 JC Wings make some great models but their distribution is patchy, so much so that I've only just received this model announced in January, which I know has been out in the wild in Asia and the US for several months. Despite that, this is a model I've been excited to receive, as it illustrates JC's willingness to experiment, and it fully deserves a review even more so because it using a different MD-80 mould to usual. Each review is to split into three key areas:
This review is sponsored by Northeast Diecast. Check out their store for an excellent range of hard to find 200 and 400 scale collection sale models and get 15% off!  MOULD  The JC Wings / Gemini Jets MD-80 is a mould I have been happy to purchase and has received reviews here at the site previously. The most recent model I took a look at in detail was a Gemini TWA release from April 2023:  While that mould is ok it is miles behind the NG Models MD-80 and both moulds have been heavily under-used to date. So with an already existing MD-80 mould you'd expect this model to also use the usual MD-80 JC and GJ have. Bizarrely however that clearly isn't the case and the model is all the better for it!  The shape of the entire area ahead of the L1 door has been a source of criticism of the standard JC Wings MD-80 since the mould was first used. Yet this MD-80 alone out of recent JC/GJ Diesel Nines has a completely different nose casting. That is because I think this mould is instead a rare reappearance for the Jet-X MD-80 that was last seen in 2011!  The second incarnation of Jet-X had created its own MD-80s after their split from Dragon Wings and used the new moulds only 10 times between 2009 and 2011. The Jet-X mould catalogue was subsequently swallowed up into JC Wings massive haul of moulds. See the history of Jet-X for more on this. Below: This model using what I think is the Jet-X mould and below it a recent JC Wings made release using the standard mould.  You can see how much better the nose region on this model is. The odd squashed region at the nosegear on the usual JC version is resolved and the length and shape of the nosecone are all much better. The nosegear tyre even looks better. The only drawbacks are that the nose side-strakes, moulded in on the newer mould are now printed and that one of the aerials (the dorsal one) that has been added isn't in quite the right position (it is too far rear).  This mould looks even better than images of the old Jet-X releases I have seen and it is a strong contender against the NG version. I don't know why JC have done this, but I note that Jet-X did make this model in 200 scale back in 2011 and perhaps the old artwork for that release better fits the Jet-X 400 scale mould. It's weird, but very welcome.  The only issues with the mould of any note are the lack of the nose side strakes, size of the aerials and the angle of the tailtop. None of these are major.    Of course the thing that should make this model standout is the almost unique unducted fan General Electric GE36 engine on the port side. I say almost unique because one was also fitted to a 727-100 (another model JC Wings have recently made). _McDonnell_Douglas_demonstrator,_Farnborough_UK_-_England,_September_1988_(5589809360).jpg) Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0  The GE36 is a difficult and complex engine to mould in 400 scale. JC Wings has made a really good fist of it and the model looks great. Even so, it isn't perfect. The engine itself is a little too large at the nacelle front and the engine pylon angles ever so slightly too acutely upwards.  Nonetheless the detailing and finish on the engine is excellent, especially the wonderful UDF blades themselves. Even better the two rows of blades both spin independently. The very bespoke UDF engine is a really impressive feature to have in 400 scale.  The combination of an updated Jet-X MD-80 casting and a really unusual engine design made for just a couple of models makes this a really hard model to score from a mould perspective. The usual MD-80 from JC Wings gets a 7/10 but the Jet-X base mould here is a lot better. The addition of such a wonderful feature as the unducted fan engine elevates it higher and despite minor imperfections this is a 9 for me. SCORE - 9 PAINT & LIVERY  N980DC was the original DC-9-81 prototype, which first flew in October 1979. The aircraft was retro-fitted with the GE-36 in 1987 and undertook a flight-test programme. The engine was replaced by a Pratt & Whitney / Allison 578-DX propfan in early 1989.  The livery worn by N980DC for the prop-fan flights was very different to the first flight scheme and featured MDD's new 1980s colours of golds, pinks and purples. It's an attractive scheme and one JC Wings have carried off very well.  The only issue I can see is the height of the titles on the UDF engine, which are too high. This is an issue NG Models have been having with their MD-80 engine titles as well. SCORE - 9 PRINTING & QUALITY CONTROL  This model contains all the detail print you'd expect from a JC Wings release and as usual a look at the underside shows off this aspect the best. Even in close-up macro shots the print and paint finish is very good.  The addition of the UDF engine to this model introduces plenty of room for QC issues and damage from shipping. In fact, when I received my UDF 727 the engine and pylon had clean snapped off. I am pleased to say that with this model there are no such issues.  SCORE - 10 CONCLUSION JC Wings are a company with a true love of aviation and have a history of making some unique and exciting moulds that nobody else will make. It's a shame that that also goes hand in hand with some slow delivery, but this unducted fan MD-80 goes to show what they can do in both scales (as this has also been made in 200 scale). It is a delightful model and illustrates that the big brands don't always just chase the money, but also make less financially rewarding options that enrich the whole scale. In relation to MD-80s specifically, this is simply a better standard MD-80 than the mould they usually use and I wish they'd use this version instead. FINAL SCORE - 28/30 
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AuthorI'm Richard Stretton an aviation enthusiast and major collector of 400 scale models. On this page I take a detailed look at new releases. This site is free. Please donate to keep it going.
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