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.

NASA's SEAC4RS study, which stands for Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys, was conducted in Houston, Texas between August 1 and September 30, 2013. More info here . Several aircraft participated in the study collecting atmospheric samples. For aviation enthusiasts, it was quite the show. Even though Ellington Field in southeast Houston is home to several cool NASA aircraft, SEAC4RS brought some interesting visitors from the Dryden Flight Research Center in California. I was lucky to be working at Ellington Field at the time, but anyone in the Houston area could watch the aircraft flying some unique patterns. My favorite one was the Electra (N426NA) spiraling up from low altitude over the morning traffic near downtown. On August 22, 2013, NASA hosted a press conference, and I managed to get a pass as a photographer. A friend and I published a short article about the event on the now-defunct SVZM Spotters site. One of the most iconic aircraft that participated in the study was N817NA, a heavily modified Douglas DC-8-72, originally delivered as a -62 in May of 1969 to Alitalia. It also flew for Braniff as N801BN before joining NASA in 1986 as N717NA (it got re-registered later). N817NA landed at Palmdale, California three days ago (April 1, 2024) after finishing its last mission in Asia. As the aircraft readies for its retirement, I thought it would be appropriate to dust off some of the photos I took of it in 2013. Enjoy: All the subsequent photos show NASA DC-8-72 N817NA on August 22, 2013 at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas: If you would like to share photos from this article, please credit them to Jorge A. Zajia

Compañeros entusiastas de la aviación y coleccionistas de aviones a escala, les presento a la tienda de modelos a escala YankeeVictor400 Airplane Model Shop ( YankeeVictor400.shop . .shop, no .com). Muchos me conocen por medio de la comunidad online de coleccionistas de aviones a escala y como el dueño del sitio web YankeeVictor400.com , pero para aquellos que no me conocen, basta decir que soy un entusiasta aeronáutico muy apasionado, y gran parte de mi vida gira en torno a la aviación.  No es de sorprender entonces que cuando tomé la decisión de crear un negocio pequeño, rápidamente me decidí por crear un sitio web dedicado a la venta de modelos de aviones a escala. Ya de por si mi carrera en la industria aeronáutica me ha enseñado que una de las ventajas de convertir la pasión de uno en negocio es que incluso cuando el cielo se pone gris aun puedo decir "podría ser peor, al menos estoy rodeado de aviones." Estoy lejos de ser el único amante de la aviación que convierte su pasión en negocio. Yo sé muy bien que la industria que sirve a este hobby está compuesta principalmente por nosotros los mismos los coleccionistas, y se de muchos entusiastas como yo que ya desde hace tiempo se dedican a la venta, distribución, e inclusso fabricación de estas joyas que son los modelos a escala. Entonces, ¿de qué forma exactamente pretendo contribuir? Principalmente, ¡ofreciendo aun más modelos de aviones para todos! La industria aeronáutica sigue creciendo cada día, al igual que la población global. Siempre y cuando hayan aeronaves surcando los cielos, en la superficie terrestre habrán entusiastas coleccionando modelos de dichas aeronaves, y alguien tendrá que estar allí ayudándolos a satisfacer su pasión. Por otra parte, también planeo incorporar varias cosas que, a lo largo de mis años como coleccionista, he logrado identificar como elementos clave que caracterizan a las mejores tiendas de modelos a escala. Entre esas cosas están: Un sitio web fácil de utilizar en diferentes dispositivos. Comunicación clara y eficaz, y la habilidad de ofrecer soluciones razonables cuando ocurre algún percance con una orden. Utilizar empaques que puedan proteger a los productos de forma eficaz durante el envió. Esas son las áreas en las que hemos estado enfocando gran parte de nuestros esfuerzos en esta etapa inicial. En general he estado satisfecho con los resultados, pero como cualquier nuevo emprendimiento, habrá obstáculos que superar. Debido a eso, les pido que por favor tengan paciencia mientras agarramos velocidad, y que nos hagan saber si encuentran algún problema para poder solucionarlo.  Una consideración es que mi trabajo principal hace que me la pase viajando gran parte del tiempo. Afortunadamente, tengo varias manos en el hogar dispuestas a ayudarme a servirles a ustedes, pero va a tomar algo de tiempo aprender el negocio y refinar su manejo en equipo.  Otra importante característica que las mejores tiendas de modelos a escala poseen, es tener una amplia gama de productos para la venta. Pero ya que ese es uno de los aspectos más cotosos de este tipo de emprendimiento, me llevará algunos años expandir el catalogo de productos al punto de estar completamente satisfecho. Mientras tanto, me complace arrancar ofreciéndoles una modesta, pero variada, selección de modelos de las marcas InFlight200, GeminiJets y Panda Model, así como de sus marcas filiales. Ha sido un placer trabajar con cada uno de ellos durante los inicios de la tienda. Pero también hay algunos otros productos disponibles. Ya que yo mismo llevo bastante tiempo coleccionando modelos de aviones, de vez en cuando necesito reestructurar mi colección, lo que significa que muchos de mis modelos personales también estarán disponibles para la venta en la sección "Collection Sale." Allí de vez en cuando podrán encontrar algunos modelos difíciles de conseguir; algunos prácticamente nuevos.  ¡Estén atentos mientras nuestra línea de productos sigue creciendo poco a poco! Conexiones regionales en la era de la globalización. Cuando era niño (quiero decir, más joven), me encantaban los días en los que salíamos de compras y hacíamos una parada en la tienda de modelos a escala. Hoy en día eso es algo que muy pocas personas pueden experimentar, ya que la mayoría de las tiendas de hobbies en estos tiempos son tiendas de internet.  A pesar de que me encantaría poder montar una sucursal física a la que a las personas locales les guste visitar un viernes en la tarde luego de una ardua semana de trabajo, o el sábado por la mañana con la familia, o que los entusiastas aeronáuticos que estén de paso por la ciudad no se quieran perder, simplemente no es posible para mi hacer algo así por ahora - ¿quizás cuando me retire de mi trabajo principal? Mientras tanto, una cosa que puedo hacer para crear algún tipo de conexión con la región en la que la tienda se encuentra basada es ofrecer envíos gratuitos a todas las órdenes dentro del estado de Texas (esto también ayuda a compensar por los impuestos que hay que cobrar para ventas dentro del estado). Y ya que estamos hablando de envíos, les informo que todas las ordenes dentro de Estados Unidos de $120.00 o más califican para envío gratuito utilizando el correo federal (USPS); otras opciones pagas de envío también seguirán estando disponibles. El monto mínimo para que una orden califique para envío gratuito probablemente ira subiendo a medida que el negocio agarre tracción, así que sáquenle provecho mientras se pueda. También se ofrecen envios internacionales.  Para cerrar. Solo me quedar decir gracias por haber leído hasta este punto. Ahora a seguir disfrutando del maravilloso mundo de los modelos a escala, mientras al mismo tiempo ayudo a otros a hacer lo mismo. Como promoción inaugural les ofrezco el código yv400grandopening para obtener un 13% de descuento en todas (absolutamente todas) las ordenes que sean completadas antes del final del día el 31 de Diciembre del 2024. Para futuras ofertas y promociones por favor suscribirse a la lista de contactos.  Miren como luce la tienda en sus inicios: Al trabajar con Panda Model (solo 1:400), InFlight200 (solo 1:200), y GeminiJets (1:200 y 1:400) se nos hace posible ofrecer opciones para los coleccionistas de las dos escalas más populares hoy en día. Esta combinación de marcas también nos permite ofrecer una buena combinación entre aviones clásicos y modernos, y hasta algunos tipos de aviones de origen oriental.  ¿Han encontrado alguna vez uno de sus paquetes a la intemperie bañados por la lluvia? Yo si... Todos nuestros modelos son enviados con algún tipo de protección contra el agua (papel de burbujas, o bolsas de polietileno) a parte de material amortiguador a su alrededor (bolitas de goma espuma, más papel burbuja, o papel de envíos). Aunque no puedo garantizar que nunca ocurrirá algún percance con un envío, si puedo asegurar que por nuestra parte se hará todo lo posible para mitigar ese tipo de situaciones. También, dense cuenta de como hay toallines y diferentes tipo de guantes al alcance. A mi no me gusta tocar mis propios modelos con las manos desnudas, mucho menos los modelos de mis clientes.

Fellow aviation enthusiasts and airplane model collectors, allow me to introduce to you the YankeeVictor400 Airplane Model Shop ( YankeeVictor400.shop , not .com) Many of you know me as an active member of the die-cast airplane model collecting online community, and as the guy who owns the YankeeVictor400.com  site, but for those of you who don't know me, it shall be enough to say that I'm a passionate aviation enthusiast, and almost every aspect of my life revolves around the aviation industry. When the opportunity to venture into the world of small businesses presented itself, it didn't take long for me to settle on starting up an airplane model online store. After all, as my professional life has taught me, one of the gifts of turning one's passion into a business is that when reality strikes one still gets to say "Hey, it could be worse, at least I'm surrounded by airplanes." I'm far from being the only aviation lover who has taken their passion across to the business side of the house. As a long-time airplane model collector, I know that the hobby remains largely a collector-run industry, and I know there is no shortage of fellow collectors and enthusiasts engaged in retailing the lovely gems that airplane models are. I'm sure some of them are thrilled to see one of their customers turn into a competitor ;). So, what do I exactly plan on bringing to the table? For one, more airplane models for everyone! The aviation industry continues to grow, as well as the global population. As long as there are aircraft in the sky, there will be aircraft model collectors on the ground and someone will need to be there to help them fulfill their passion. Additionally, I plan on bringing many of the things that, over the years as a collector myself, I have been able to identify as key elements that set good airplane model stores apart, which include: A user-friendly website that is easy to use across different platforms. Good service in the form of transparent and timely communication, and the ability to provide reasonable solutions to customers when issues arise. Ensuring products are sent out in packaging that can keep them as protected as reasonably possible from rough handling and the elements. Those are the areas where we are focusing our initial efforts the most. I have been pleased with the results so far, but as with any new venture, there are growing pains. For that, I ask that you please be patient if you encounter any hiccups during these early stages, and report any shortcomings to us so that we can fix them.  One challenge is the nature of my main bread and butter, which requires me to be gone for extended periods. Luckily, I have a few extra hands around here eager to help me serve you, but there is a learning curve involved and the system needs to be fine-tuned over time.  Finally, good airplane model stores are characterized by having a wide range of products available. This is also the costliest and one of the most demanding aspects of this type of business venture, as the line between growing the inventory and keeping the business financially viable during the early stages is a tricky one to walk. Because of that, it will probably take me a few years to build up the product catalog to my satisfaction.  In the meantime, I am pleased to start things off by bringing to you an admittedly modest, but quite varied catalog of models from InFlight200, GeminiJets, and Panda Model as well as all the other brands that are associated with them. It has been a pleasure working with each one of them. They all have been very professional, which has made the stocking-up process pretty straightforward.  But there is more, as a long-time collector I do need to prune my personal collection from time to time,  which means that some of my models will be available on the site as well under the good ole "collection sale" section. There you might find some rare ones, some of which are in mint/never-displayed condition. Stay tuned as the line of products expands slowly but surely! A sense of locality in today's globalization. When I was a kid (meaning younger), I loved to take trips to the local model shop. Today it is not easy to experience that, as the majority of collectibles/hobby shops are online based.  As much as I would like to set up a physical store that locals would look forward to visiting on a Friday afternoon after a long week, or on a Saturday morning with the kids, or that any AvGeek visiting the city wouldn't want to miss, it is simply not feasible for me to do something like that right now - maybe when I retire from my main job (?).  In the meantime, one thing that I can do to create some sort of connection with the region in which the store is based is to offer free shipping on all orders in the state of Texas (this also helps offset the state tax that we need to collect for in-state sales ). While on the topic of shipping, all U.S. orders of $120.00 or more qualify for free USPS Priority shipping, but other -paid- shipping options will also remain available. The minimum order value to be eligible for free domestic U.S. shipping will likely go up a bit with time, as the business gains traction, so take advantage of it while it's there.  International shipping is also available. Wrapping up There is not much more to say other than thank you if you read to this point. I look forward to continuing to enjoy the wonderful hobby of collecting airplane models, while also helping others do the same.  As an inaugural promotional offer, the code yv400grandopening will give you a 13% discount and will be valid for all (all as in every single one) orders placed before December 31, 2024. Join the mailing list for subsequent codes and promotions. Check out the first iteration of our home-based operation: Panda Model (1:400 only), InFlight200 (1:200 only), and GeminiJets (1:400 and 1:200) enable us to have something to offer to collectors of the two most popular scales in the hobby. Between them, there is also a decent balance between modern and classic, western and eastern aircraft. Have you ever found a package out in the rain with its contents wet? I have... All of our models will be shipped with some sort of water protection barrier (poly bags, or bubble wrap) in addition to the surrounding shock-absorbing material (packing peanuts, more bubble wrap, shipping paper, etc.). While I can't guarantee that there won't be any issues, I can assure you that we will do our best to mitigate them. Also, notice we have plenty of microfiber lens cloths and different kinds of gloves readily available. I don't like touching my models with bare hands, much less those of my customers.

When you're looking for a 1:400 Ilyushin IL-76 on eBay, the ones made by Aeroclassics and Wittywings are often far above retailprice. This bothered me as this aircraft has been high on my wishlist for quite some time. Recently I found a cheaper alternative, which is this Cubana IL-76 by DelPrado, which you can find for less than €50 every now and then. Most of you probably never heard of this brand, let alone have one of their models in your collection, so what is this brand? Is the quality any good or is it better to save your money for an Aeroclassics / Wittywings release? Find out in this review! Please keep in mind that the Aeroclassics model will be called IL-76, even though it's meant to represent a Beriev A-50. What brand made this model? DelPrado is a brand that can be found on all kinds of scalemodels; aircraft, trains, cars, ships and hand-painted minifigures. This IL-76 comes in orange packaging, which includes the plastic blister with the model and a booklet about 100 years of aviation history. This particular model is nr. 15 of the "World Aircraft 100 Years Story" series. Unfortunately mine only had the plastic blister with the model. You can find this exact same model in black packaging by Model Power. I don't know what the relationship between these two brands is, but they definitely worked together. On the back of the Model Power box you can find all the models they produced for their "Airliner" collection, which includes a 1/250 TWA Boeing 307 Stratoliner. I have this model, but again in the DelPrado blister. It is rather strange to me how they have all these interesting moulds, but only used them once. Other aircraft in this collection are: L-1049 Super Constellation, DC-3, Dornier Do. X, L-1011 Tristar, Fokker 50, TU-144 and many more. The scales vary a lot and are sometimes a little weird; the Dornier Do. X is 1:375 for example. Operational history of the aircraft This IL-76 was delivered in 1984 to Cubana as CU-T1258 but was reregistred CU-C1258 in 1996 and then CU-C1419 in 2000. In 2001 it recieved an overhaul in Ukraine and operated for Aerocom between 2002 and 2005 as ER-IBE. It was then sold to the Angolan Air Force as D2-FCO, withdrawn from use in 2014 and scrapped at Luanda (Angola) in 2015. Mould review Normally I don't consider the mould in my reviews as it's already done by others like Yesterdays Airlines. For this model it's a little different, because at first it may seem similar to the Aeroclassics mould, but it's noticably different in almost every aspect. So let's compare them to see what the quality is like. First the fuselage, specifically the cockpit area. Check these images as reference: Cubana and Aeroflot . Both are inaccurate; the DelPrado mould has the correct pointy nose, but the cockpit area is too flat and it has a large forehead. Aeroclassics' nose is too blunt and the forehead seems a little too large, but this because the cockpit windows are too small. The bulge for the navigator compartment seems fine on both, although just a little bit too small on the DelPrado. The wingjoint design is different on these moulds and to be honest, I don't know which one I like more. Aeroclassics has the wings and wingbox as one big piece, meaning there is a noticable seam with the fuselage, while on the DelPrado model the wingbox is partly moulded with the fuselage, meaning there is a seam on top and below the wing. If you like taking pictures from a low angle, where the top seam is not visible, then DelPrado is a clear winner, but when displayed in a cabinet, Aeroclassics has my preference. The gears are even more different than the wingjoint. The nosegear on the Cubana model should be more to the front but seems fine on the Aeroclassics model. The main landing gear of the Cubana is fixed in place by a screw, similar to the old Aeroclassics DC-9-10's. When removing this screw, you find another screw inside the fuselage which holds the wings. Quite fun to take it apart, but be careful to not rip off any paint. Aeroclassics' main landing gears are miles ahead. There is more detailling and they were very smart with the seam on the back, as it's positioned where the large rear doors of the IL-76 move up and down. This is not the case on the DelPrado model, where you can see the printed outlines going over the seam. One plus for DelPrado is having a standhole, which only fits their own stands. Aeroclassics has no standhole for their IL-76's. Delprado Aeroclassics The Aeroclassics Aeroflot IL-76 in these pictures is actually a Beriev A-50, which has a modified connection between tail and fuselage for a tail gun (and is not present on the Aeroclassics model), but for a regular IL-76 it's accurate and thus a fair comparison. Since the tail is a seperate piece, there is a seam, but barely noticable. Surprisingly, the DelPrado has its tail moulded together with the fuselage, how often do you see that in 1:400 scale? The DelPrado's horizontal stabilizers are plastic while being metal on the Aeroclassics mould. Both are pretty much identical in terms of shape and size, just a tiny height difference. DelPrado left, Aeroclassics right The wings have flaps and ailerons moulded in on both moulds, this is much better on the Aeroclassics mould. However, the inner flap extenders are missing, so there are six on each side instead of seven. DelPrado has seven extenders on each side, but the flap detailling is less accurate. DelPrado left, Aeroclassics right The engines are pretty much identical in terms of shape, but on the DelPrado mould the engine and pylons are one piece, while for Aeroclassics there is a seperate piece for the pylon, engine and exhaust. For both models the engines are too low, which you can see by comparing it to the height of the blue Aeroflot cheatline. Mould conclusion Both moulds have their differences and flaws. For me, the Aeroclassics mould is better overall; gears, cockpit, tail, flaps and ailerons are better and since my models are most often displayed in a cabinet, I prefer the wingbox aswell. The DelPrado IL-76 has a more accurate pointy nose and some may prefer the wingbox design. The only big issue for me is the cockpit shape. If you are a casual collector who does not look for the best possible accuracy, you will be fine with both, especially when taking the price difference into consideration. Model review Now we know the pros and cons of the mould, let's take a look at the artwork and QC using the same template as for my other model reviews. There are 6 parts that will be given between 1 and 10 points, 1 being the lowest and 10 being perfect. In the end the average of these scores will be the final score. Accuracy of colors The Cubana IL-76 model has a red and blue livery with grey belly, wings, engines and horizontal stabilizers. The blue color should be a little darker, but everything else is good. The wheel rims should be green, but they didn't bother with it on the model. Score: 8,5 / 10 Livery The Cubana livery also has a thick and thin cheatline. At the front the black anti-glare panel goes too far down, which means the thick cheatline ends too early. At the rear the thick cheatline curves upwards too early, making it too wide at the bottom of the tail. This gives the blue parts a more square ratio instead of rectangular. It also has the orange wingtips and blue color on the engine pylons, but those blue parts are too small. Score: 7.5 / 10 Logos, titles and stickers While so far the model scores pretty good, from now on it will be less positive. Starting off with the Cubana titles; The font is good, but they are too small and should be more forward. The color should be dark blue, like on the tail, but are printed black on the model. Score: 6 / 10 Other details Here it's even more bad news. The registration is too small, printed black instead of blue and there should be more white space inbetween the letters and numbers. The registration is missing on the wings. The Cuban flag is printed quite well, but should be a little higher and closer to the cockpit windows. The front door is placed well relative to the nosegear, while it should be more forward together with the nosegear, I will not deduct points as I think it's better this way. The navigator windows all point upwards and don't connect so well with the grey nosecone, which itself is also not painted straight. A window underneath the wings is missing and the large rear doors don't go upwards too much, they should go into the thick cheatline as can be seen here . There is a little bit of detailling around the model which I appreciate, as otherwise it would look too much like a toy. Score: 3,5 / 10 Paint and printing QC It would not make sense to score the QC of paint and printing, as this model is 20 years old. One noteworthy issue is that they forgot to put silver paint on one of the engines. Score: - / 10 Mould QC The seams are tight and much better than some models we see released today. There is a mould seam visible on top, which they didn't sand properly. While some parts are not very accurate, the quality control is very nice and I don't see any other issues. Score: 9 / 10 Conclusion The total score is 34,5 / 5 = 6.9, which is a little higher than I expected. Just like with the mould, this model is totally fine for people who are happy to have an IL-76 for a lower price and look at models from a little distance. The mould is totally acceptable and for lots of people the printing is good enough. If you made it all the way to the end of this article and think "this quality is too low, but I still want an IL-76", then try your luck by posting on Facebook, the forums or visit an aviation fair. - Mark Retrohangardiecast on Instagram Mark22 on MAF, 400SH, DAC and DIMA Want to collaborate or let me review your product? Send me a message via the channels mentioned above! All pictures are mine (unless stated otherwise) and may not be used without my permission!

When I first heard about Phoenix working on the IL-96-400 mould, I was very excited. There are very few liveries they can make, but three are already available with two more on pre-order. After some hesitation about which one to get, I bought the Atlant-Soyuz which is now displayed among the other Ilyushins and Tupolevs in my collection. This is actually my first new Phoenix purchase in about two years, so lets take a look at how the quality is in 2024. Operational history of the aircraft First lets take a quick look at the history of this particular aircraft. The IL-96-400 is basically an IL-96M (which is a stretched IL-96-300) equipped with Russian avionics and engines. The RA-96101 was delivered in 1997 as an IL-96M, carrying four PW engines and was used as testbed. During this time it was wearing the recognizable classic Aeroflot livery. Around 2008 it was modified into a IL-96-400T, meaning the western PW engines were replaced by Russian made Aviadvigatel PS-90A1. It started operating for Atlant-Soyuz, which was a Moscow-based airline that seized cargo operations in 2010. The red-white-blue livery didn't last long, as the aircraft was painted into the colors of Polet Flight in the spring of 2009. Unfortunately this service was also for a short time, because it has been in storage at Aerodrom Pridacha since 2013. Current sattelite images on Google Maps only show a couple IL-96-300's, so it's unknown to me whether it's moved or scrapped. Review As usual there are 6 parts that will be given between 1 and 10 points, 1 being the lowest and 10 being perfect. In the end the average of these scores will be the final score. Accuracy of colors The colors are simple as they represent the red-white-blue from the Russian flag. On some pictures the blue color seems a little more faded (and thus lighter), but to me the model shows what it looked like with fresh paint, so no reason to deduct any points. Score: 10 / 10 Livery The livery containts a red belly at the front with the blue color taking over towards the rear. The front half of the engines are blue, the wingtips red and the tail represents the Russian flag. Phoenix did a great job here as I can't find any major issues. Something you could notice is that the blue and red color seperate exactly at the wingjoint while on the real thing the red color should be lower at this point. However, I think this is because the wingbox of the mould is not fat enough, meaning you can't really fix it in the arwork without compromising somewhere else. The only clear issue I could find is the blue color being too close to the horizontal stabilizers. Everything else is pretty much perfect. Score: 9,5 / 10 Logos, titles and stickers There are some complex titles and logos. The Atlant-Soyuz titles at the front are in English on one side of the fuselage and Russian on the other side. The "ATLANT-SOYUZ" text and logo are very well done, but the smaller red titles should be fatter and a little more darker. The sticker with the horse is very detailled and Phoenix replicated it nicely. The Russian flag has the grey shade behind it, which has a very slight offset to the top-right. Near the cockpit there are "Ilyushin Finance Co." titles, again in English on one side and Russian on the other. All letters should be capitalized, so a minor issue there. The IL96-400T text is accurate, being written as "IL96·400T". The registration can be found on the top and bottom of the wings and the rear of the fuselage. The font and positioning are both good. Score: 9 / 10 Other details The IL-96-400T has one aerial at the front and a small bump in the middle. Phoenix printed the latter, which in my opinion is fine. The cargodoor could have had one or two additional details as it looks a little empty now, but overall there is plenty of detailling on the fuselage and engines with nothing to complain about. Phoenix is relatively cheap (here in Europe at least), showing that you don't need to pay premium prices to get nice detailling. There is some detailling on the top of the wings, which I assume is similar to the "NO STEP" markings you see on other aircraft. I couldn't find a picture of the Atlant-Soyuz livery that has these, but here: https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/6/4/3/1574346.jpg?v=v40you you can see the RA-96101 that clearly shows the marking being on the front side, not the rear. Score: 9 / 10 Paint and printing QC Overall the paint looks good, some tiny smudges here and there but nothing really bad. The only noticable issue is the front door being a little messy, which is something I missed when checking the model at the store. Score: 9 / 10 Mould QC Being a brand "new" mould there shouldn't be any major issues and this is indeed the case for this model. No noticable gaps or assymetricly placed parts. The main landing gear points inwards a little and some wheels are too far apart (I can't push them closer). Overall I'm satisfied with the QC. Score: 9 / 10 Conclusion The total score is 55,5 / 6 = 9.3, which is the second highest of my reviews so far. Despite looking like a simple livery, Phoenix did a good job with replicating the more difficult elements. I'm also very happy that they made this mould; not only because I like Ilyushins, but also because it shows that manufacturers are willing to invest in moulds that have very few options to release and that they actually use it. NG and JC/GJ should take notes, as they seem to forget about half of their mould catalogue. - Mark Retrohangardiecast on Instagram Mark22 on MAF, 400SH, DAC and DIMA Want to collaborate or let me review your product? Send me a message via the channels mentioned above! All pictures are mine (unless stated otherwise) and may not be used without my permission!