die-cast (metal) versus 3D-printed (resin): Left: WestJet Dash 8 Q400 C-FOEN GeminiJets 1:400. Right: Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 Q100 C-GTBP 3D Design Deck 1:400 While I have no real experience with the fragility of 3D Design Deck Models (I haven't dropped one yet), I believe they are no more fragile than die-cast models. After all, I just received 13 models that were shipped from Toronto to Houston and they all arrived intact. When a die-cast model falls, it usually suffers from paint scratching, dents, bent parts, and detached parts. Metal can be bent back into shape in some cases, detached parts can be re-glued, and the model can be repainted. I have a feeling that the small parts of a 3D-printed resin model will likely break cleanly if the model falls, in which case the parts can be glued back in place. By being lighter, resin models could be more resistant to scratches. In any case, a model that falls will likely never be the same whether it is made out of resin or metal.  Advantages of 3D Design Deck Models The most obvious advantage of 3D printed models is that they allow us to obtain scale models of rare and unique aircraft types. Namely, small propliners, executive jets and turboprops, fighter jets, helicopters, and general aviation aircraft, all of which are almost nonexistent in the 1:400 scale die-cast world, and scarce in 1:200.  But the potential of 3D printed models doesn't stop with small and niche aircraft. Popular airliners that have been forgotten or disregarded by major die-cast brands can also be put onto store shelves with the use of 3D printing. 3D Design deck has already tapped into this market with a very nice 737-200 mold (1:400) and has some exciting plans for the future.  AirTran Airways Boeing 737-2L9 3D Design Deck 1:400: Check out how the AirTran 737-200 made using resin fits in among die-cast models: Collection of 1:400 die-cast airplane models hosting a single resin model. Another advantage is the potential for exclusive releases. Many of the die-cast brands do offer this service, but there is no shortage of obstacles as it is difficult to get in touch with many of them and the terms and conditions can be discouraging. The brand with the best terms to produce exclusive die-cast airplane models is Panda Model, but their mold catalog is rather limited. Developing new aircraft types using 3D printing is a lot easier than doing so in die-cast. Production costs and minimum required quantities are also more reasonable in the 3D printing world. Also, it is nice to have model manufacturers based in the West as language barriers and time zone differences that exist between the West and China represent no small hurdle. Not to mention that production costs in China are becoming less competitive. Still, we will likely not see full mass production of scale airplane models leave China for the Americas any time soon, if ever at all. And thinking of resin 3D printing replacing die-cast metal as the method of choice for the mass production of scale airplane models is far-fetched, to say the least. Nonetheless, it is encouraging to see someone doing the best they can with what they have to help the cause. Another advantage of having 3D Design Deck doing what they are doing on this side of the planet is that QC issues can be addressed much more effectively. Finally, 3D-printed models tend to be cheaper than die-cast models. Make no mistake, I can tell there is a huge amount of effort and energy that goes into the production of 3D printed models, but if anything, shipping costs alone represent a substantial advantage over Made in China die-cast models.  Assortment of Air Canada Jazz Dash 8 Q100s by 3D Design Deck in 1:400 scale: I cannot speak for all 3D printed models that are available in the market, but I can tell you that 3D Design Deck models stand up quite well to their die-cast counterparts. Give them a try! I doubt you'll be disappointed.  Support both, the site and 3D Design Deck by purchasing their models at www.yankeevictor400.shop Click below to see our 3D Design Deck catalog:

Durante las décadas de los ochenta y los noventa el Boeing 727 se convirtió el avión insignia de Avensa, y consiguientemente de su subsidiaria Servivensa. Todo comenzó en 1979 cuando Boeing ofreció a Avensa un par de estos aviones nuevos de fábrica originalmente destinados a Syrian Arab Airways, que se convertirían en el YV-74C y el YV-75C. Veintidós años más tarde el YV-823C, un Boeing 727-2D3 Adv. que había recibido la conversión a Super 27, discretamente dejó de ser visto en los aeropuertos que frecuentaba para así poner fin a la era del 727 en Avensa. Sin embargo, el proceso de modificación del YV-823C a Super 27 representó un triunfo digno de celebración para Avensa, a pesar de que tuvo lugar en una época más bien asociada con el declive de esta gran aerolínea. Boeing 727-2D3 Advanced - Super 27 YV-823C de Servivensa. MIA 27 de enero de 1999. Ken Fielding © Wikimedia Commons En este escrito los invito a echar un vistazo a la historia operacional del YV-823C y como este avión, a pesar de estar asociado con los últimos años de Avensa, a su vez representó el principio de un segundo aire que el Boeing 727 tuvo en Venezuela, al que se puede catalogar como la "época Super 27." También los invito a ver parte del proceso de creación de una réplica a escala 1:400 que hice de este avión, para rendir homenaje al importante lugar que ocupa en la historia reciente de la aviación civil venezolana. Detalle del motor JT8D-200 con el logotipo Super 27 en un modelo a escala 1:400 altamente modificado en casa Juventud en Jordania Este avión hizo su primer vuelo el 18 de diciembre de 1980 y poco después fue entregado como JY-AFU a la aerolínea Alia Rojal Jordanian, cuyo nombre cambió poco después a simplemente Royal Jordanian. Su designación oficial fue 727-2D3 Adv., que quiere decir que era un 727-200 Advanced configurado conforme a las especificaciones del cliente “D3,” que fue el código que Boeing le asignó a Royal Jordanian. Fue el 727 número 1701 en salir de la planta de Renton cerca de Seattle, y fue fabricado hacia el final del periodo de producción del 727, el cual terminó en septiembre de 1984 con 1832 unidades producidas. Ya para cuando fue construido, todos los 727-200 que estaban saliendo de la fábrica eran de la versión a dvanced , que ofrecía una serie de mejoras sobre la versión -200 original. En abril de 1989 Avensa compró el avión, pero interesantemente se lo alquiló inmediatamente de vuelta a la misma Royal Jordanian antes de llevarlo a Venezuela en 1996. Este fue uno de cuatro 727-2D3s que Avensa compró a Royal Jordanian. Bienvenido a Venezuela Este avión llega a Venezuela en una época en la que la aviación comercial del país se enfrentaba a duras realidades. La Línea Aeropostal Venezolana (LAV) estaba quebrada y no operaba desde 1994. El final de Viasa estaba a la vuelta de la esquina, y Avensa estaba agresivamente traspasando sus operaciones a su subsidiara de bajo costo, Servivensa. Dado ese contexto, el avión llega directamente a formar parte de la flota de Servivensa y recibe la matrícula venezolana YV-823C. Durante sus primeros años en Venezuela el avión fue visto operando con una librea parcial de Servivensa. Esta librea consistía de un fuselaje blanco con solo los títulos de la aerolínea y el logo de la cola, como se puede ver en la imagen a continuación. YV-823C en Mérida 1997. Foto del Diario Frontera-Notijet compartida a través de Facebook por Carlos A. Araque De 727 a Super 27 A pesar del ambiente poco optimista que rodeaba a la aviación civil venezolana en esos años, aun se veían de vez en cuando dejos de los tiempos mejores; no tan distantes en ese entonces. Un ejemplo de esto fue la iniciativa que tomó Avensa para convertir al YV-823C en un Super 27, proyecto que se llevó a cabo en los talleres de Maiquetía durante buena parte de 1998. Imagen compartida por Luis Cabrera - quien tuvo cargo importante en la conversión a Super 27 del avión - via Facebook. El señor Cabrera se puede ver posando en frente al YV-823C en los talleres de Avensa. La conversión Super 27 consistía en un paquete de modificaciones desarrolladas para mejorar significativamente el desempeño y la eficiencia del avión. La compañía detrás todo lo relacionado con el diseño y especificaciones operacionales del paquete Super 27 en ese entonces era la Valsan Partners. Desde afuera el cambió más notorio eran los motores 1 y 3, los de los costados, que originalmente eran Pratt and Whitney JT8D-9 o -17, pero con la conversión a Super 27 se reemplazaban por los más eficientes JT8D-217C o -219; notoriamente más gruesos. Coloquialmente se podría decir que la modificación a Super 27 consistía en que los motores de los lados del 727 pasaban de ser motores de DC-9 a motores de MD-80. Avensa se enorgulleció en anunciar que se convertiría en el primer cliente del Super 27 en Sur América, como se puede ver en la portada de la Revista Aérea a continuación. Fuente Desconocida. Nótese que el avión utilizado en la publicidad no fue el YV-823C, sino el 727-100 YV-845C A principios de 1999 el YV-823C fue visto nuevamente ya convertido en Super 27, y vistiendo la librea completa de Servivensa. Durante esa época fue fotografiado varias veces en MIA y JFK. De Regreso a los Orígenes Lamentablemente, para finales del Siglo XX a Avensa se le dificultaba mantenerse a flote y su flota operativa se había reducido significativamente, así como su red de vuelos. Esto llevó a la compañía a tomar una serie de pasos para intentar sobrevivir. Uno de esos pasos consistió en tratar de hacer desaparecer la imagen de la entonces infame Servivensa, y volver a enfocarse en la imagen de Avensa que estaba más asociada con los años de gloria de la compañía. En línea con este plan, en el año 2000 al YV-823C se le quita la librea de Servivensa y es pintado con la de Avensa (aunque siguió siendo operado por Servivensa). En el 2001 la librea se modificó una última vez al cambiársele ligeramente el diseño del logo de la cola. YV-823C en primer plano con su entonces nueva librea de Avensa, y su hermano de flota YV-97C detrás. Ambos 727-2D3 ex-Royal Jordanian. Maiquetía principios de los 2000. Foto: Gianfranco "Panda" Beting © El Fin de una Leyenda Para mediados del 2002 la flota operativa de Avensa consistía de tan solo tres aviones, el DC-10-30 YV-69C, el Super 27 YV-823C, y un Embraer Brasilia con matrícula YV-100C que había sido adquirido a principios de ese año e inicialmente portó una librea mixta con los colores de Avior en el costado de babor. El YV-823C fue visto con frecuencia en Miami desde que fue pintado con la librea de Avensa en el 2000 hasta finales del 2002, cuando fue sacado de servicio. La partida del YV-823C marcó el fin de las operaciones de 727, y de los vuelos a Miami de Avensa. Al rededor del mismo tiempo el DC-10 YV-69C también fue sacado de servicio, así que durante los dos siguientes años Avensa se dedicó a operar únicamente entre Maiquetía y Mérida con el Brasilia YV-100C. Pero a finales del 2004 este último intento por sobrevivir también falló poniendo así fin a más de sesenta años de no solo trayectoria, pero también influencia en la industria aeronáutica y el día a día de los venezolanos. El YV-823C llevó hasta el final una flamante e impecable librea de Avensa dándole así una muerte digna al período de más de veinte años durante los que la compañía operó un número similar de Boeing 727. Período durante el cual el legendario trirreactor se convirtió en el indiscutible caballo de batalla, buque insignia y símbolo de identidad de la compañía. Abajo: Foto-enlace mostrando al YV-823C con su entonces recién aplicada librea de Avensa en Miami el 06 de octubre del 2000. Foto de Paul Rowbotham. Como el Ave Fénix... La Época de los Super 27 Con Matrícula Yankee Victor Afortunadamente, pocos meses después de haber salido de la flota de Avensa, el antiguo YV-823C volvió a surcar los cielos venezolanos. Esta vez lo hizo portando la librea de Santa Bárbara Airlines y registrado como YV-1056C. Durante esta misma época Aeropostal, que había resucitado como Alas de Venezuela (Alven) en 1997, había también empezado a utilizar tres Super 27 con las siguientes matrículas: YV-18C, YV-40C y YV-41C. El YV-41C de Aeropostal también voló para Santa Bárbara como YV-1174C/YV174T. Esta nueva "época Super 27" en Venezuela duró hasta mediados de la década de los 2000, cuando tanto la conversión a Super 27, así como la gasolina barata dejaron de ser justificación suficiente para seguir utilizando trirreactores - que además requerían tres tripulantes en la cabina de mando - en rutas de mediano alcance. Ya para el 2004 Aeropostal (Alven) había terminado de reemplazar sus Super 27 por equipos MD-80, volviendo así a estandarizar su flota con equipos de la familia DC-9 al igual que su predecesora Aeropostal (LAV) había hecho en la época pre-1994. Santa Bárbara por su parte mantuvo activo al menos uno de los dos Super 27 que conformaron su flota hasta alrededor del 2006, cuando empezó a estandarizar su flota con equipos 757 y 767. Abajo: Par de Super 27s venezolanos - YV-40C de Aeropostal y YV-1056C (ex YV-823C) de Santa Bárbara - vistos en Maiquetía el 08 de noviembre del 2003. Fotos cortesía de Alan Lebeda a través de Wikimedia Commons. Modelo a Escala 1:400 A pesar de que Servivensa es una aerolínea muy recordada y reconocida en Venezuela y países aledaños, en el ámbito global no lo es. Debido a esto, similar a lo que sucede con muchas aerolíneas venezolanas, no han sido producidos muchos modelos a escala de esta compañía. De hecho, hasta ahora solo existe un solo modelo a escala de Servivensa producido en masa, el 737-200 YV-74C en escala 1:200 por la marca El Aviador, que salió al mercado en el 2021. Por otro lado, tampoco existen moldes de 727 a escala equipados con los motores JT8D-200 que utilizaban los Super 27. Así que para replicar al YV-823C tuve que utilizar los motores de un modelo de MD-80 y pegárselos a un modelo de 727-200. Los modelos utilizados en este proyecto fueron un 727-200 de Planet Airways de la marca GeminiJets, y un MD-80 de Crossair de la marca Phoenix Models. ¿Por qué esos modelos? pues resulta que esos son modelos que no fueron muy populares y debido a esto es común encontrarlos siendo rematados a precios bajos en diferentes tiendas. Como se puede ver en la siguiente foto, he acumulado varios de estos modelos con el fin de eventualmente transformarlos en aviones de otras aerolíneas, principalmente venezolanas. 727s y MD-80s en escala 1:400 destinados a ser modificados con libreas de otras aerolíneas Una vez resuelto el asunto de cómo hacer para obtener un molde de Super 27 a escala 1:400, hubo que ver como se le aplicaba la librea de Servivensa. Afortunadamente, el entusiasta aeronáutico británico Nick Webb ha combinado su pasión y su profesión para desarrollar calcas de libreas de aerolíneas para modelos a escala por medio de su marca Classic Airlines. Convenientemente el señor Webb tiene un cariño particular por la aviación de Venezuela, país donde vivió por una época (según expone en su cuenta de Facebook). Así que como es de esperarse, varias de las calcas que el señor Webb ofrece a través de Classic Airliners son de libreas de aerolíneas venezolanas, y entre ellas se encuentra un diseño para 727-200 de Servivensa. Sin embargo, no todo fue libre de obstáculos con el asunto de las calcas. Ya que aunque el diseño de Classic Airliners cubre gran parte de la librea de Servivensa, incluyendo las complejas rayas de la nariz, la librea particular del YV-823C incluye un número de detalles particulares que me tocó diseñar en casa. La siguiente es una lista de los elementos que me tocó diseñar para adaptar las calcas de Servivensa ofrecidas por Classic Airliners a la librea del YV-823C: Creación de la matrícula YV-823C. Esto resultó más complicado de lo que parece ya que la fuente no es convencional, por lo que me tocó dibujar con vectores varias letras y números. Diseñar el logo de la cola, ya que el del YV-823C incluye la silueta del continente europeo, mientras que el diseño que ofrece Classic Airliners trae una versión diferente del logo que solo incluye a las Américas. Diseñar el logo de Super 27 para los motores 1 y 3. Captura de pantalla de los elementos de la librea del YV-823C que fueron diseñados en casa Siguiendo la tradición que la mayoría de las marcas de modelos tienen de estampar su sello en las barrigas de los aviones que producen, decidí aplicarle mis iniciales en conjunto a la firma que Nick Webb incluye con sus calcas a la barriga de este modelo. A continuación pueden disfrutar de una galería de imágenes del producto final: A la final todo el trabajo que conlleva modificar un modelo utilizando partes de otro modelo, así como modificar las calcas para incluir los detalles únicos de una librea particular, termina valiendo la pena cuando uno ve el resultado final. Es increíble poder tener un recuerdo tangible de un avión tan único y que además ocupó un lugar tan importante en la historia contemporánea de la aviación venezolana. Lo mejor de todo es que por medió de este modelo les puedo ofrecer esta pequeña ventana a la historia operacional del Super 27 en Venezuela, así como el final de una de las aerolíneas más grandes e importantes del país, entre otras curiosidades de la aviación venezolana. Fuentes y Agradecimientos La información presentada en este artículo fue obtenida principalmente de los historiales de matrículas aeronáuticas encontrados en el sitio web Rzjets.net , así como viendo imágenes de los aviones en cuestión en los tradicionales sitios de fotos aeronáuticas ( airlines.net, jetphotos.net y similares), y también en las redes sociales. Muchas gracias a los fotógrafos que aportan sus imágenes a la base de datos de Wikimedia Commons, o que permiten que su trabajo sea compartido de otras formas, facilitando así su uso para este tipo de artículos y a su vez ayudando a preservar la historia. Jorge A. Zajia

Recently Aeroclassics re-released an ANA 727-281 in the Triton Blue livery. Despite being an appealing subject, it wasn't the typical instant sell-out Aeroclassics model, and shortly after its release, it was being offered with a substantial discount at a Black Friday sale. I took the opportunity to grab one with the intent of converting it into an Avensa example that wore the Triton Blue basic ANA livery with small company titles in the late eighties. The project also prompted me to dig out a GeminiJets Eastern DC-9-30 that I had purchased years ago with a similar intent in mind. Left: Servivensa DC-9-31 YV-760C GeminiJets 1:400 (Custom) Right: Avensa 727-281 YV-94C Aeroclassics 1:400 (Custom) I want to share with you some of the historical background surrounding the aircraft these models represent. Overview of Avensa and its relationship with the 727 Avensa got its first taste of the 727 in 1979 when Boeing managed to sell them two ntu -294 units originally destined for Syrian Arab Airlines. The airline developed an affinity for the type and quickly turned to the second-hand market looking for more of them. In the early 1980s Avensa leisurely added more 727s to its fleet, mainly older -100 series built during the sixties. But in the late 80s, a flurry of -200s showed up, and the airline's 727 fleet peaked at somewhere in between 15 and 20 active airframes around that time, making the type both, the flagship and workhorse of the company. During this time Avensa had a comprehensive route network connecting every corner of Venezuela, including many destinations that have never seen consistent and reliable air service again since the airline's decline, with neighboring countries in Northern South America, Central America, The Caribbean, as well as New York and Miami. The European destinations using DC-10 aircraft that gave the brand some global recognition came later during the airline's last years and were nothing more than an agonic gasp as by then Avensa was merely a shadow of what it once had been. Avensa route map from the summer 1991 timetable All Nippon Airways 727-281s that went to Avensa Five of the several 727-200s that joined Avensa's fleet in the late eighties were -281s that had been retired by All Nippon Airways (ANA). At least three of them were seen wearing basic ANA c/s with Venezuelan registrations around the time they were being delivered to Avensa. At least two of them went into line operations still wearing basic ANA colors with small Avensa titles, one of which was YV-94C, the customized 727 featured in this article. Below is a table summarizing the ex-ANA Avensa 727s: ANA reg. Avensa Reg. Remarks JA8345 YV-92C Coincidentally, JA8345 is the ANA aircraft represented by the donor model used for this project. Not seen wearing ANA basic c/s with Venezuelan/Avensa markings. JA8348 YV-96C Seen at MIA on Nov, 5 1987 wearing basic ANA Triton Blue colors with Venezuelan Reg. Apparently fully painted in Avensa billboard colors before entering operations. JA8350 YV-93C Not seen wearing ANA basic c/s with Venezuelan/Avensa markings. JA8351 YV-94C The customized model featured in this article. Seen in line operations wearing basic ANA Triton Blue colors with Venezuelan reg. as well as with small Avensa titles. JA8352 YV-95C Seen in line operations wearing basic ANA Mohican colors with small Avensa titles. The Model: Avensa Boeing 727-281 YV-94C in basic ANA c/s. Aeroclassics 1:400 (Custom) Avensa Boeing 727-281 YV-94C in basic ANA c/s. Aeroclassics 1:400 (Custom) Avensa Boeing 727-281 YV-94C in basic ANA c/s. Aeroclassics 1:400 (Custom) The real aircraft: Collection M. Winter - www.airlines-airliners.de YV-94C at MIA during the late eighties Shared on Facebook, original author unknown Avensa YV-94C wearing its basic ANA Triton Blue livery at Maiquetía with sister ships. Source: Instagram @auaflyer. Eastern DC-9s and Servivensa In the early nineties, as part of an aggressive cost-cutting campaign, the owners of Avensa created a sister airline called Servivensa. In short, the objective was to break Avensa labor unions by transferring the majority of the operations to the new, non-unionized, sister airline. As I recall, while they were effectively two separate airlines, from the passenger standpoint they were the same entity. As Servivensa was being created in Venezuela, in the U.S. Eastern Airlines (along with a few other legendary airlines) was going bust. The Avensa group purchased several of Eastern DC-9-30s and -50s (I counted 9). Initially, the aircraft were split almost evenly between the sister airlines, but in the end, the majority of the ones that went to Avensa also ended up being transferred to Servivensa. The majority of these DC-9s were put into service with both airlines while still wearing Eastern basic c/s, in many cases the faded silhouette of the Eastern titles and logos could still be recognized under the new operator's provisionary titles. This sort of perpetuated the Eastern Airlines' image in Venezuela, where the airline had been a regular visitor up until the end, for a few more years after its demise. Eventually, all of these airplanes received full Servivensa and Avensa color schemes. The Model: Servivensa McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 YV-760C in basic Eastern c/s. GeminiJets 1:400 (Custom) Servivensa McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 YV-760C in basic Eastern c/s. GeminiJets 1:400 (Custom) Servivensa McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 YV-760C in basic Eastern c/s. GeminiJets 1:400 (Custom) The Real Aircraft: Servivensa YV-760C in basic Easter c/s at Maiquetía Credit: AirHistory/LRS747 Shared on Facebook, original author unknown. Fun fact: The donor model's original reg. was N8988E, which is also the reg. corresponding to the aircraft that became YV-760C in real life. Eastern Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 N8988E with titles removed. GeminiJets 1:400 While I was too young to remember the Avensa 727s in basic ANA c/s, I do recall seeing the Avensa/Servivensa DC-9s wearing the Eastern colors, and even recall boarding one via stairs on what I believe was a CCS-MAR flight. They were a common sight in Venezuela during the 1992-1994 time frame and tend to bring good memories to those of us who remember them. Below a mix of Avensa and Servivensa DC-9s on the domestic ramp at Maiquetía airport, showing many already painted in their new operators' full liveries. The two aircraft still wearing the Eastern basic c/s are Avensa YV-764C in the forefront (Avensa titles, but Servivensa reg.) and Servivensa YV-760C in the background. Avensa and Servivensa DC-9s at Maiquetía in December 1992. Credit: Hawkwind/JetPhotos Jorge A. Zajia

The hobby of collecting 1:400 die-cast airplane models is full of "celebrity" brands that have been the star of the moment at different times. Back in the late 1990s GeminiJets glowed next to Dragon Wings with their all-metal molds (though Dragon had plenty to brag about too). Then in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, it became Aeroclassics' and related brands (most notably BigBird) turn to be the recipients of seemingly endless praise from collectors. In the mid-to-late 2010s NG Model revolutionized the hobby by bringing to the table a new standard in terms of detail, accuracy, and quality, which enabled them to stand up to the well-established American brands and make them lose some sleep. At the time, it seemed as if NG would rule the hobby forever. Still, they stepped down from stardom a lot sooner than expected as they started to flood the market with progressively boring releases while quality and innovation started to stagnate and even regress. NG's downfall enabled another legacy brand that had remained largely in the background to finally have its shot at worldwide fame: Phoenix Models. In the early 2020s, Phoenix broke that unwritten rule that seems to exist among legacy manufacturers of safeguarding the collectible value of models, when they started to release a bunch of sought-after aircraft/livery combos that had been previously released and were commanding top coin in the second-hand market, as well as some other no brainer classics that for some reason had been ignored by other brands. This move initially caused a lot of controversy because many of the models in question were made using Phoenix's less-than-stellar 747 molds. But eventually, Phoenix conquered the hearts of many collectors (the majority of, I dare to say) because their livery choices were just too good to resist. Besides, in addition to the 747s they also gave us an even greater selection of wonderful models using their better castings (767s, A340s, Il-96s), and even tweaked some molds (MD-11 NLG, for example).  As I write this, I think the collector group still expects Phoenix to announce the most exciting release set among all current brands every month, even though they seem to have started to lose some momentum.  But why could Phoenix be losing momentum? Well, a few things. First, there are only so many contemporary classic re-releases that need to be done, and they already have three years at it (plus other brands are engaging in the same behavior - Aeroclassics' recent 747s, A300s, and DC-10s, for example). Also, only so many modern subjects need to be released and competition is too fierce in that area (GJ, NG, JC, AV400, and even AC to some extent). However, the real bad news for Phoenix could be coming from the brand that might just be the next big thing in 400 scale. A humble player that has been sort of minding its own business in the background. A brand that, though much smaller in size, has been largely considered to be on par with NG (the NG from 5 years ago, that is) in terms of precision and quality. A brand that has just announced releases in two brand-new molds that happen to be two of Phoenix's cash cows (MD-11, and 767-300), a brand that has completely overshadowed GeminiJet's latest 1:400 scale mold (767-400). A brand that is starting to struggle to meet the exponential increase in demand for some of its releases. A brand that operates differently than any other brand when choosing what to release. They don't look to the sides too much, and they don't make us collectors beg too much. Instead, they make the molds available and, to a rather large extent, allow the collecting community to dictate production (via regional retailers). And boy is it working.  Panda Model has been around for about a decade, and they have always been characterized for making sharp state-of-the-art models, and for collaborating extensively with retailers around the world, as well as collectors, willing and able to commission exclusive production runs.  Exclusive releases for Air Tango Hobbie Shop, El Aviador, and VT Jets. The stuff sells. Panda, like any other brand, is not perfect, and you will always find room for improvement in their models. But by and large, they stand among the leaders in the hobby in terms of innovation and quality.  Delta Air Lines 767-432ER (Pink Breast Cancer Awareness livery) N845MH Panda Model 1:400. Sharp printing, well-shaped molds, well-proportioned antennas, and a solid build characterize Pada's products. Boeing Aircraft Co. 737-7H4 N737X Panda Model 1:400. Sharp printing, well-shaped molds, well-proportioned antennas, and a solid build characterize Panda's products. They also benefit from being a small player. Unlike NG, Panda doesn't need to worry about being an absolute straight-A student all the time. They can afford a few B+s without triggering an epidemic of chronic outrage among collectors; for now at least. Plus, since the majority of models produced by Panda are commissioned by regional retailers, usually with strong input from local collectors, the majority of those releases are rare exotic subjects that would be appreciated by many even if they were made on worse molds. It is a brilliant system that allows Panda to ensure that a lot of their releases are all paid for by someone else who in turn likely has many collectors lined up waiting to snag those models.  flybondi Boeing 737-838 LV-HKN Panda Model 1:400 Exclusive for Air Tango Hobbie Shop from Argentina. Panda may be humble and operate in a peculiar way, but they are very much in touch with the hobby and they can play some good moves.  Let's look at some of their most recent molds: 767-400, 767-300 and MD-11. I think these are great mold choices for some very clear reasons: Those are aircraft types that are in a sweet spot between classic/exotic and current/modern. There is currently a market for those aircraft types that is being moderately exploited by Phoenix, GeminiJets, and JC Wings on molds that can be easily topped. So there is space in the market, and the competition is easy to beat; at least in terms of quality, not so much in terms of marketing (more on this later). Finally, those molds limit their exposure to competing directly against NG. I think their goal is clear: Go after PH 763s, after GJ/JC 764s, and after both of their MD-11s. It is also no secret that Panda's 764 mold is the best in the hobby, so much so that I would not be surprised if it keeps NG from ever using the sample they showed a while ago. I think what we will see in the near future is GJ/JC focusing on capturing the general public and corporate airline orders with their 767-400, while Panda will become the brand of choice for detail-oriented collectors who are active in the online community. This could leave NG struggling to find a niche for their 767-400 mold, which while acceptable, is inferior to Panda's.  Panda Model's outstanding 767-400 mold in 1:400 scale: And I haven't forgotten about Panda's A350s. There is a lot of competition in that area, but if you want to compete with a modern subject, I think the A350 is an excellent choice: A wide-body long-haul aircraft that is the flagship of many major airlines around the world, and that is also a lot more elegant than the 787. Judging by the performance of their recent Singapore A350-900 there is no doubt that Panda made the right choice there too.  Granted, we haven't seen Panda's 763 and MD-11 finalized products yet, but we have no reason to believe that they will not be as good as any of their other molds. The sneak peeks we have seen looked fine. Also, just imagine what kind of exclusive releases could be produced with those molds (Did you know that Viasa at one point considered replacing the DC-10s with MD-11s? Oh no! I have been bit by the fantasy bug). Viasa MD-11 rendering. As good as Panda is, they do have an Achilles heel, a weakness shared by many of the newer model brands emerging in China. They struggle to get a foothold on the Western market. Many aviation enthusiasts who also collect models are not part of the online community and thus have no clue who Panda Model is. They might see some of the retailer-exclusive releases but don't know the brand behind them. This puts Panda, and other brands that are working hard on innovation, at a disadvantage against the marketing giants such as GeminiJets, whose reach goes far beyond the online community of collectors. Even Herpa Wings, who has become a minor player, continues to be a much more well-known and recognizable airplane model brand among society in general, by pure virtue of their original marketing efforts that reached well past a niche group of AvGeeks. Therein the importance of approaching a market from the top rather than from the bottom (this doesn't mean that you have to start big, just use an ambitious strategy), a statement that many collectors disagree with, but one that I just can't ignore (many insist that going mainstream, and thus fully licensed, is detrimental to the core of the traditional collecting community).  While this is bad for Panda because it prevents them from benefiting from the full potential of their efforts, there is also some good. I have to acknowledge that with global expansion quality and innovation could potentially suffer (but maybe not...). So staying low-key could make it easier for Panda to remain consistent in those areas that have made them so well-liked among the traditional collecting community.  Panda is a promising brand with a lot of potential. With consistency, they will continue to make heads turn, both from collectors as well as competitors. Making their mold catalog available so that anyone with the funds at their disposal can make many models that other brands won't even touch is an invaluable contribution to the hobby. Are you interested in purchasing aircraft models by Panda Model? Click Here or on the image below and use code jetfuel  for a nice discount. The Next Big Thing in 1:400 Scale

I love telling my life story through die-cast airplane models, and the TAP L-1011-500s presented here allow me to share a lot of things that I hope you will find interesting and entertaining, and maybe will even resonate with many of you. After Brazil, Venezuela is home to the largest Portuguese diaspora in the world (or at least it was at one point, regardless, we have tons of them!). The Portuguese are not the only large group with foreign roots present in Venezuela, they are surpassed by the Spanish, about tied with the Italians, and followed by the Lebanese and Germans. But out of all those groups, the Portuguese probably had the most notorious influence on everyday life during the years I spent growing up in the country.  I think that it was easy for the Portuguese to keep their language and culture mostly intact in Venezuela due to their fundamental similarities with Spain's. But the cool thing is that their language and customs were different enough to make the Portuguese stand out and give them an exotic touch.  The Portuguese in Venezuela were particularly famous for owning many of the neighborhood bakeries in the major cities. Boy, do I miss the smell of fresh bread in the mornings and evenings. If you want that experience in the U.S. you have to bake your own bread at home. It was always amusing to walk into the corner grocery store to find the husband and wife behind the counter speaking Portuguese. The "Portus" and their vibrant nature just made life better in Venezuela. And they didn't only stick to the neighborhood bakeries, Portuguese families went on to own many of the major supermarket chains in the country.  Unlike other groups such as the Germans, the Lebanese, and to some extent the Italians, the Portuguese didn't exactly come to start a new life point-blank, instead, many families kept one foot on each side of the ocean, which has caused travel between the two countries to always be relatively high. For many years Lisbon, Oporto, and Funchal-Madeira have appeared on CCS's flight boards. The routes have been operated by Viasa, Avensa, Santa Bárbara Airlines, and of course, TAP Air Portugal, which still links the two countries today (LIS and FNC), even though a heightened socio-political crisis has taken over Venezuela. When a TAP flight was arriving, it was not uncommon to hear Portuguese among the crowd on CCS's observation deck.  But, it seems it is not only us, Venezuelans, who love the Portuguese. The nation of sailors seems to be a bit of a hit in many other parts of the world too, at least if one is to judge based on the popularity of the country's flag carrier's airplane models. I know, this is the part where non-aviation people start to raise their eyebrows, but trust me, we AvGeeks can tell you a lot about a country based on its aviation industry alone.  TAP's 1990s livery (which in reality appeared as early as 1984) is one of those classic European liveries that are very sought after among model collectors. Good luck trying to find an Aeroclassics A340 for a sensible price, even my Dragon Wings example holds its value decently. The same goes for the 707, the only way I could find one for under $100 was by going for one with a broken nose gear (easy fix). Do you want the 747 in 1:400 scale? Good luck...  My TAP Air Portugal collection, along with Iberia, on my Iberian Peninsula shelf: Needless to say, when NG Models, with their highly praised TriStar 500 mold, released a TAP example in 2020 it became an instant hit. Ironically, I got mine for dirt cheap ($16). Long story short, I got it from an eBay seller who was too quick to flip the model. He seems to have recognized it as rare material but rushed things (the model was still available in some stores at MSRP, albeit selling out quickly) and I got lucky: no other bidders. I have always known that this was a super special model. Not only it was an iconic aircraft type wearing an iconic livery full of sentimental value to me, but it also was a well-executed model that earned itself a well-deserved score of 29/30 from the model reviewer Richard of Yesterday's Airlines (the particular review was published on Model Airliner Magazine ). And the cherry on top was that the model was produced under license from TAP. Those of you who know me know I have a soft spot for models produced with the airline's consent. However, I never had a chance to do a proper photoshoot of it. So when I had to pack up the collection in the spring of 2024 for a move, I took the opportunity to take some photos of the model. Unbeknownst to me, a very cool series of events (with some uncool mixed in) was going to happen before getting a chance to edit and publish those photos (never published them, actually). As my collection (and the rest of the house) was in boxes, I went on to fly my last trip before the move. As it turns out, this trip took me to one of my favorite destinations in Asia, one that I don't get to go to too often: Singapore.  Singapore, like many other global cities, is home to at least one physical airplane model store. Singapore actually has two, but the most well-known by far is Airplane Models at SG. However, I had already visited it once, and since I had an imminent move, I did not want to bring more models back home. So I planned to do some non-aviation-related tourism in the city with a coworker.  But, another rare coincidence happened. I learned through Facebook that Andrew Klein, owner of Aeroclassics, was doing an Asia tour and was in Malaysia. I knew it was very likely that he was going to stop by Singapore and visit Airplane Models at SG shortly thereafter. I was right, and his Singapore stay was going to coincide almost exactly with mine.  Well, when you are a passionate die-cast aircraft collector you don't want to pass up an opportunity to meet with one of the most influential people in the hobby, the Don of die-cast as some call him, or The Dark Lord.  So the plans changed and I found myself in the Singapore metro on my way to Airplane Models at SG (again) to try and catch AK.  I ended up spending a full 3 hours at Airplane Models at SG, and did not get too bored, the place is just packed with models, and the owner has been in the business for a long time and has a wealth of information on the hobby.  Perusing through the shelves I came across this Lockness box (This Lockness brand likes to use Aeroclassics L-1011 molds... 😉). Upon closer inspection, I found out it was nothing less than a TAP L-1011-500.  I didn't know that another TAP TriStar, besides the NG one, had been produced in 1:400 scale. Later I found out the model was part of the initial Lockness batch in June 2019, shortly before I came out from a 6-year collecting hiatus. While I knew that I already owned a copy of the better release (Sorry AK), it was still a TAP L-1011-500. A TAP TriStar! On the Aeroclassics mold, a brand whose owner was standing right there next to me. A great airplane model collecting moment for sure.  But the dilemma was still there. "Do I get this model? I already have one... I don't need any extra models lying around with my imminent move... But it's a TAP L-1011... And, if worst comes to worst, I can probably sell this to someone else in the Western Hemisphere. After all, the model is extremely well priced." So I got the model, I just couldn’t resist a TAP TriStar 500. And this one was an Aeroclassics one so it made for a great conversation with Mr. Aeroclassics himself, who by the way, was kind enough to take me on a tour of the Singapore food scene after we left Airplane Models at SG. As it turns out, Andrew was very familiar with Singapore, and it was a truly great experience for me. Eventually, I made my way back home to Houston and all hell broke loose with the move (don't you love moving?). To top it all off, the hurricane season did not disappoint. Well, little did I know that after the move - and all that went with it - was done, I was going to find myself finally pulling the trigger on something that I have been thinking about for some time: Starting up a formal airplane model shop ( www.yankeevictor400.shop ). As it turned out, the first order I dispatched was the Aeroclassics L-1011-500 that I had found in Singapore a few months before. It wasn't the first order I received, but it was the first one that included only items that I had in stock and ready to ship.  But, of course, I didn't let the model go without first taking a comparison photoshoot with its NG counterpart: Not much to say here, it is understood that the NG model is superior in many aspects, but as I have amply exposed in the text above, the Aeroclassics one still is a TAP Air Portugal L-1011-500, and that alone is enough to also make it a sought after piece by many.  One thing that stood out to me during the photoshoot was the wing length. In one shot I used the Aeroclassics one as the reference for the frame, and then the wings of the NG one did not fit inside the frame (you can easily tell what photo I'm talking about). This was pointed out by Richard Stretton in his review of the first Pan Am L-1011-500 by NG. The -500 wings are slightly longer than the -1's, but someone did not bother to accurately replicate this. Contestant Number 1 Contestant Number 2 Airline: TAP Air Portugal Airline: TAP Air Portugal Aircraft: Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar Aircraft: Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar Reg: CS-TEG "Eça de Queiroz" Reg: CS-TED "Bartolomeu de Gusmão" Brand: NG Models Brand: Aeroclassics (Lockness) Scale: 1/400 Scale: 1/400 Release Date: May, 2020 Release Date: June 2019 The NG version is a little masterpiece, it goes without saying, but what a special model the Aeroclassics example turned out to be. Besides making for a great evening in Singapore full of airplane model talk, it also became the first model shipped out by the Yankee Victor 400 Airplane Model Shop . Not to mention that I enjoyed owning the model for a few months very much.  Rescuing that model from being buried under the piles and piles of models at Airplane Models at SG and making it accessible to the global market was also a very rewarding experience. Airplane Models at SG had the model so well priced that it was easy for me to make a small profit without having to charge an outrageous price for it. A real win for everyone involved as far as I am concerned.  It goes to show that as much as this hobby is about the continuous search for the perfect model for some, it is also about bringing back memories and fulfilling the passions and inspirations of many others. CS-TED with the bare metal belly that Aeroclassics accurately gave to the model at Rome-Fiumicino in 1990: And CS-TEG in one of the few photos showing a TAP TriStar at Caracas-Maiquetía. 1994: CS-TEG is part of my personal collection and it is not for sale now, and CS-TED didn't last two days listed. But there are many more models on the Yankee Victor 400 Airplane Model Shop . Go and have a look, you might find something you'd like. Use code yv400grandopening for a 13% discount on all orders until the end of 2024.