TACA | Boeing 737-3T0 | N75356 | El Aviador

El Aviador are back in 400 scale after a couple of years absence, with their 13th release. There are plenty of models in my collection that have been involved in accidents, but few that survived in quite the spectacular manor that this 737-300 did. N75356, while operating flight 110 to New Orleans on May 24, 1988, suffered a double flameout of its engines due to passing through a severe thunderstorm. Moments before ditching the pilots noticed a grass levee next to a canal and performed a powerless emergency landing on it. Even more impressive the aircraft was undamaged, aside from needing replacement engines, and was able to fly out using a nearby road. This incident was covered in an episode of Mayday / Air Crash Investigation and for more details see the Wiki page for Flight 110 here. It certainly makes a very worthy subject for a 400 scale model.

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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

This Panda Models 737-300 mould has seen two primary phases of usage. Firstly it was licensed to Aeroclassics in 2013 and they used it to produce 101 releases up to 2017. Secondly, with Panda models themselves the mould has seen ongoing usage for around 66 releases many made for other brands and retailers.

Just this year there have been 737-300 models made using this mould for C Models, BR Diecast and now El Aviador too. It also hasn't stood still as it has been updated with aerials (in 2017) and updated rolling gear also (in 2020).

The only other competing active 737-300 in 400 scale is the JC Wings / Gemini Jets mould, which dates from 2004 and has only been used 34 times. While that mould has also been updated and remains acceptable it is not competitive with this Panda version. For a previous review of the JC/GJ 737-300 see here:

United Airlines | Boeing 737-322 | N327UA | Gemini Jets

The only other competition for a 400 scale 737-300 comes from a handful of ancient and unimpressive Dragon Wings and Herpa editions. For this mould I really like the fuselage barrel. The nose and cockpit region is really nice and this excellence continues all the way to the tailcone.

The model has three nicely shaped and sized aerials fitted. ​The engines are well shaped, with the flattened bottom, and hung high enough to give the correct level of ground clearance by the pylons. The wings are also well shaped and fit snugly into the fuselage.

The new undercarriage is an improvement over the simple previous version. The new larger tyres come with proper hubs and are better sized than before. This model hasn't got the nosegear fitted as well (see later section) as usual, but that isn't a mould issue.

About the only place where criticism can be levelled is the top of the vertical stabiliser, which isn't flat enough. It is a minor point and not enough for me to drop points on the mould.

SCORE - 10

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PAINT & LIVERY

This 1980s TACA livery is bright and colourful, with a delightful sweeping triple cheatline. The sort of scheme that you just don't see anymore in this age of eurowhite boredom. This aircraft joined in February 1988 as TACA's first 737-300 but switched to Aviateca in 1989 as four more 737-300s were leased in.

The colours on this model are bright and accurate. The deep blue, red and yellow sweep up onto the tailfin, where the airline name is reversed out in white. The title font is good and details such as the El Salvadorean flag and 56 on the nosegear doors are present.

The highlight of the livery is the macaw logo and it doesn't disappoint on the model. Great work.

SCORE - 10

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PRINTING & QUALITY CONTROL

This is the sort of model where you can zoom in at magnification and the quality persists. The printing work is very crisp and areas like the doors show a lot of hinge, handle, rain gutter and other details.

On the underside again the print is very nice, although I'd like to see the wheel wells not being full white. This is clearly a very good model but the only area I can criticise is some detail quality points. From the front the shape of the engine intakes is a little irregular.

The biggest QC issue is with the nosegear. The fit on this model isn't perfect and makes the nosegear a little high compared with other Panda 737-300s I own. Also from the front the nosegear tyre fit is a little poor, not helped by a portion of the rightside tyre missing.

SCORE - 9

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SUMMARY

This is a great aircraft / airline selection on a topnotch mould, exactly the sort of top-class 400 scale model we need to see more of. Pleasingly, this combination of excellence has been recognised by collectors and as I understand this model has sold very well. It is just a shame that it takes retailer exclusives like this to get this kind of diversity in the scale, while the standard release sets are full of the same modern aircraft and an onslaught of often tedious special schemes. Panda Models themselves have a lot of potential, but their tendency to focus on OEM operations for others means they are not releasing the volume I'd like to see and it'd be good if they could be more prolific.

FINAL SCORE - 29/30