American Airlines | McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | N214AA | NG Models

NG Models can frustrate in terms of their release choices and mould usage, but its hard to deny the quality of the end product. They also have a tendency to produce multiple versions of quite a few of their releases, and so even though they have now made or announced 11 MD-80s 5 of them have been American Airlines examples (and another in the TWA/AA transition scheme). That can be a blessing and a curse, depending on whether you collect the airline in question, but certainly it is hard to have too many AA MD-80s.

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Each review is to split into three key areas:

• The model mould
• The paint and livery reproduction
• Printing and quality control

Each section can get a maximum score of 10 for a maximum combined score of 30

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MOULD

It has been 18 months since NG first showed off their MD-80 sample moulds, but only 9 since they were first used. It is only really now in 2025 that we're starting to see the potential of these moulds and regular releases. In the meantime Gemini Jets have released four MD-80s of their own and some nice subjects too.

The Gemini Jets / JC Wings mould is not dreadful, but is symptomatic of the generally lower quality moulds being used by them for much of their output. It can't hold a candle to this NG Models mould, which is superior across the board.

Despite its high standard NG Models still has worked to improve the mould. This is a common trait of NG. Whereas JC Wings and Gemini generally continue to use subpar moulds for years and years NG Models even updates great moulds - often in ways that are hardly noticeable. In this case the change on these most recent MD-80s are the small side strakes at the nose. 

On the Gemini mould they are moulded in and a little chunky. They were always separate pieces on this mould, and a lot finer, but have now moved them slightly backwards to a more accurate location. They look superb.

The rest of the mould is of equally high quality. Comparing this to the competition and the aerials are better sized, the nose better shaped, the fuselage clearly shows the fuselage crease along its side, the rudder isn't attached to the roof and the wings and engines also show more detail.

Taking the wings for example and the NG version more clearly shows the chord change at its outer margin. This is missing on older moulds.

At the engines the nacelles are better shaped and sized. They also have the side strakes moulded in, unlike the Gemini mould. There is really very little to complain about, but a very minor criticism is that the middle area in-between the thrust reverser cans should push onto the nacelle a little and doesn't.

Phoenix have also recently dusted off their old MD-80 mould and I don't have any problems with buying the older moulds, however I'm not fooling myself into thinking they are competitive with this NG mould, because they clearly are not.

SCORE - 10

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PAINT & LIVERY

As I mentioned the last time that I reviewed this mould, there are quite a few scheme variants for AA MD-80s. NG has made several now, but this is the first that has been produced with a black nosecone tip, although this variant with the grey tail and screwdriver tailcone is one of the later versions. 

This also has a special scheme as it is wearing 'Working Together' titles. These titles were added to two MD-80s that were used to transport employees to Washington to lobby for pension reforms. The 'Working Together' name seems to have been part of a partnership programme concerning synergy between all levels of AA employees.

The titles were added in 2005 and worn until the aircraft's retirement at the end of 2008. They are correctly outlined in white on the model and look great. 

The rest of the livery looks great, with the black nosecone giving that retro look even though the lack of Super 80 titles and screwdriver tail indicate it is a later livery variant.

SCORE - 10

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PRINTING & QUALITY CONTROL

With the naked eye the printing on this MD-80 looks exquisite and I'm always impressed with printing directly onto polished surfaces. Under magnification things continue to look great, but at the nose from the front the nosecone tip and cheatlines under the cockpit show small amounts of inprecision.

From a QC perspective the model once again looks great in 1:1 but under magnification I'd argue the fit of the nosegear doors is a little wonky. 

You have to really search for issues with a lot of NG releases and when you see the amazing tiny printwork on the nosegear doors it is hard to feel critical.

SCORE - 9

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​CONCLUSION

I'm really struggling to fit all these AA MD-80s onto my American Airlines shelf. This is the third I own, but I still also have Dragon Wings and Gemini Jets versions that need replacing if and when NG get to those livery versions. It is too easy to complain about livery variant releases, but when it is an airline you collect yourself they are very handy. Certainly, with an aircraft that was so important to the success of American Airlines there is plenty of room for further AA MD-80 scheme variants. Hopefully we will start seeing months with 5 or 6 MD-80s in them as there is a huge amount of potential for this mould.

FINAL SCORE - 29/30