The reappearance of the Gemini Jets Boeing 727 moulds has been very welcome, although the majority of their output has been of models made already by Aeroclassics. Given that the Gemini mould is essentially no more modern than the Aeroclassics version it is questionable whether the new Gemini versions offer enough value to replace older models. This United example is the first of the recent bunch that is new to the scale as an airline/aircraft combination and gives me the opportunity to look at whether the total package being offered by Gemini Jets is superior.

The last time I reviewed a Gemini Jets Boeing 727-200 was back in January 2023 and since then the mould has not been overworked. There were two other releases in 2023, one in 2024, two in 2025 and now four more in 2026. It is tempting to suggest the appearance of V1:400 has stimulated Gemini's 727 production, but I actually am led to believe these models were in the works before then.

In the same period (2023-now) Aeroclassics has released 50 727-200s and 'upgraded' its mould with a new number two engine exhaust section. That hasn't revolutionised the Aeroclassics version in the same way that this Gemini mould still can't hide its ancestry, which dates from the very earliest days of 400 scale in 2001.

Modifications to this Gemini Jets mould since then have included new rolling landing gear, the addition of aerials and a new vertical stabiliser. Not all of these modifications have been entirely successful.

The mould remains an old-fashioned cradle fit version with a wing seam. This is largely hidden from view and a lot less obvious than the Aeroclassics, however unlike the Aeroclassics it does this by following an unnatural path. The Witty Wings mould being used by V1:400 is superior in this area as it is entirely seamless.

The fuselage barrel is decent but this updated mould variant definitely has a pointier nosecone than older Gemini versions and is not better for it. The rest of the fuselage is good. The wings are shaped well but they are rather lacking detailing especially at the rear wingtip and on the flaps.

​Even though on the updated mould the tail has been updated to a seamless variant it is still not much better than any of the other moulds (and a lot poorer than the Dragon Wings). Although it has no seam at the tail top, to fit the horizontal stabilisers in, the shape is wrong. It has no upward angle at the anterior edge and the tail top is too flat.

The size of the number 2 engine intake is also rather small. Where the Gemini (and Aeroclassics) moulds beat the Witty Wings mould is the tail chord, which is incorrect on the latter. ​

This model also continues Gemini's cost-cutting when it comes to aerials. Prior to 2022 they always had two on these 727s but since then they have only had one. Considering one of the selling points is that these 727s have aerials and the Aeroclassics don't skimping on them makes little sense except from a penny-pinching perspective.

Despite updates to the mould this remains a rather average casting that isn't noticeably superior from a mould perspective to the Aeroclassics, and arguably inferior to the Witty except at the tail. None of the available 727-200 moulds are going to win any awards, but it is hard to see an environment where an all new 727 is made, especially when so much of the low-hanging fruit for the type has been made in the scale already and sales are hardly likely to be as high as for an A320.

SCORE - 6

United Airlines had a whole variety of vaguely similar livery variants in the early 1970s, as they transitioned from the classic Mainliner scheme to this 'Four Star Friendship' scheme. That means that, probably largely by accident, this variant has never been made in the scale before. See below for a history of United liveries:

In fact, Gemini has already made this same model in 200 scale (on their superior 727-200 casting) so you'd expect them to be able to reuse the artwork for it. Sadly it doesn't look like they actually did as the 200 scale version appears more accurate in a couple of ways. Firstly, the blue used on this release is noticeably lighter than on the 200 version. It's not horrific but it isn't as good.

Another difference is the size of the blue anti-glare ahead of the cockpit, which is noticeably smaller than on the 200 scale variant and the reference photo (it should touch the nose radome line). The rest of the livery looks good and actually the 727 Friendship titles are accurately thinner than on the 200 scale version.

SCORE - 8

Printwork on the model is solid and in some areas, such as the cockpit, better than on some recent Gemini 727s. Then again it isn't anything to write home about either. The lower margin of the L2 door and emergency exits for example appear to be missing, when they should clearly push into the grey belly and red cheatline respectively. They are actually present, but not deep enough, so with the naked eye appear to not be there.

Build quality is also generally solid but not spectacular. Aeroclassics 727s (especially series 100s) get a lot of flak for gaps between the seamline at the wing, often attributed to the age of the mould. This similarly aged 727 has similar issues. You need to get close but in macro-shots from the side there is clearly a gap at the forward wingroot.

The fit of the number two engine exhaust is also rather sloppy. It is attached but it doesn't really feel like it properly fits. The accurate all-black aspect of it doesn't help it look like anything but a plastic attachment and the shape isn't great.

SCORE - 8

From a foot away this is a great 727 and it is only when you get close and compare it to the hyper-accurate moulds we have for a lot of modern narrowbody types (albeit admittedly often not Gemini versions) that its weaknesses become clear. It's a perfectly respectable effort, but not one that should be getting anyone excited, although it does score better than the poor CP Air version I scored back in 2023. The mods to the mould are rather half-hearted and poorly executed, and when you add small mistakes, penny pinching and quality issues the total score is pushed into 'workhorse' territory. An all too familiar territory for Gemini products.

FINAL SCORE - 22/30

The technology to produce 400 scale models has come so far nowadays that it feels as if almost anything is possible. It can be easy to forget that these models are still made largely by hand in factories with staff not earning Western salaries. NG Models has been instrumental in the past 8 years in making other brands up their game. Although they have received plenty of criticism for their strategy their ability to be the best remains and their premium 'Ultimate Collection' line is made for models such as the one being reviewed here.

Since I last reviewed an NG Models Airbus A350-900, way back in April 2024, there have been two new A350 moulds introduced (by Panda Models and Aero Polaris respectively) and another heavily modified (by Aviation400) so competition in this space is stronger than ever.

NG hasn't been resting on its laurels however. It already had the best A350 back in 2024 and had just added the new PIP winglets to the mould. The subject of today's review illustrates further mould modifications since I compared the then 5 available moulds in September 2024 in the detailed comparison where it tied with the Panda mould:

Certainly the other two A350 candidates, from Gemini Jets / JC Wings and Phoenix, remain a significant distance behind this mould and are not versions I ever consider purchasing nowadays. When you compare the NG to the Aero Polaris and Panda variants they can be hard to tell apart.

There aren't really any major, and few minor, issues with the NG Models A350 - it is that good. The front portion of the aircraft is excellent with a well crafted nose, cockpit region and finely detailed nosegear.

The updated wings with the taller, sharper PIP winglet form are also very impressive. This is one of the areas where there is an obvious difference between the mould and its close competition. NG don't model in the small fuel dump pipe outboard of the last flap track fairing, but does have a more accurate longer, thinner set of flap track fairing canoes.

The engine nacelles and pylons are another highlight of the mould. The pylon form is easily better than the older moulds and holds the engines higher than the Panda, which struggles for ground clearance somewhat. This is also one of the few NG widebodies with hollowcore fan engines, but the finish and accuracy is exceptional.

Spacing and shape of the fanblades is very accruate and the correct number (22) are present unlike on the JC and Phoenix versions, which have almost half as many blades present! The Panda has the correct number of fanblades and is once again very comparable in this area.

On the underside of the mould comes the change NG have instituted since I last reviewed their A350. That version did not have moulded in belly intakes, but this updated version does. Interestingly, NG has not taken the opportunity to remove the standhole (to support their transition to overwing stands) as they have done with their A330 in recent times.

Another small difference between the NG and most competitors is the lack of pivoting maingear trucks. That's a design choice rather than an issue. In fact when you look across this mould as a whole there is barely anything wrong with it. I'd only mention the lack of the fuel dump as anything possibly points deductible and that is a tiny thing. There are several good options for A350s in the scale but the NG continues to be ahead by a nose in my view.

SCORE - 10

This livery is one of the most complex ever worn by an airliner and the fact it can be reproduced in 400 scale at all illustrates how advanced the printing technology is nowadays. It was designed to 'celebrate the spirit of the Greater Bay Area and the upcoming 15th National Games of China'. It combines '​some of the region’s most iconic symbols from the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and the Games’ lively mascots, to soaring seagulls and blossoming kapok flowers'.

It also includes more than 50 bespoke colours and since this model is an officially licensed product for China Southern Airlines I expect NG had access to detailed design schematics. This attention to detail certainly shows as the replication of the livery on the model here is sublime.

Given the sheer number of components and colours it is stunning that I can only see a single error, and even that is very minor. That 'error' relates to the pair of seagulls on the tail, which although perfectly positioned are more of a light blue colour than the bright white they should be.

That's definitely a nitpick however as when you look at what has been achieved here to reproduce this in 400 scale is very impressive.

SCORE - 9

Given the plaudits that I gave the livery reproduction in the previous section the printing quality on this model is obviously at the highest level achievable in the scale. Simply miles beyond what some brands, hello Aeroclassics, can achieve.NG can always achieve the finest level of printwork and a glimpse at the fineness of the base A350 print template in areas like the belly and nose radome showcase this.

There is only one area where something is lacking and that is the engine nacelles. They do have a fair bit of printwork on them but something NG leave off, perhaps intentionally, are the panel lines for the thrust reversers, which in comparison to the rest of the model does make them look a little plain.

Build quality of the model is topnotch and this is also an Ultimate Collection version. That means it comes with the excellent flip-top magnetic box. It also means it comes with the stable, solid, premium feeling metal stand that fits over the wings rather than into the hole under the fuselage.

Additionally, the model comes with a collector's booklet discussing the special livery.

SCORE - 9

This model and its associated packaging showcase the best that NG has to offer, albeit it at a premium price point. It is certainly a much superior package compared to legacy brands like JC Wings and Phoenix, but newer upstarts like Aero Polaris and Aviation400 certainly approach it. So far the model has only been announced by NG Models, JC Wings, Phoenix and Aviation400 and I can't see any of them surpassing it. Of course additionally this one has the rare distinction of also being fully licensed from the airline.

FINAL SCORE - 28/30

There has been massive change in 400 scale in the past few years, but one change that hasn't really filtered through to Western markets yet is the rise of true high quality budget options. While outside China model prices continue to skyrocket, inside there are a range of new contender brands producing models at increasingly sophisticated quality, but also at rock-bottom prices. Forefront of these is JET Model whose roots lie within the JAL Collection models and their former brand name JET HUT, both of which I covered in some detail back in 2021. I recently acquired one of their Airbus A319s and it illustrates how far they have come.

I looked at Jet Hut in video in 2021 as well:

​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!

Jet Hut started making models under their own brand in 2022 and I reviewed one of the first here at the site - see:

It was rather rudimentary, but since then they have rebranded as JET Models and improved their product line. Most of their output has been for the Chinese market but as well as their own ex-JAL Collection castings they have started to leverage other brands moulds in simplified form. That means they now have well-shaped moulds for types such as the 777-300, 737-800 and Airbus A319/320/321 with rolling gears and aerials.

Their first Airbus narrowbodies appeared in December 2025 and are using a version of the Kylin Models A320s. A recent Kylin A320 I reviewed got a mould score of 8/10 so that suggests JET have found a way to access high quality moulds and sell the models at a fraction of the price. This model cost me only 168rmb from Taobao, which is the equivalent of $24!

Originally I had heard that JET had acquired its own version of this mould, but I am now told that actually these models were made on the Kylin production line (in the same way that JET's new 737-800s are made by Panda). By substantially increasing the minimum order quantity and limiting some detailing the unit price can be heavily reduced.

How does this impact the mould? It doesn't dramatically, although there is one small compromise. Fundamentally, this A319 is largely the same as the Kylin A319 (and those made for Geministar). That means that it is a better casting than the equivalents from ​JC Wings / Gemini, Aeroclassics and Phoenix.

The overall shape of the fuselage barrel, nose region, wings and stabilisers is good. Mould detailing is excellent and if anything the mould looks more refined at the engines and tail than the A320 I reviewed back in December.

The undercarriage is excellent, the wheels roll and the model is fitted with 4 very well sized aerials. The only compromise I can see, compared to other A319/320s I have using the usual Kylin mould, is at the engines. The CFMs lack the nacelle strakes / vortex generators that should be on both sides of the nacelles and are on the usual Kylin - see below photo comparison:

The small criticisms levelled in the previous review can be levelled here too. Small refinements of the vertical stabiliser, wingbox and engine pylons could be made, but aren't a necessity in my eyes. The nosegear tyre axle could be a little less chunky too.

Basically, what has been achieved here is an excellent standard of A319 at a fraction of the price of inferior versions from existing major brands.

SCORE - 8

I've reviewed plenty of China Southern liveried models in the past and that means I can quickly see that there aren't any real compromises or issues with the livery here. The colours are good, the details are good.

In fact the positioning of livery elements and the fidelity of them is excellent across the board. There is no skimping on details. This may be a cheap model but the reg is present on the nosegear doors - a feature commonly missed by some other standard brands.

I simply can't see any faults other than the cheatline on the portside being very fractionally lower than that on the starboard.

SCORE - 9

I have been told that the two other ways to decrease price aside from increasing MOQ are to limit print detailing (and so save on Tampo costs) and to remove some quality checks. However, when it comes to print detail on this model the differences between it and a standard Geministar A319 using the same mould are very slight.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Above and below: A standard A319 on the left and the JET on the right

The printwork here is far superior to that from a brand like Aeroclassics and there is plenty of it. There is definitely less printing on the underside, but only of things you don't actually miss. Printing of more obvious areas, like doors, is no different and of a very high quality.

From a quality control perspective the model has no issues - it's really that simple.

SCORE - 9

A model costing $24 in 2026 has absolutely no right to be scoring a 26/30 grade when your standard narrowbody from a brand like Gemini Jets would struggle to get to that value, due to mould and QC issues, while costing twice as much! Clearly JET have found a workable mechanism to produce high quality 400 scale models at very low prices. Of course this won't work for a large amount of liveries that can't support the increased MOQ, BUT I'm sure it could for say US majors like United, Delta and American that brands like Gemini typically produce. The fact that costs outside China continue to rise sharply, but this level of quality can be achieved inside China illustrates a real lack of innovation from traditional brands. What's to stop JET from flooding the US market with $30 A320s and 737s superior to those of Gemini? Obviously shipping costs are a factor, but even so these cheap models are something of a revelation and I feel a brand with some vision could really take advantage of this if they wanted to.

​FINAL SCORE - 26/30

Kylin Models is a new brand, representing a factory with plenty of experience making 400 scale models for others, that entered the market last year with A320 family aircraft and is now branching out into A330s and A340s. They have several other types under development, including 757s, and look like they will be an increasingly important brand and manufacturer, both under their own name and for others, like Geministar. They are also focused on accuracy and modifying their moulds regularly to improve them, so although this is their first A330, and is very good, I know they are working on improvements to the mould already.

Kylin Models has featured at the website before, in December, when I reviewed an A320. For that review see:

There are of course plenty of Airbus A330-200s in 400 scale already, with active versions existing from Aeroclassics, Aviation400, JC Wings / Gemini Jets, NG Models, Phoenix and now Kylin also. C Models also have A330s in the works. 

Of the existing moulds I think it is fair to say that the AV400 and JC Wings are currently the weakest (although AV400 are updating theirs). The Phoenix has been solid and reliable but is showing its age and could certainly do with new undercarriage. The Aeroclassics, NG and Kylin all share some ancestry, although I'd stop short of saying they are copies.

Each has its differences, however they also all look very much like an A330 and so, as they ought, look very similar. So similar in fact that unless you look closely you probably can't tell the difference (except Aeroclassics obviously refuse to add aerials).

It is these small differences that show the Kylin is a new mould and not a copy, as they tend to be small bugs that Kylin is working on rectifying at the moment. None stop this from being a very good A330. 

At the front the mould bears a strong resemblance to the NG and Aeroclassics A330s, but the curve of the nose down from cockpit to nosecone is not quite sharp enough. This is an area that Kylin are working on but not one that detracts particularly from the overall product. There are minor differences in the position of the rear torque link on the nosegear with the NG, but nothing to write home about. In my view this is a very competitive front end.

Moving to the wings and engines I'll compare with the NG again since that is generally considered the best A330 available. The differences are minor but the Kylin is slightly less refined in terms of the shape of the wingjoin to the fuselage and engine pylons. The former is barely noticeable but the pylons hang the engines ever so slightly lower (probably only a mm or so), which does impact engine ground clearance, but not by a huge amount.

The engines themselves are fine and come with solid core fans rather than the hollow core versions of the NG. The maingear units are excellent and unlike the NG come with pivoting gear trucks. 

The rest of the mould is excellent and to my eye largely indistinguishable from the NG, which makes it better than most of the other competition. One point of difference, which has introduced a minor error, is that on the underside the 3 air intakes are moulded in (not printed as on the NG), but the starboard of the pair parallel to each other is not offset to the port side enough. It is a minor point that again Kylin are looking to modify.

The points of criticism that I have raised in this section are all minor and the sort of thing I suspect the majority of collectors wouldn't notice. Kylin is working to revise the nose, wingroot and underside intakes, which is highly commendable when you consider JC Wings has not modified the short maingear height on their inferior A330 after more than 6 years!

This mould, as it is now, is a strong contender for your A330 purchases, being only marginally inferior to the NG Models version. I would certainly select it over the other available moulds in their current forms.

SCORE - 9

This model represents the famous 'Azores Glider' from flight 236 on August 24, 2001. Somewhat surprisingly this aircraft has only been made once before in this scheme and that was by HYJLwings with an incredibly expensive and hard to find special set under the HYJLwings Legends sub-brand.

Air Transat had adopted a new star themed livery in late 1998, just prior to the arrival of their first A330s in 1999. This would only last until the end of 2004 when a simplified and less attractive star scheme replaced it. On the scheme worn here Kylin have accurately replicated the clouds within the star on the tail and the complex billboard titles.

The thin red pinstripe with web titles on the forward fuselage also looks good and air transat titles are present on the outside of the winglets. The only points of criticism are the missing fleet number (102) on the top of the vertical stabiliser and that the dark blue being used is a little too dark compared to photos, such as here and here.

SCORE - 9

As I mentioned earlier despite its appearance as a new brand Kylin's factory has historically made 400 scale models for some of the best brands in the scale and so it isn't surprising that their print ability matches those. The printing subtlety and detail matches that of NG, with some linework, such as the radome ring, so fine they are hard to see with the naked eye.

Less good is the cockpit print, which in keeping with other A330s from NG and Aeroclassics is a little small. 

Quality control on the model is superb. There are no issues and it comes with an attractive box and credit card style collector's card to add that little bit of a premium feel.

SCORE - 9

What I have seen from Kylin Models so far is a company with a set of moulds that have leapfrogged the majority of the existing 400 scale competition for those types, and has an ethos of continuous improvement, which stands them in good stead for the future. These early A330 releases are already some of the best made in the scale and yet Kylin is actively working on improvements not only for this mould, but also their A320s too. They are definitely a brand to watch, especially if they produce more Western oriented material and acquire more of a foothold in international markets.

FINAL SCORE - 27/30

3D Design Deck is really making a name for itself in 400 scale and has proven the combination of 3D printing of the aircraft and UV printing onto the model not only can work, but can at times surpass die-cast. Certainly, the technology gives them an edge when it comes to making improvements and it is pleasing to see how far they have come since their debut in late 2023. In many ways the DHC-8 has become their signature type and their latest batch of models included a diverse set of 8 showcasing their capability.

​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

3DDD have now access to files allowing them to produce all 3 fuselage lengths for the 4 major variants of the DHC-8. Since the first non-decaled models in May 2024 they have produced 41, including 18 -100s, 2 - 200s, 14 -300s and 7 Q400s. That compares very well to the only competition, which comes from JC Wings / Gemini. 

The JC Wings / Gemini mould dates from 2006 (for the Q400) and 2009 (for the -100/200) but in the 17 years the latter has existed only 16 shorter versions have been made - and often with dreadful undercarriage and cockpit printing.

I have reveiwed 3DDD DHC-8s before including a series 300 a year ago and there is no doubt that the mould has been refined to make it better. It nowadays comfortably surpasses the diecast JC Wings edition in my eyes.

At the front-end the aircraft sits level, unlike the JC Wings version, which all too often has an odd nose-high attitude. The shape of the nosecone and the change of angle up to the cockpit are also more accurate as the change in angle is barely present on the JC version.

The undercarriage has been improved with new larger tyres, complete with proper hubs. Once again the tyres look much better than on the JC mould, although the gear legs themselves are not quite as detailed and the shape of the maingear door a little too rectangular.

The wings slot onto the fuselage in a similar manner to the JC, which hides the seam admirably. The form of the wings and attached engine canoes is excellent. Along the fuselage 3DDD has also gone to the lengths to model in the rooftop and belly blade aerials. These are better shaped than previous efforts, and again add detail that the JC version leaves off.

These latest DHC-8s utilise a new improved and more accurate vertical stabiliser, which has a modified rear chord angle. The aircraft looks great from any angle, but especially so from a rear overhead one.

The changes made to the DHC-8 print file have significantly improved the finished product here. The nose and cockpit are sharper, tyres all new, aerials added and better shaped, plus there's a new vertical stabiliser too. It all adds up to a near perfect little DHC-8 and shows the maturing capability of the 3D printing technology. Impressive.

SCORE - 9

Horizon Air started operations in 1981 and has, like its parent, been one of the great survivors of deregulation. During the late 1990s the backbone of the fleet were F28s and DHC-8s. Pleasingly, Horizon took up its own version of the Alaska scheme rather than losing its identity as so many regional partners did. The result was a great scheme featuring burgundy stripes and stylised sunset tail logo.

The livery has been very finely replicated on this model, all the more impressive given the small size. The fuselage striping and tail logo are well sized and placed. I am especially impressed by the accurate font and placement of the large Horizon titles.

At macro-level photography there is a little graininess to the resolution, which isn't visible with the naked eye, but small text such as the aircraft name below the cockpit 'The Great City of Wenatchee' are still readable despite being miniscule.

SCORE - 9

As well as refining the print files for the aircraft 3DDD have also been refining the UV printing fineness and finish. It is definitely superior to their earlier products and the aforementioned graininess is not at all noticeable unless heavily zoomed in.

Especially pleasing is that, unlike JC Wings, the printing of standard elements like the cockpit windows are excellent. There has also been an effort to add a lot more print detailing in areas such as the wingtops and panel lines on the engine nacelles. The result is that the print compares very well with traditional Tampo print methods and in fact there is quite a lot more of it than on a standard JC Wings DHC-8.

As is standard for 3DDD models it comes in a cubic box with outer sleeve, marked up with the exact piece number - in this case model 15 of 120. The box contains a foam insert that in my experience protects the model really well. As a result there are no quality issues or breakages here.

SCORE - 10

I've always liked the work of 3D Design Deck, but this DHC-8 is easily the best model they have made that I have acquired. The upgraded print file combined with improved UV printing detail has enabled the recreation of an incredibly accurate DHC-8 that now easily surpasses what has been made in die-cast for the type. Even better, 3D Design Deck's production methodology supports smaller production runs that enable a wider range of liveries to be made. It really feels like they are leading the way when it comes to the production of smaller types in 400 scale.

FINAL SCORE - 28/30

NG Models gets a lot of stick but I'm still finding that even with some lacklustre release choices they usually have several models a month that either warrant review because they look amazing or because they are a new type or mould for the site. The A330-800 falls into the latter category as although there are 3 moulds for the type its limited customer base means there have only been 12 models made and none really fit my collection criteria aside from house colours.

There are increasingly orphan types at the lower capacity end of the scale for the major Airbus and Boeing families be they the 737 MAX-7, A319NEO or A330-800. Historically, these models never made it into production, think 757-100, A350-800 etc, but the earlier similar sized variants of all 3 sold well so the failure of their sucessors really illustrates a change in airline requirements.

Only 8 A330-800s have been delivered, for 3 airlines (Air Greenland, Kuwait Airways and Uganda Airlines), however that hasn't stopped 3 manufacturers producing the type since it is basically a shortened A330-900, a type they all have moulds for already.

So far JC Wings has made 3 models, as has Phoenix, while NG have made 6. Airline coverage is good, although NG is the only one to have made the Uganda. The Phoenix mould is the oldest, dating from 2019 and hasn't been used since 2022. The JC dates from 2023 and the NG was first used in production in May 2024.

The production debut of the NG version came about 18 months after I reviewed the samples in September 2022. The samples were good, but had a couple of issues that needed fixing. For those original sample reviews see:

It is not controversial to say that NG has the best A330 from a mould perspective at least. That basic excellence follows through with their NEOs. It shares the fuselage of the CEO and so looks excellent.

The big changes with this version are at the wings and engines. The wings have excellent dihedral (something overdone on the JC Wings version) and really well moulded winglets. The winglets are correctly shorter than on competing moulds and wonderfully curved.

The largest issue with the original sample moulds was the shape of the wing flap track fairings. Originally too pointy they now have the correct squared off profile.

The Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines are another highlight. The engine pylon and nacelle are picture perfect. ​NG has decided on solid core engine fans, which allows for greater accuracy of fan blades including the correct number (20). The blades also curve in the correct direction. Overall, I prefer this accuracy to the novelty of see through engines and rotating fans. They certainly look better than on the JC and Phoenix versions.

From the underside all 3 triangular NACA intakes are moulded in and the maingear doesn't pivot (another design decision by NG). There are no complaints with this mould, which has a level of accuracy and detail that the other A330-800s in 400 scale can't quite match.

SCORE - 10

Unbelievably, this aircraft F-WTTO is currently being dismantled by Airbus despite being less than 8 years old and no doubt having flown a tiny number of cycles. I guess it illustrates the lack of demand for the 800 variant. The only livery it ever wore is smart and simple.

Even so, I'm not 100% convinced by the colours being used for the large neo titles on the fuselage and tail. The neo on the fuselage should be brighter and the neo on the tail is definitely too dark, even at the top before it starts grading to a slightly darker tone.

Positionally everything is fine, but the small A330-800 titles on the portside fuselage do get rather lost in the outline of the door itself, which is more prominent than it appears on the real thing. Arguably, this is a print issue, but it impacts the livery more.

SCORE - 8

Printwork is of the usual high quality you've come to expect from NG. They manage noticeably finer line detailing than the majority of other brands, especially noticeable in areas such as cargo and undercarriage doors.

The finish of the engine rims and fanblades is especially strong and tidy. Although the fans are largely very dark the finish glistens showing off each blade well and contrasting with the inside of the nacelles, which are a block colour.

Something missing from a print perspective is the strong black outline to the wing join fairing. NG A330s regularly get criticised for the height of the windowline, but it looks good here to me.

Build quality is decent, with everything in place. The model does fall foul of a fairly persistent NG issue though, in that there is variability of the detailing of the undercarriage tyrehubs. In this example the portside nosegear shows less than the starboard, and both are less detailed than the maingear.

SCORE - 9

Yes, I would like to see NG using Tu-154s, Tu-204s, MD-80s and Tristars rather than A330NEOs but I can only review what they make. Despite some rather boring modern choices NG still more often than not produces a high quality end product. This model is certainly one of those and a fine addition to my collection while I wait for some more exciting models to review here at the site!

FINAL SCORE - 27/30

Nearly 9 years after the variant was launched, and 6 years after it was originally slated for service entry, the MAX 10 remains in development hell with entry into service now looking like it'll be 2027. That has probably delayed the production schedules of several manufacturers in 400 scale, but not NG Models who went ahead and developed both the MAX 7 and MAX 10 in 2023. Of course, their ability to use them has been limited, but as of 2026 they remain the only game in town for both variants.

NG produced their original 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 moulds in 2022 and moved on to create the MAX 7 and MAX 10 versions almost immediately. By October 2023 both moulds were at the completed sample stage (part of that massive burst of new mould production at the time that still hasn't fully born fruit). I reviewed the original samples here at the website:

Since both types are basically just fuselage length modifications of the intermediate variants they could exploit the excellence of the original MAX pair, which remain the best 737 MAX in 400 scale. Competition for the MAX 8 comes from JC Wings / Gemini, Phoenix and Aeroclassics.

The JC Wings mould is good, but not quite as nicely finished as the NG. The Phoenix has been improved and is now competitive, but still wouldn't be my first choice. The Aeroclassics MAX is clunky, poorly formed and frankly a bit rubbish.

Of course they are all MAX 8s and this model is a MAX 10, which is an area where there is no competition for this NG version, although I would expect both JC and Phoenix to produce this variant as soon as the type enters revenue service by stretching their MAX 9.

​The MAX-10 becomes the longest 737 to date at a whopping 43.79m (143ft 8in) - only marginally shorter than the A321 which is 44.51m long. This increase allows seating of between 204 and 230. There have also been some modifications to the maingear leg, which is fitted with a telescoping oleo-pneumatic strut allowing the slightly taller gear to be shortened while retracting into the existing wheel well. I can't see any obvious visual difference caused by this that would be visible on a 400 scale model.

NG Models Boeing 737s have always been excellent and this MAX 10 continues that legacy. This mould has no real weaknesses. The fuselage barrel is exceptional and shows no issues.

Equally the wings, including the MAX winglets, are spot on. The pylons and engine nacelles likewise show a commendable level of accuracy helped by NG's decision to go for solid core engines allowing a high level of fanblade detail and accuracy.

The undercarriage does the job well, although the nosegear could probably be very slightly taller. The model has five aerials and a well-shaped teardrop rooftop dome. Curiously, unlike the older MAX moulds, this version also comes with a standhole. Its addition was no doubt made prior to NG's change towards 'over the wing' stands. I would expect to see that standhole being removed from the mould in the coming months.

NG's 737s have always been effortlessly great and only in recent times has the Aero Polaris version (basically a copy) and the Panda moulds come to match them. However they are Next Generation variants not MAXes. In the MAX arena the JC Wings mould provides some competition, but does not have the finesse of the NG.

SCORE - 10

The modern Boeing house livery is very attractive and utilises the real estate of the fuselage very well. It was only in June 2024 that NG last reproduced it on the MAX 7, but there are some differences both in the actual scheme and the NG versions.

One of the real differences is that the graded area at the nose is blue here and greyer on the MAX 7. NG hasn't always been able to manage the grading of this scheme well (I recall the Lion Air example) but here it is fine. Less good is the sparkly effect of the fuselage. 

The rest of the livery is executed well. The blues on the belly and tail are good, as is the fuselage striping. Details, such as the LEAP lettering on the engines, 737 MAX titles on the winglets and tail titles are nicely done. The very small 'EXPERIMENTAL' titles by the doors aren't especially well defined, another side effect of the sparkles I think.

SCORE - 8

I've already talked about the sparkliness on this model and it does impact the print fidelity a little. Broadly however the print detail is as good as NG's is usually. 

A nice touch is the offset underside aerial being painted red. In real life this is actually striped), but I understand why that would be a challenge given its size in 400 scale.

Quality control appears fine across the board. No issues.

SCORE - 10

NG has deservedly received some criticism for not using all the moulds it developed back in 2023 - especially the A340s, 767s and MD-80s. With the MAX 7 and MAX 10 they have made about as much as they can without going down the A350F fantasy route, which I'm glad they have avoided. NG 737s remain top of the class and the MAX 10 is a fine addition. I'm sure there'll be more competition for it when the type eventually gets into service, however frankly I suspect this might be the only MAX 10 I ever buy unless Chinese airlines start ordering them. I don't see any need to wait for a second version.

FINAL SCORE - 28/30

Regional aircraft types have not been well covered in 400 scale. This isn't too surprising given their small size and the fact model costs don't decrease dramatically with smaller models. Fortunately, 3D Design Deck's new method of production, using 3D printing for the model and UV printing for the liveries, is more amenable to smaller aircraft at lower volumes. The Beech 1900D must be one of the smallest, if not the smallest, types ever attempted in the scale. I'm excited to see what 3DD have been able to do.

For my previous reviews of 3D Design Deck models see:

I'm aware that 3D Printing obviously doesn't use a mould and these models are created from digital files that are reproduced by the printer. With that in mind I'll try not to use the word mould!

400 Scale has seen some small models and I've discussed the smallest previously here at the site - see: 

The Saab 340 is the smallest of the die-cast equivalents and like many other regional types is a product of JC Wings early years. The Beechcraft 1900D, despite the increased fuselage height that distinguishes it from the 1900C, is even smaller. It is worth keeping that size in mind, especially when I'm using macro photography here, which at this size is a little unkind since it brings out things the naked eye simply doesn't see.

This actually isn't the first attempt at the 1900D as 3D Design Deck produced a couple in 400 scale in October 2023. That early version was relatively rudimentary, but 3D Design Deck has come a long way in a very short time and this new version is far more impressive.

Whereas the first attempt was a little square this new version is far more successful at modelling in the curvature of the fuselage and thinness of the control surfaces. Given the tiny size the shape of the aircraft is excellent. The curves of the nose and cockpit region stand out especially for me as being very accurate.

Likewise, the form of the wings and stabilisers is good. There are some minor compromises with the shape of some of the smaller extremities, such as winglets, rear side stabs and fin aerial on the roof, but there presence in such fidelity at all is impressive.

A couple of the pointier spots (tailtop tip and engine prop spinner) could be pointier, but this may well be a limitation of the technology. None of these critiques are at all serious and you have to applaud the accuracy of things like the squared off tailcone and underside stabilisers.

An area that could perhaps be due some modification is the shape of the underside of the engine nacelles.

In these macro-photography shots there is some lateral linework just about visible (and picked up by the camera flash), presumably an artefact of the printing, but this is not visible with the Mk1 eyeball.

Given the scale obviously the undercarriage is an area of necessary compromise, however it is suprisingly detailed, especially at the maingear, which for example has the separate side by side gear doors.

With the minute size of the model none of the criticisms I have called out standout when viewing with the human eye. This is a fantastic little Beechcraft, which rewards the, no doubt large, effort that has gone into its creation.

SCORE - 8

​PAINT & LIVERY

Mesa Airlines is one of the great survivors of the regional market and the name survives into 2026 despite it having been acquired by the Republic Airways Holdings group. It's all E175s nowadays, but through its long history it has operated an impressive array of aircraft, including an astounding 178 Beech 1900s. 

N3YV was painted into this anniversary scheme around 2000, probably to celebrate Mesa's first 20 years, and was still wearing it four years later. It seems to have flown mainly for America West Express from Mesa's Phoenix hub. 

I like the scheme, which has a deep purple belly doubling as the desert horizon with several mesas present towards the rear. The colours of the model are super accurate and livery elements are well positioned.

The aircraft didn't always operate with the white nosecone the model has, I'd probably have preferred it without it, and the white on it could do with being a bit larger. Printing resolution is very good, certainly it looks amazing at 1:1.

In these macro shots the tail resolution doesn't look as good as with the naked eye and the MESA titles could be whiter. The tiny white text under the cockpit (I can't even read in actual photos of the real thing) is sensibly left off.

SCORE - 8

It is a source of amazement to me that printing onto such a tiny model with this level of quality is possible at all. Once again, the macro photos don't do justice to how good the model looks with the eye. The print detail is nearly at the level of a diecast model of the same size.

The printing is all tidily done, although the nosegear leg should be white, not yellow, you barely notice it as it is so small. The same goes for the  VHF aerial on the rooftop.

The 3DD models I own have been surprisingly sturdy, helped by their light weight giving them a resilience diecast lacks, however these Beechcraft are a lot more delicate. Indeed, when I was trying to remove the model from its foam cradle I unwisely held it by the top of the vertical stab, which detached. Of course another benefit of the light nature of the product is that it is easy to stick back on and you can't tell it was ever not attached.

The model comes with the usual cuboid box and sleeve of 3DD models. The internal foam provides ample protection to the model and the box is marked up manually with the number in the production run - in this case model 21 of 120 made.

​SCORE - 9

I had been really looking forward to seeing the Beechcraft realised and I have not been disappointed. The models and overall package illustrate the labour of love that 3D Design Deck clearly is for the founder. With existing diecast tech it was never likely that a 1900D would have been a viable product so it is hats off from me to 3DD for making it a reality with their innovative approach. These models may be tiny, but they still display beautifully and are more than worth collecting.

FINAL SCORE - 25/30

There are several new 767-300s on the market, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you should ignore those coming from other brands because often the subject matter is not being replicated across all of the possible mould candidates. That can still be the case even when you've been waiting for over 3 years for the announced model on an older mould! This colourful 767 freighter was originally announced in February 2022 by JC Wings, but didn't get to market until October 2025. That is an all too common issue with JC products, but is it worth the wait?

This mould dates originally from 2001 when it was produced for Gemini Jets. Back then it had a rear seam by the horizontal stabilisers, static landing gear and no aerials.The seam was removed in the Gemini Jets II era and rolling gear was added to it in 2009. A version with winglets arrived in 2015.

Given the age of the original mould it is no surprise that this mould is easily outclassed by the newer NG Models and Panda Models castings. It is simply impossible to ovecome structural mould issues that date it - such as the cradle fit wing join with seam and the blocky join of the engine pylon to wing.

Nonetheless, the mould continues in widespread usage by Gemini Jets and JC Wings. Despite its age and structural issues it remains a surprisingly good version of a 767-300, because the original mould was good for its time.

The all important nose and cockpit region have always been one of the moulds stronger areas and here it competes well with newer versions. The updated rolling landing gear is well sized and positioned. The detail on the noseleg and shape of the maingear doors could be better but both require close inspection to really notice irregularities.

The wing seam is of course a detractor, but is quite well hidden on this model by the livery. Likewise even though they created a new wing for a wingletted version of the aircraft in 2015 they did so by simply grafting the winglets onto the existing wing. This leaves the chunky old pylon to wing join in place.

The rest of the wing has that solid classic Gemini feel to it, not necessarily a bad thing. The winglets are well sized and angled - something that can't be said for the NG Models 737-300WL. On the underside of the fuselage (still part of the wing) the NACA intakes remain only printed on rather than moulded in.

At the rear there are no major issues other than the mould showing its overall age once again by having a vertical stabiliser that attaches along its entire lower margin, rather than having a free rudder as newer versions do.

This mould has been one of the great workhorse moulds of 400 scale. Arguably it is time for it to be put out to pasture, but as long as you're not comparing it closely to the newer NG and Panda moulds it still does a decent job when alternatives are lacking. 

SCORE - 7

If I was being charitable I might put the long gestation of this release down to the complexity of the livery, and I did hear a rumour that Panda wouldn't make this scheme for that reason. However, as this is JC Wings I suspect it is just them being their usual.

YTO Express served as the official exclusive logistics services sponsor for the 2022 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, actually held in 2023, and applied this amazing livery to their first 767 freighter. B-221F had originally been delivered in 2003 to Hawaiian and came to YTO via Air Canada who flew her from May 2011 to March 2020. She entered service with YTO in January 2022.

The centrepiece of the scheme is a complex multi-colour fuselage with colours fading into each other - exactly the sort of livery that is a nightmare to reproduce in 400 scale. I think JC Wings has done an excellent job with it. The colours themselves are bright and accurate. They wrap around the fuselage seamlessly.

The placement of the colour bands is good with my only area for criticism being the movement from orange to blue. On the model the intermediate pink area is too broad so there is not enough orange above the registration, and not enough purpley blue around the 'Future' text.

The large curving emblem on the side of the aircraft is the 'Surging Tides' emblem of the games. It is designed to to resemble a traditional hand fan from Zheijang, a running track, the Qiantang River tidal bore, and radio waves (symbolising wireless connectivity). It's size and placement are fine.

The emblem is repeated on the forward fuselage alongside a variety of text elements. The engines repeat the fuselage colour banding well, helping to make this a very well replicated version of a very complex livery.

SCORE - 9

I have already mentioned the complexity of the livery on this model, but a good chunk of its success is down to exceptional printing. There are no join lines or paint overruns, which is even more impressive when you consider that the colours and Surging Tides logo continue onto the belly underwing, which on this mould is a separate piece to the fuselage.

Additionally, the tiny text on the fuselage front is printed in such good resolution that at macro-photography levels it can be clearly read - it says 'Official Air Freight Services for the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022'. This is very impressive as it is less than 1mm tall.

Other areas of printwork, such as the nose radome and blocked out passenger windows, are printed with a fineness and subtlety that is welcomed.

This is a solid reliable old mould, which helps to make sure that build quality is robust. As mentioned the livery hides the wing seam to the extent you don't really notice it with the naked eye. The newer mould additions, rolling gear and aerials, are all fixed well.

The only minor QC issue is that the left side winglet appears to have had its top clipped off prior to painting. It is noticeably not as well shaped at the upper margin as the right winglet.

SCORE - 9

I spend a lot of time discussing the characteristics of moulds in 400 scale, but that doesn't make me a puritan who only buys the best version on the market. Similarly I am willing to buy from any brand if the model is right. There's no denying that this isn't the best 767 in the scale, however when there are no alternative versions for a livery and it is completed to such a high standard I have no issue at all with acquiring it. This is one of the most impressive livery finishes I have seen on a 400 scale release and the result is a great model.

FINAL SCORE - 25/30

The majority of models made by smaller 400 scale brands have been aimed at their home markets, which has led to a lot of Chinese releases, however brands like Aero Polaris and C Models have released non-Chinese registrations. Z2 Models is another new Chinese brand that has shown an interest in foreign aircraft. Of 30 models they have announced the four that have been released are all non-B reg (although 16 of the rest are). Their release choices are a little scattershot, but have included gems like this Delta 767.

Usage of the Panda Models Boeing 767-200 mould is picking up pace. There have been 15 models announced using it, although curiously none have been made for Panda Models themselves. The current split is as follows: C Model (5), Patriot Model (2), V1:400 (6) and Z2 Model (2). There are 2 further series 200s yet to be announced by V1:400.

Competition from a mould perspective comes mostly from the updated 2005 Gemini Jets mould (being used by JC Wings) and the newer, but arguably inferior 2018 Aeroclassics mould. Phoenix never produced a series 200 to go with their 300 and the NG Models mould has only received 2 releases in 20 months (one of which was a blank).

In fact, the Dragon Wings 767-200, dating from 2000, remains a viable competitir in 2026 due to the weakness of several of the other moulds and a lack of release diversity. The lack of usage of the NG Models mould would be of greater concern if NG was better at printing the windowline on their 767s.

As it is the Panda Models 767-200 is the superior option for the type, with few faults. For a detailed comparison of all 5 767-200s checkout the scoring comparison I undertook in November 2025:

Although the Panda only beats the NG by a small margin in that review as an overall package I think it is better, mostly due to the rather flat wings of the NG version that lack enough dihedral. This isn't an issue with the Panda.

Most of the 767-200 offerings have good fuselage barrels, but i think the look of the Panda pips the others. This mould is seamless so easily surpasses the old cradle-mounted Gemini version, but also has a better moulding of the fairing join than the Dragon and Aeroclassics.

Area's requiring finesse and detail, such as the nosegear, engine pylons and nacelles achieve accuracy levels that put the other moulds, aside from the NG, in the shade also. The one area of criticism for the Panda mould relates to the maingear. Although nicely detailed and shaped it is set slightly further aft than it should be and also the tyre hubs lack detail.

I am very pleased with how the Panda 767s have turned out. They provide strong competition to the NG mould and if used correctly should render the other castings obsolete.

SCORE - 9

Delta is an obvious choice for 767-200 models with at least 7 schemes possible, however given their strictness around licensing and strong relationship with Gemini they are not a particularly viable release option unless licensing is not something that is an issue.

N102DA is of course 'The Spirit of Delta', now on display at the Delta Heritage Museum after being retired 20 years ago last month. During her career she wore multiple different special schemes, but arguably the nicest was the one worn to celebrate the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The scheme features a deep blue rear with the Olympic flame logo repeated on the tailfin. Both the 4 shades of colour and position of the flame elements are excellent. The Atlanta titles and full logo on the rear fuselage are also very nicely done.

The only portion of the livery reproduction that is a little suspect is rather curiously the main Delta Air Lines titles. The font isn't quite correct leaving the letters not tightly enough spaced, especially the e and s of Lines. Other inaccuracies can be seen at the top of the t in Delta, the curve of the a in Delta and the curve of the r in Air. Exact fonts can be difficult to reproduce and the result isn't dreadful, but could be better.

SCORE - 9

The printing on the model is of a high quality, although as is standard for Panda they do not print panel lining on the engine nacelles. On the plus side the cockpit shape and windowline height are all good, something that NG has struggled with on its own 767s to date.

Quality control is something that Panda could at times improve on. The biggest issue with their 767s to date has been the fit of the engine nacelle in relation to the pylon and hot section. Often the engine fan section appears to be angled upwards. It isn't to bad on this model as I have seen on others, but it is still there.

Additionally, I noticed that the underbelly forward aerial has been glued in facing sideways and another minor issue common on Panda 767s is that there is usually some leftover gash  in between the maingear struts. Nothing too serious, but worth checking for.

SCORE - 8

I was pleased to see this model announced last year as I had purposely avoided Delta for the V1:400 767s, however at the time it did seem like an unusual release for a new Chinese brand lacking much in the way of international distribution. As it is I acquired my copy via taobao and I'm not sure it has been widely available in the USA. Regardless of that the end product is a nice model and a suitable replacement for the 2006 Gemini Jets version I already owned. I hope to see further Delta 767s using this mould in the future, as presently it is my first choice for the 767 in general.

FINAL SCORE - 26/30

Has NG Models lost its way in recent years? It obviously hasn't been helped by the threat of tariffs, but for me the most annoying thing has been the collapse in the usage of its more classic leaning moulds, to the extent that to see a Tristar, Tu-154 or 747SP is nowadays a rarity and cause for celebration. Usually the models are still produced to a very high standard, but given the lack of temporal diversity in the release sets it adds some extra importance to the few older models that do get released. A pair of KAL 747SPs in delivery colours had been advertised as a future release for a while, finally announced properly in December. Do they live up to my expectations for NG? Let's take a look.

NG's Boeing 747SP is one of their oldest offerings, dating back to 2020. It has now been belatedly followed up with a 747-400, but the other family members remain in limbo following the effective failure of the initial 747-100/200 offering. NG just doesn't seem to care that much about the Jumbo, however maybe that is changing since this 747SP is an updated mould!

I reviewed a 747SP in February 2025 (see Boeing House | Boeing 747SP-21 | N40135 | NG Models) but that was one of only 3 made all year, with just 5 in 2024. That seeming diversity is even less when you look at the liveries, which covered only 5 airlines, with 3 of them having been made previously too. Perhaps the lack of SPs was due to the reformatting of the casting? I guess we'll see during 2026.

The original SP mould was generally considered to be a good one, but it wasn't perfect despite being better than any other's available by a considerable distance. The big criticism was the angle of the curve up to the nosecone, which being too shallow left the tip of the nose too low relative to the windowline.

This was definitely an issue, but I admit one that hadn't bothered me a lot historically. It did however have the tendency to lead to compromises or accommodations with cheatline liveries especially. Comparing this 747SP release to the Boeing house colours version from Feb 2025 and it is apparent the nose has been reshaped and is now much more accurate. The difference can be quite subtle but it is definitely there.

That means the only major issue with the mould has been resolved. One of the other small issues with the mould has also been rectified. The NACA intakes under the fuselage are now moulded in whereas previously they were just printed on. 

The only other criticism that has been levelled at the NG 747SP relates to the engines. They are a little wide at the leading edge of the nacelle, while the exhaust portions are not wide enough. I still probably prefer them to the too small engines on the Gemini version, but this is the last area that I think still is incorrect.

The rest of the mould is superb and back in May 2021 when I undertook a detailed comparison of the 3 available SP moulds the NG outscored the Gemini and Herpa versions 40:25:29. Now, with the modifications made here, that gap has only widened further. For that full review see here:

I had never been a big fan of the Korean Air livery that preceded the Pepsi livery, but it has grown on me in recent years and I now have 7 KAL aircraft wearing it in the collection. Five of those are made by Aeroclassics and one by Gemini Jets. 

Another curiosity are the missing Taegeuk symbols on the left wingtop and right wing underside. All the KAL models I own have it and so do all the other models of KAL I can see in this scheme. Finding photos from the correct angle to see it on the real aircraft are difficult. The only clear one I can find of a KAL SP is this photo of sistership HL7457 on JetPhotos. The taegeuk is visible so this must be another error on the model. 

Other livery details are all present and correct, but not helped by some print errors, discussed in the next section.

SCORE - 7

Printing detail and fineness are one of NG's usual strongpoints. This model has all the usual quality and finesse, at least it does from the portside! From the starboard side something looks off and that is more apparent when you view the model from the front.

When you do that it is apparent that the starboard side cheatline is printed lower than the portside. It is only a small margin, but these margins matter in such small scales. From the sideview you can see that the cheatline angles downwards slightly towards the nose. This isn't the sort of mistake I expect from NG.

Equally, although the paintwork is good across the model there is one glaring error present. The colour of the engine pylons is wrong. They should be natural metal, not painted grey.

From a quality control perspective the model is well built, but it seems NG will never resolve the issues around detailed tyrehubs. It is so hit and miss. Multiple of the tyres do not show the hub-detailing they should, including annoyingly both the nosegear tyres.

SCORE - 6

There is no denying this model is rather a disappointment. It is not up to the standard I expect from NG and all the more galling since they produce so few classics. Why couldn't they have messed up an A350 instead! The livery reproduction and pylon colour mistakes are lazy, while the portside print is something I would expect from an inferior brand. This is such a shame as the improvements made to the 747SP mould itself are excellent and continue to demonstrate that NG believes in continuously improving its moulds in a way many other large brands just can't be bothered to do. Hopefully the mould changes are at least a signal that NG isn't done with the short Jumbo, and hopefully future releases will be better researched.

FINAL SCORE - 22/30

JC Wings output for 2025 was disappointing. There were far too many 'future' announcements and no way near enough actually released models. Worse the majority of what they did release were just the by now customary second version of a model they'd made at the same time as the first release that had just hung around the warehouse for six months to two years awaiting its re-release. The CRJ-1000s were a highlight and despite their seeming production problems they did also make a few models for others, such as this Garuda example produced for Airshop Diecast.

No other 400 scale diecast brand has taken the time to produce the range of regional types that JC Wings has, although admittedly a lot of those moulds were developed in JC's early days and types such as the ATR-42/72, Shorts 360, DHC-8, Saab 340 and EMB-145 have seen pretty poor usage. The larger regional jets, such as the CRJ-700/900, E-170 and E-190 have been used more - often by JC's production partner Gemini Jets.

Even so, given the lack of a US operator, it is a little surprising that this CRJ-1000 mould ever got made - especially as the type was a massive sales failure for Bombardier. Only 65 real aircraft were built, yet since the mould's debut in August 2024 there have been a creditable 8 releases. Yes, I admit those 8 models only cover 3 operators and the prototype, but they're still about halfway through all the options for the aircraft.

Anyway, thankfully the JC Wings stretch CRJs are much better moulds than the short CRJ and the E-Jet classics. You might think making the 1000 series is a relatively small set of changes from the 900, but it does require a new fuselage and wing, as the former is 3 metres longer and the latter 1.3m.

Both of these features are represented in the new mould and these changes can be seen clearly when you put the two types next to each other. There have also been some other improvements at the undercarriage with the 1000 clearly having a smaller and more accurate nosegear door.

Equally impressive is a comparison of the CRJ-1000 next to the 737-800 in 400 scale. Basically the same length as the Boeing the CRJ is massively thinner and so requires much more fine mould components also.

As I said when I first reviewed a CRJ-1000 in April last year the mould is very nice and although I'm not 100% sold on the noseform it is miles better than their E-Jets. ​The wings don't actually slot in and it is a cradle mount casting, but the join is subtle, albeit there is an unnatural line to enable the join to the fuselage. Having said that, comparing it to the earlier CRJ-900 and the seam line is thinner and less noticeable - as you can see below:

The wing underside is sharply moulded. They even manage somehow to fit in a standhole, which looks huge on the narrow fuselage. The model is fitted with three aerials and they are less oversized than is usual with JC Wings models, but probably still a little so and a little too upright also.

I've got to say that this mould gets better the more I look at it and having now compared it to the earlier CRJ-900 it is an improvement on that mould rather than just a stretched copy. Kudos to JC Wings for that extra effort.

SCORE - 9

The CRJ-1000 really only saw service with a few major operators - such as Brit Air, Binter Canarias, Garuda, Cityjet and Air Nostrum, with over half the fleet ending up at the latter. Quite why and how Garuda ended up with 18 (6 bought and 12 leased) is a source of controversy and the aircraft seemed ill-equipped for the airline's network, having little baggage space and not being great on short runways.

Garuda's CRJ-1000s operated under the Explore-jet branding from their delivery in October 2012, which basically was the standard Garuda scheme with titles added. PK-GRF arrived in late November 2012 and flew until October 2021 when the CRJs were withdrawn.

The Garuda livery is fairly simple and there's a lot of white fuselage, but the model being so small it just makes it harder to get right. I can't see any major issues with placement of elements - even small ones like the very small Skyteam logo behind the L1 door. 

If I was pushed to find issue it would be with the darkness of the rich blues on the tail. They aren't as light as the photos make them look, but could be a deeper shade. The RF is also missing from the nosegear doors (see photo here), but again those components are tiny in 400 scale.

SCORE - 9

JC Wings can produce outstanding printing details on their models, but can also produce some epic fails, especially when it comes to cockpit printing. Fortunately, this model falls into the first category. The printing here is fine and well executed. 

Areas such as the overwing exit markings and wingroot are very nice. Equally good are the left-side belly cargo doors and the nose region. Also incredibly tidy is the paint and print around the engines.

Quality control on this model is excellent too. Nothing is detached or fitted poorly and unlike on some CRJs of the past the maingear is attached correctly.

An excellent little flourish, no doubt requested and paid for by Airshop Diecast, is the improved quality box. This comes with a Gemini Jets style flip-top lid and on the inside of that a nice informative image discussing the aircraft.

SCORE - 10

Indonesia has been a fertile area for retailer exclusives and Airshop Diecast have been one of, if not the leader in this market. If you're keen on this model contact them via Facebook or Instagram. They have used mainly Panda for their models to date, but having also made a Garuda 747-400 with JC Wings it is good to see the relationship continues. It is also good to see that JC can produce excellent regional releases and I am eagerly looking forward to the Q400s, CRJs and E-Jets they have in production for Chinese brand Undefined Collectibles. 

FINAL SCORE - 28/30

As the old saying goes 'you wait ages for a bus and then two come along at once'. That saying could certainly be applied to the MD-11, which having arguably not had a proper new mould since 2003 has gained two in the past two years. Unfortunately, the impact of these new castings has been rather limited by their usage mainly for Chinese or Taiwanese examples. That shouldn't however undermine analysis of their quality, after all most of the innovaion in the scale is focused presently on China-focused brands. This model represents the first interactive MD-11 I've seen and the first 400 scale mould with interactive magnetism.

HX Models has been making a big name for itself recently with high-quality, but affordable, models featuring stands and collectors cards as default, and offering interactive and flaps down versions. They are the first manufacturer to market with an interactive MD-11, which Panda doesn't have with its new MD-11 mould.

The MD-11 had been largely ignored in the past decade in 400 scale, until the end of 2024. There had been 3 major moulds (from Dragon, Gemini Jets and Tucano / Phoenix), two of which have received updates with new rolling gear and aerials added. None of these are bad MD-11s, but they all demonstrate older design features and capabilities even when they have been upgraded. See the MD-11 mould review for more on these older versions:

In 2026 it is only the two new examples, from Panda and HX Models, that deserve your attention. Note that both moulds are used by a variety of other brands, such as C Models and Undefined Collectibles, for the former, and YY Wings, for the latter. I reviewed a Panda example in Feb 2025 and was very happy with it. See:

In keeping with an increasing trend in 400 scale, whereby the moulds are so realistic to the real aircraft that it can be hard to tell them apart, both the new MD-11s are excellent and bear a strong resemblance to each other.

The fuselage barrels, wings and stabilisers are near identical and very good. Differences in these areas tend to be small, such as slightly smaller and refined aerials on the Panda. The three triangular NACA intakes near the nose are moulded in on the HX and just printed on the Panda.

The winglets are well-shaped and the lower winglets correctly angle outwards on both also, although the angle is stronger on the Panda version and probably more realistic. Also more realistic on the Panda version is the angle of the horizontal stabilisers, which don't angle up enough on the HX.

It is at the engine exhausts where the keenest difference between the two newer moulds is seen and where the HX version is definitely superior. This is mostly apparent on the tail mounted engine. On the HX the fin that attaches above the engine exhaust is one piece with the vertical stabiliser, and curves gracefully to meet the hot section. On the Panda there is a seam and the curvature is not present.

Another difference is with the engine fans. The Panda mould has solidcore engine fans with great detailing. The HX has a form of hollowcore fan, but one that is quite subtle and doesn't impede the number of blades. It looks good on the wing engines, but less so at the tail where the fan section doesn't seem to fit the space for it perfectly and there is a gap at the top above the fans.

This variant of the HX mould is an interactive version and so comes with removeable cargo doors to illustrate open or closed configuration. It is, to my knowledge, the first mould in 400 scale to utilise magnets to secure the closed door components. This means that not only do they attach firmly, but that no hole is required for the removal tool to attach into to get them out. 

The removal tool has been simplified, with the removal of the hook part, and now has a wedge that simply slots into a small gap to allow removal of the closed doors. The open door elements still use the familiar tab mechanism to stay in, but there is some nice detailing of the door hinges present on these elements.

From a mould perspective there is very little to complain about with this HX mould. There are improvements over the Panda at the no 2 engine exhaust and moulding of the NACA intakes. The Panda has better angled horizontal stabs and winglets. Elsewhere differences with the engine fans and control surface etching are more related to design philosophies. Both moulds look and feel like a very believable MD-11, but this HX version wins on points with me.

MOULD - 9

One of the reasons I hadn't got around to reviewing this mould was because of the lack of imagination in terms of release options to date. That means the review covers a very familiar airline in China Eastern, but at least it is their pre-2014 livery.

B-2170 was delivered to China Eastern in 1991 and transferred to China Cargo in 2004, but as the sole MD-11 delivered new to them as an MD-11F she had been in China Eastern Cargo colours, shown here, for a long time. 

This is a livery Chinese manufacturers can reproduce in their sleep. The model looks great with even small details such as the striping on the lower winglets present. The model wears the MD-11F titles under the SCD. Later in her career (after all the MD-11s were converted to freight) these were changed to be normal MD-11 titles.

Arguably, the radome dot could be slightly larger, but I'm not detracting points for that.

SCORE - 10

I have a Panda made China Cargo MD-11F wearing basically the same livery as this HX one, and so they can be easily compared from a print perspective. As with some elements of the mould two design philosophies are apparent. Panda tend to have finer printing detail, but less of it, whereas HX have more and more obvious print detailing. Neither approach is bad, but I'll call out a couple of the times they matter here.

Firstly, Panda tend to leave off panel line printwork on the engine nacelles, whereas HX have it printed on. In this case I think the HX is the clear winner as the lines and two tone hot section are apparent in photos.

Both brands print the plugged windows that are on the aircraft, however they stand out a lot more on the HX version. On the Panda they are barely visible, even though they are present. In photos the windows are almost invisible, even up close, and here I think the Panda skill and approach is superior.

Quality control is excellent and the model comes with HX's trademark metal pentagonal base stand, plus a collector's card.

The one area that isn't perfect are the fit of the open door components. While the magnetic closed door versions fit perfectly, two of the three open door ones struggle to fit all the way into the gaps for them. This is especially noticeable with the rear belly hold door, which just doesn't fit fully, even with some force applied.

SCORE - 8

HX Models continue to produce some excellent new moulds and add innovative features such as, in this case, magnetic cargo door elements. This is a fabulous MD-11, however it is also one that hasn't been used particularly well to date. Of 53 HX and YY releases (a figure maxed up by interactive and flaps down versions) they've really only made 5 different liveries (LH nc, LH oc, Shanghai, China Eastern and China Airlines)! We haven't seen a lot of Panda versions either but the diversity has certainly been better. If HX can use this mould for a wider variety of MD-11s (FedEx and UPS are obvious) and produce more passenger variants then it's fame will no doubt increase. Hopefully they do so in 2026.

FINAL SCORE - 27/30

There was much criticism in 2025 of NG Models failure to use their impressive mould catalogue effectively. That has impacted mostly classic types, but has also affected the A330NEOs, with the type missing in action for about a year and a half. Of course, the unexpected appearance of one in Hainan Airlines colours has spurred NG into action and the quick turnaround of this model in under 2 months shows that in exceptional circumstances at least NG is able to move at pace.

The A330NEO hasn't exactly been flying off the shelves, but as older A330s begin to leave service sales are picking up, and so is competition in 400 scale for the type. There have been nearly 100 models announced for the type now, with the oldest moulds coming from JC Wings and Phoenix in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Aviation400 joined the club in 2023, although their mould wasn't met with universal acclaim (see my first review of a Virgin example here). It has since been heavily modified and improved and the last version I reviewed, an Air Senegal example here, scored much better. AV400 have now made 14 models, with Phoenix on 29, JC Wings on 27 and Gemini Jets on 11. 

NG Models first samples for the A330NEO appeared in September 2022 and were reviewed here at the site, but the first usage of the mould wasn't until May 2024 with a trio of Delta examples. Aside from a blank that was the type's entire usage by NG until this release (although several others have been announced now or as future models).

NG's A330s have been met with widespread acclaim, aside from some high windowlines, and the NEOs are equally as good. The basic fundamentals of the mould are all excellent, with the elements shared with the A330CEO, fuselage and undercarriage, looking great.

NG made the decision to go with solid core fanblades for the RR TRENT 7000 engines and it has paid off since it allows for well shaped curved blades and the correct number of them. From the side the engine nacelles and pylons are well shaped and attached too.

The wing has been improved since the initial sample and now has correctly short, squared off flap track fairings. The detail at the wingtip of the curvy, but not tall, winglets is also excellent. The winglets are significantly smaller than those on the JC Wings mould, but correctly so.

On the underside the belly has the 3 triangular intakes moulded in, unlike the Phoenix and JC Wings versions. 

It is worth mentioning that the maingear on this mould does not pivot and as such it is the antithesis of the AV400 version, which has the bells and whistles of mag gear, hollow core fans, beacons and pivoting gear. Both design concepts have plus points, but when it comes to sheer detail the NG A330NEO is the more accurate, even if it lacks some of the playability.

SCORE - 10

China has had Airbus A330NEOs on order for sometime, but in keeping with China's often centralised purchasing method and usage of leasing companies, the aircraft weren't assigned to an airline so it was unclear where they were going, although back in March 2024 the purchase of galley equipment by Hainan became known due to a regulatory filing by the HNA Group. It now seems Hainan will take at least 4, with B-32MU arriving at Haikou on delivery on November 1st. That didn't give NG a lot of time to prepare the artwork, but then again the Hainan scheme is one it is very familiar with.

The Hainan livery remains one that is attractive and suites most types of aircraft. It is also a livery where not all brands use the same tone of red. ​Aeroclassics, JC Wings and NG Models all make it quite a deep red while Phoenix make it more orange.

I do feel the red is too dark on this NG version (the photos don't really show it), but it does match the majority of other Hainans in my collection. The Phoenix models stand out, although their lighter colour is seemingly more accurate. The rest of the livery, which has no extras despite this being the first A330NEO for the airline, is carried off with aplomb.

SCORE - 9

Printing is carried off with the usual level of high quality you expect from NG. I particularly like the added dark lines at the base of each of the belly NACA intakes. There has historically been issues with windowline height on NG A330s, but in this case I'm not seeing anything amiss.

In terms of paintwork the solidcore engines once again show why that can be a superior feature to hollow-core as the paint definition between each blade is really impressive.

From a QC perspective nothing immediately stands out, although that old NG bugbear of undercarriage tyre hubs, so common on the Tristars, is back here. All the outer tyres have nice detailed hubs, but the inner maingear tyres do not for some reason.

SCORE - 9

As well as poor mould usage NG has been making a lot of Chinese models. That this is yet another may trigger some collectors, however there is clearly a market for them, especially if you can get them to market well before anyone else can. This model has been announced by Aviation400, but not by JC Wings (who would no doubt take 2 years to actually release it anyway). Whatever criticism can be legitimately laid at the door of NG they are still able to produce some of the best quality models in the scale and getting them released in sensible timescales. This model shows they clearly are still doing plenty of things right.

FINAL SCORE - 28/30 

The creation of a new Airbus A300 mould by YU ModeL has been a labour of love, but also a serious financial and emotional trial for the small company. There have been several false starts and at times it didn't look like it would get finished, but YU has pushed on through, and the first products (ignoring the abortive Z2 American Airlines example best forgotten) are now nearing readiness. I've been helping YU with the project and they have sent me the first release for review.

The story of the creation of the YU A300 has featured here at the site several times since April 2024 so for that see these previous posts:

There have been six moulds for the A300 prior to this YU version, but ignoring the Jet Hut mould from 2019, the last new one was by Phoenix from 2008. That Phoenix mould has a very poor nose region, although there are rumours of Phoenix updating the mould to improve it. 

Without a doubt the most important A300 in the scale is the Aeroclassics version, that debuted in 2007 and has, as of December, been used for 190 of the 339 A300s made. It is a decent, albeit cradle mount and so seamed, mould, but hasn't been updated with aerials or better tyres - plus of course has suffered in recent times from wavy wing syndrome, courtesy of some dodgy work at the Aeroclassics factory.

The other active A300 in 2025 is the awful Blue Box / Jet-X edition dating from 2006, which has recently been unearthed by Gemini (for an Emirates release) and Apollo (for a selection of China Eastern and China Southern). It is unfortunate that in the rather long gestation period of this YU mould the competition has gone from one mould to possibly three - and even the Aeroclassics had only seen 2 releases between January 2023 and November 2024. It has seen 16 since - a clear suggestion of the percieved threat from this YU version.

That threat is very real, as there is a lot of potential in this YU mould. It has a lot of superior aspects to it, but still remains somewhat a work in progress, with some refinements required.

The standout area for improvement, which YU are aware of and should be an easy fix, is obviously the height of the nosegear. It is clearly way too short. The distance is only 2mm or so but it's lack of height gives the entire aircraft way more of a nosedown attitude than it should have. The tyre size itself is good and the hubs on all the tyres are a definite improvement over the Aeroclassics. Sitting the nosegear on a bit of cardboard improves the look and enables a better comparison of the noseform to the real thing:

In the above picture I've also removed the radome line as I think it's incorrect position also impacts looking at the nose form. Overall I think the nose looks decent, It could perhaps be slightly more pointed with a less abrupt underside angle, but it isn't a big concern for me. The model comes with 4 aerials (two dorsal and two ventral) and these are well sized and shaped.

The mould is of course seamless, with slot in wings. It is a major upgrade on the Aeroclassics in this department and the wing fit is very tight and well sculpted. 

The wings themselves are broadly fine but have two areas that could be improved. Firstly, the wingtip aerials on this series 600 are rather simply shaped - similar to those of the Phoenix version and inferior to the Aeroclassics.

Secondly, the flap track fairings of the YU mould are too short and stubby. They don't protrude far enough behind the wing trailing edge.

On the plus side the shape of both the engine pylons and engine nacelles is very nice. The pylons, especially under the wing, fit tightly to the line of the engine hot sections. The engine necelles have the fanblades correctly more recessed into the nacelle than on the Aeroclassics. 

Technically, the A300-600 has a different rear fuselage to the A300B4, since it uses the rear of an A310. This makes it 51cm longer and gives it a slightly different profile. This is not easy to spot in real life, let alone in 400 scale. The difference has never been moulded in earlier versions and isn't here. Given budgetary constraints and the small size I can understand why that is.

The vertical stabiliser looks good aside from the top of the leading edge, which could be more curved.

An increase in height of the nosegear will do wonders for how this mould stands. The other areas that could do with some refinement are the wingtip fences,  flap track fairings and tailtop curve. Outside of that I'd say this is a strong A300 - that in several key areas (wingjoin, tyrehubs, aerials, engine inners and pylons) is superior to the Aeroclassics and in others on par with it aside from the aforementioned 4 identified areas.

MOULD - 7

This aircraft was delivered in November 1989 in this CAAC hybrid scheme with China Eastern cheatlines. Several of the early A300s wore the same scheme and the China Eastern titles and logo weren't commonplace until 1991. 

The livery finish on this model is very nice - a clear sign of the recent change in factory YU has made to get a better finish. The cheatlines are well positioned and brightly coloured. The large red Chinese flag on the tail is well shaped, but slightly too high on the stabiliser.

Printing of smaller components such as the A300 titles on the rear fuselage, large curvy registration and 06 on nosegear doors are accurate. The black radome tip could be slightly smaller and the position of the first character in the main titles slightly higher.

SCORE - 9

Printing fidelity and accuracy was one of the main reasons why YU recently changed production facilities. Certainly the American Z2 A300 using this mould and made at the old factory was something of a mess. This is a vast improvement and very comparable to the higher quality brands in the scale.

Printing on the engine nacelles and underside of the fuselage is fine and accurate. Miles above what Aeroclassics can manage. It would however be nice to have some additional print refinement around the large underside scallops to make them stand out more.

Another thing I'd like to be slightly modified is the nose radome printing, which should be slightly further back to make a larger radome.

The model comes in an unusually large box that foregoes the plastic cradle for a foam insert. This provides better protection for the model, although the box itself is quite generic with stickers added to a largely white base design to differentiate this release from others. That is likely to change as YU starts making money after the large outlay on these.

Inside the box there are two extras. A large square card with the model details on it printed on high quality shiny card, and another folded card with the individual aircraft's specification and service history printed on it.

SCORE - 9

YU deserves to be commended for persevering with this project, given the setbacks and costs involved. The result is an A300 that has a lot to offer but needs some adjustment. It is a shame that the height of the nosegear lets the overall look of the model down somewhat, but hopefully that is quickly rectified on the coming releases and YU can find the success it deserves with this project.

FINAL SCORE - 25/30

It may seem like almost every new release is Chinese nowadays, but outside the Big 3 Chinese airlines a lot of other Chinese carriers aren't very well represented. That has begun to change this year with Aero Polaris and now Kylin Models joining the fray. Kylin is a new manufacturer, with its own moulds, that has huge potential to become a player in the scale. They have just released 6 A319/320s and today's review takes a look at one of them featuring Spring Airlines. Spring is a major airline, with 134 aircraft in its fleet, but this is only the 2nd release for them since 2018 and the first in their current colours.

​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

A320 moulds are ten a penny nowadays, although the A321 is even more popular, with examples available from Aeroclassics, Aviation400, JC Wings / Gemini Jets, NG Models, Panda Models and Phoenix. HX Models also have a new mould nearing readiness. That makes the Kylin mould the 8th.

That's a lot of competition for Kylin, but of the available moulds the 2013 Phoenix and 2016 JC Wings are very ordinary, while the 2009 Aeroclassics mould has not progressed and is arguably inferior to when it came out - courtesy of some undercarriage changes. Aviation400 haven't used their own A320 since the first four arrived at the end of 2023. For a closer look at these moulds see the detailed scoring review for the A320.

That leaves the Panda mould (currently being replaced by Panda I hear) and the NG Models mould as the gold standards to be judged against. It is worth bearing in mind that Kylin are an all new brand and manufacturer so expectations need to be tempered somewhat, however their efforts hey already show a lot of promise. 

From the front I'm liking what I'm seeing. The nose and cockpit works well. The landing gear holds the aircraft fractionally higher than the NG version, but that's not a bad thing. The nosegear structure itself is good, nicely detailed and correctly angled slightly forwards. The nosegear doors are slightly too small, but the overall package at the forward end is on par with the best moulds and much better than the JC, Phoenix and Aeroclassics.

The fuselage barrel continues aft with good shaping and no concerns. The wingjoin is tight. All of these areas show no real major differences from the competition. The wing itself is fine as well. It doesn't have the same depth of etching of control surfaces as on the NG, but that mould is very much an outlier when it comes to this.

One area of the mould that does need modification, and Kylin are aware of, are the sharklets. The height is good, but they are too heavily angled backwards.

The engines are solid core with good fan detailing and well shaped nacelles. The engine pylons are fine, but not quite as angular as they might be under the wing or refined where they join to the top of the nacelle.

The vertical stabiliser is another area that I'd like to see modified. It seems slightly too small at the rudder side, which means a little bit too much tailcone is showing aft of it. The fix seems quite simple - to extend the rudder portion back by a small amount. The leading edge and height are both fine to my eye.

This is a promising start for the Kylin A320. Modify the sharklet angle and enlarge the vertical stab and it has no major failings. Obviously, the version with wingtip fences doesn't have the sharklet issue either. 

This mould fits nicely just underneath the Panda and NG moulds, alongside the rarely used Aviation400 mould. It is certainly a significant upgrade on the widely used JC Wings / Gemini, Aeroclassics and Phoenix moulds. With that in mind there is a lot of potential for its use with more Western friendly subject matter.

SCORE - 8

Spring Airlines (or Spring-Autumn Airlines in Chinese) is a major low cost airline based at Shanghai that has been flying since 2004. Their signature logo is the 3S, which adorns the tail and stands for 'Safety, Smile and Sincerity'. ​Spring had always had a rather simple dark green livery with large website titles and a eurowhite fuselage. The third Spring scheme introduced in 2021 improved the livery quite a lot, but this is the first time it has appeared in 400 scale.

 This is the blurb from the airline about it:

​'​The tail section has changed from a single green to a seven-layered yellow-green gradient that extends to the fuselage, complemented by Spring Airlines' gold 3S logo, making it more vibrant and lively. On the fuselage, the four characters for "Spring Airlines" are in bold, giving a more substantial and powerful visual effect, while the 8-degree rightward tilt adds a sense of speed. The English name, SPRINGAIRLINES, matches the tail color perfectly. Compared to traditional liveries, Spring Airlines' new livery adopts a simplified design, removing the ch.com domain name, resulting in a cleaner, more sophisticated, and more dynamic and modern appearance'.

The printing and positioning of the livery on the model looks strong (here's a comparison shot). I can't fault that. The 3S logo is correctly placed low on the inside and outside of the sharklets and engine nacelles. The darker greens are well realised too, but the lighter colours, including the 3S tail logo, are rather washed out and not as vibrant as I'd like.

SCORE - 9

When a new manufacturer comes onto the scene as well as the moulds their ability to print comes under scrutiny. Once again I'll compare to an equivalent NG Models example I own. I can't see a real difference between the two myself. The printwork on the wingtops and under the fuselage are equal in terms of amount and quality.

On the underside the printing fidelity is excellent, with some lines finer than others. It is impressive for a company new to 400 scale. Likewise the engine rims and fan detailing looks good. I have heard some minor grumbles about lack of print on the engine nacelles, but these aren't NEO engines and there's as much print as on the NG example I own.

Quality control is also excellent. All components are attached properly, plus the model comes with a nice collector's card as standard.

SCORE - 10

You might think that we just don't need another A320 in 400 scale, however given the weakness of at least half the moulds and lack of use of two of the others recently an A320 is more useful than I first thought, especially if Kylin decide to pair with other brands to produce model exclusives. The quality of this initial offering certainly bodes well for their upcoming Boeing 757-200/300s, which judging from the drawings publicised to date, look like they will also be good. I know Kylin are working on other moulds as well, so if they can continue in this vein I think they have a good opportunity to compete effectively in the scale.

FINAL SCORE - 27/30

There's something special about four engine airliners that twinjets just can't replicate, and although it lost the sales race to the 777 I think there's little doubt that the A340-500 won in the looks department. Although only 34 were built, the combination of the beefed up undercarriage and new engines, but with a shorter fuselage than the series 600, gives it great proportions. I've talked before about the renewed competition in 400 scale in the A340 space and now HX Models have debuted their own series 500, putting the pressure on the Phoenix mould.

There have now been 68 A340-500s made in 400 scale, but 10 of those are using this new HX Models A340-500 all of which are similar Singapore Airlines flaps up and down versions. Of the other 58, 23 are using the Phoenix mould, which debuted in 2011, and 14 use the seamed Gemini Jets / JC Wings mould that debuted in 2005

There are also a couple of older moulds, with 18 models made by Dragon Wings and 3 from Herpa, however both those moulds are very obsolete. The ancient Gemini mould is still in use, updated with aerials and rolling gear, but it is really only the Phoenix that has a competitive A340-500 in 2025. There are rumours of NG making a new mould, but I wouldn't worry too much about that given NG's recent failure to deliver new castings and releases on them in a timely fashion.

Unsurprisingly, this new HX casting shares a huge amount of commonality with their A340-600, which gained a review at the site here in August - see Etihad Airways | Airbus A340-642 | A6-EHJ | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2017 | HX Models.

As with the series 600 this mould is definitely better than the Phoenix edition. From the side the nose is one place where the Phoenix may have a slight edge, but the HX looks great too - helped by better cockpit printing than the Etihad 600 I reviewed had.

This example also has a much taller nosegear, although that is due to it not being properly fitted. It is a little too long but considering it is a QC error it ironically makes the model look better to me. Gearleg detailing and the smaller size of the nosegear doors make this well ahead of the Phoenix in this area. 

The central fuselage area is really impressive and is enhanced on this model by it having the flaps down configured wings. The wingjoin is full width, unlike the half width join of the Phoenix. 

The tailcone is another area of unrivalled good design. It incorporates the angle cut-off as well as the three small protuberances. ​The vertical stabiliser is well shaped and shows the cut-in at the lower margin of the rudder.

The form of the maingear is excellent and all three gear units pivot up and down nicely, without impacting the form of the gear itself. I'd say the shape of the geardoors and gearleg detail here also pip the Phoenix.

The engines and pylons have no obvious problems, although the former do use the nowadays commonplace hollow-core fans. The blade count is high, but of course they are something of a compromise and can't match the detailing of the solid-core Phoenix fans.

There's a huge amount to like on this mould, which shows true craftmanship. The only area I'm not 100% convinced with is the nosegear (but as i said on this example the imperfect fit actually makes me like it more) , but in almost all other areas this mould is an upgrade on the Phoenix, which itself is no slouch.

SCORE - 9

It is a slight disappointment to me that this, and all the released SQ A340-500s, wear the later large title version of the Singapore scheme, without the logo on the engines. Singapore inaugurated all business-class ultra-long haul flights with their series 500s in 2004, but ultimately only took delivery of 5 aircraft, registered from 9V-SGA-GE. All had been stored after only a decade of service or less.

I really like the livery replication on this model. The gold shimmers in a way that is much superior to the metallic effect they tried on the new Korean livery. The dark blue could possibly be slightly darker, but it still looks great.

All the livery components are present and correct, and printed to a very high standard.

SCORE - 9

HX go all out on print detailing, as is always evident when you investigate the belly region. There's also a lot of line and panel detailing on the engine nacelles. Could that be slightly less obvious? Yeah probably it could as photos don't show it standing out as prominently as on the model.

I am pleased with this model that the cockpit print is improved from the Etihad 600 I reviewed. It looks really good. Build quality is excellent across the board, aside from at the aforementioned nosegear. It doesn't look like it was pushed in far enough and can be wiggled back and forth a bit (but not pushed in further). You can see in the official shots, with the black background, how it is supposed to look. As I said, I actually don't think it detracts as the standard nosegear fit is a little short.

The overall package with HX Models is unbeaten in the scale, especially considering this is a standard rather than special release. The box is colourful and very sturdy. The model comes with the standard high-quality collector's card and the model comes with the HX standard higher quality all metal two-piece stand.

SCORE - 9

There's almost always something to nitpick with every model release and this one is no different, however these HX Models widebodies are very nice packages. They offer some unrivalled detailing, with excellent packaging, a great stand and collectors card. Despite retailing for often substantially less than the competition the quality of the model is excellent. With the advent of these A340-500/600s from HX I fear this is another model type of Phoenixes that I no longer will be acquiring when there is a competitor available.

FINAL SCORE - 27/30

Nearly a quarter (440) of all 1,666 400 scale releases in 2025 have been Chinese airliners, but as with other parts of the world there still remains several really obvious missing airline / aircraft combinations. This isn't helped by Chinese aviation being so young that it is an environment where 2010 is considered classic! A Chinese aircraft from the 1990s seems often to be seen like a Wstern one from the 1960s, so that it has taken forever for a China Eastern Fokker 100 to appear in the scale despite it being a significant type for one of China's Big 3. In fact, it only has appeared now thanks to one of the smaller new brands - Undefined Collectibles.

The Fokker 100 is an excellent aircraft that continues to see service into the mid-2020s, mostly in Australia and Iran, despite being a victim of Fokker's collapse in 1996, that no doubt curtailed what was the decent sales of an aircraft ahead of its time. 

This is doubly unfortunate as not only is the F100 a rather attractive aircraft (arguably much prettier than more modern regional jets in the same size class), but the mould created by JC Wings for it is very nice.

This mould dates from the very earliest days of JC Wings (indeed the first release was issued under the Blue Box name prior to JC Wings coming out as a brand in its own right). That does mean it is old enough ​to be a cradle type, but this is a classic example of how to do that properly. The seamline follows the wing/fuselage fairing join line well and shows the correct shape, plus it is discrete and hard to see.

​The nose and nosegear are good, certainly good enough to pass close inspection. It may be that the down curve from the cockpit isn’t quite strong enough and the nosegear doors are slightly too large but these are minor concerns. The rest of the fuselage moulding is great and it is pleasing to see the pair of ADF roof humps just aft of the wings moulded in.

​The engines and vertical stabilizer are practically faultless. The hinges of the tailcone sides are nicely moulded on.

This mould was updated with aerials in 2017, but of the 5 Gemini Jets releases since then only 1 has had the aerials added. That means aside from that one, only a single release for Dream Air of Taiwan, a pair of Slovak JC Wings versions and this pair of China Easterns has them fitted. The number of aerials fitted also varies. The JC Wings and Gemini versions have two (but not the same ones), the Dream Air had four and this model opts for three. Not uncommonly for JC Wings moulds the aerials are a little large.

I really appreciate this Fokker 100 mould. In fact, it is one of my favourites in 400 scale and one of a variety of top notch smaller regional types that JC Wings have access to that don't get enough usage despite their excellence.

SCORE - 9

China Eastern operated 10 Fokker 100s between February 1992 and September 1999, by which time all ten had been sold to TAM Brasil. Back then, China Eastern wasn't a giant airline so the F100s were important fleet components and of course wore the attractive pre-2014 colourscheme of the airline, which really suited the type.

The red, gold and blue accurately portray the scheme colours and placement of the tail logo and cheatline is all good. That is, except for where the lower cheatline is cut by the wingseam on the model, which JC have left white.

The titles look fine, but could be slightly taller. There is some lovely detail finishing with the tiny Fokker 100 emblem on the Tays and even tinier number 31 present on the nosegear doors.

SCORE - 9

In my experience JC Wings is a brand that can deliver excellent printing, although they don't always reach the heights I'd like with things like cockpit placement. That's not a problem with this model however. The printing is crisp, plentiful and, where necessary like on the engines, subtle. 

I'll give a particular shout out to the split tailcone airbrake for great printing. The Fokker logo on the tailcone airbrake is really only visible under magnification. Paintwork is equally good. The silver on the engine intakes and exhausts looks fab and the inside of the Tays is finished in a suitably dark colour as well. No unpainted plastic inner fans like I often see on Aeroclassics releases with rear mounted engines here.

No major QC issues present themselves, but from the front the vertical stabiliser does lean slightly to the left.

SCORE - 9

As a Chinese airline collector more interested in the history of aviation than the latest A350 adorned with a special livery, this is a release I have been waiting for for a long time, and a model I've been very surprised JC Wings or Gemini haven't made before. Undefined Collectibles has made an interesting range of Chinese airliners to date, and I look forwrad to their upcoming selection of Chinese CRJs and E-Jets made for them by JC Wings. Although the moulds for those aren't quite as nice as this F100 they will once again be unique schemes for the scale. In a sea of A321s that is a good thing.

FINAL SCORE - 27/30

HX Models have been expanding quickly in 400 scale and making a name for themselves, mostly off the back of their 747s. They have brought some nice detailing to the scale, but have also been sloppy at times with the basics. Until now their focus has been on widebodies, but it was inevitable they would move into the popular Airbus and Boeing narrowbody space as well. Indeed, they've had some 737s announced for sometime and the first of those to hit the market is in the new Korean livery.

There's unsurprisingly plenty of competition in the 737NG space in 400 scale, although two of the more common offerings, from Gemini Jets / JC Wings and Phoenix, are old and weak. The real competition is between three other castings, from NG Models, Aero Polaris and Panda Models, respectively.

All three of those moulds have been reviewed here at Yesterday's Airlines so if you need a refresher check out those reviews here:

The Aero Polaris and NG Models versions are practically identical to each other, and near perfect 737s, while the Panda version is no slouch too - so this HX Models mould has some very strong competitors. Can it live up to that?

No, not really as although it offers some wonderful detailing in certain respects it fails to get some of the fundamentals correct - something of a recurring issue for some HX moulds. This isn't helped by one glaring QC issue as well - the nosegear fit. I'll discuss that more in the later section, but it clearly doesn't match the HX standard photos so I am assuming it is a QC error.

It is at the nose that the HX mould suffers by comparison with both the real thing and the NG version. It isn't dreadful, and certainly better than the Gemini mould, but the nosecone is too short and not pointed enough. In the below photo I've used a stock HX release image, rather than the actual model I have, so as not to be distracted by the nosegear fit problem. The Hainan is an NG release.

In addition to the nose the nosegear itself, even when fitted properly, isn't as nice as the NG. The nosegear doors are rather blocky and don't have the subtle curves on the upper join that the NG does. The nosegear itself is a little too large, with too much tyre and an undetailed hub. Overall it gives the mould a rather clumsy look from the front.

Fortunately, the rest of the mould is a lot better. The remainder of the fuselage barrel is good, indeed some aspects show a fineness of detail and shape that surpasses the NG. This is mostly at the rear where the form of the tailbumper is very nice. The tailcone region also shows excellent shape and detail, with even a hole for the APU exhaust (a first in 400 scale for a 737 I believe).

The other feature HX are keen on is flaps down, which this model sports. Once again this is a first for a narrowbody 400 scale mould. It works well and there is a huge amount of nice detailing present, especially on the underside.

The engines, pylons and blended winglets all look fine. The maingear tyres could do with slightly smaller black tyre portions, as with the nosegear. There are 5 aerials present, which look decent but aren't quite as fine as on the NG version. 

There's a very strong 737 fighting to get out here, but as a collector, for me, it is the nose region that is the most important part of any model. While this isn't a bad nose it isn't at the standards of the other top 3 737NG castings and that rather makes the exceptional everything else behind it a little redundant. 

SCORE - 7

The constant drive to simplify airline liveries and logos, by removing colours and details, is not something I'm very supportive of, and so the new Korean livery was never likely to be one that thrilled me. Personally, I find it bland and markedly inferior to the classic scheme it replaces.

The new scheme features a deep blue, metallic effect fuselage and monochromatic redesigned dark blue Taegeuk symbol. I've been using this photo of HL8248 as the reference shot to compare the model to. HX's base blue appears a little darker than the real thing, although it isn't a major problem.

More of an issue is the glitterball effect that the photos illustrate. No doubt this is an attempt to reproduce the metallic effect, however in photos I'm seeing that effect isn't particularly evident and the model rather sparkles trying to pull it off in 400 scale. I admit it doesn't look as glittery 1:1 as in these photos (which used flash), but I can't say I love it. It reminds me of some of the more unfortunate Aeroclassics attempts at the last Northwest scheme.

What actually bothers me more than the sparkle effect is the colour of the main titles and Taegeuk logo. The colour on the model is too light and doesn't provide the stark contrast that the real thing has. 

This whole livery reproduction has something of an experimental feel to it. Looking at an NG Models 787 release in the same scheme from August the comparison is marked. The finesse and colours of the NG product are far superior to the HX one.

SCORE - 7

Once again HX Models has shown that at the same time as it can produce best in class print detailing it can also produce some mediocre finishing too. Both are in effect on this model. An area HX has struggled with on both its 747s and A340s has been cockpit placement and that is evident on this 737 too. The central cockpit windows seem too high.

The nosecone radome print is also not great. It makes the nosecone too small (not helped by the nose shape I agree) as it is too far away from the cockpit.  

Once again these print issues impact the front of the model while the rest of it has excellent print detailing. This is especially obvious on the wings and underside. An interesting new technique has been used on the maingear wheel wells. This looks great.

Build quality is very good across the model, except for the rather glaring placement of the nosegear. I thought initially that maybe this was a 'feature' to show the aircraft as it was coming into land with a longer gear leg, but HX's own reference photos of the flaps down model do not show this. 

It doesn't jump out as much in 1:1 as it does under macro photography but clearly the fit of the gearleg means the leg itself appears much too long. It gives the whole model something of a taildown stance - a bit like the Gemini 737-300/400/500 moulds. It also accentuates the tyre size issue.

One thing that HX does do very well is the overall standard of the packaging and end product. The model comes with a very nice box, a credit card style collector's card and a tiny version of the excellent metal variant of the larger HX stand.

SCORE - 7

There is a lot to like with this model. It has some wonderful rear fuselage detailing, excellent flaps down wings, great fuselage print detailing, a collector's card and great stand. Unfortunately, it also has some of the other traits of quite a few HX releases - a slightly dull nose and poor cockpit placement, plus of course the addition of a poorly fitted nosegear. From the L1 door backwards this could be the best 737NG on the market, but from the L1 door forward it is one of the weakest. Unfortunately, in addition the new Korean scheme hasn't been rendered particularly well. I have little doubt that HX will be improving their 737 offerings, as they have shown a clear willingness to improve their products, but I can't help feel that at times they should focus more on the fundamentals and less on extravagances if they want to be the best.

FINAL SCORE - 21/30

The 747-300 was very much a stopgap design between the series 200 and next generation series 400. That status accounts for the small production run of only 81 units and the correspondingly low number of 400 scale versions. There has however been something of an uptick in 747-300 releases in 2025, as the type benefits from the renewed interest in 400 scale 747s in general. Mostly this has been a straight fight between JC Wings and HX Models, the latter with its new moulds has really been pushing the envelope, and Nalanji Dreaming must be one of the hardest schemes to reproduce in 400 scale. Let's see how they've done.

Until 2025 there had been 116 747-300s produced in 400 scale, of which 109 were made prior to 2016, and none made between 2017 and 2020. As with other 747 types there are a surprisingly high number of moulds, but many haven't been used much or are obsolete.

In the past 5 years the only casting that has seen much usage has been the classic BigBird / Apollo version, nowadays used also by JC Wings. The rather toylike DeAgostini / JAL Collection mould and the, arguably worse, Phoenix version can be easily dismissed. That leaves only the new HX Models 747-300, of which this model is the second release (it has flaps up and down variants) although the first with the correct 747-300 wing on it.

The other 747-300 release using an HX mould (Cathay Pacific's VR-HON made for YY Wings) has the modified wingjoin fairing fitted to a few late model 747-300s and uses the basic 747-400 wing with the winglets cut off. That isn't correct, but I can understand why they did that given how rare that wing/join configuration is for a 747-300. Fortunately, VH-EBU has the original 747-200 style wingjoin so has the correct wing for the variant.

NG Models hasn't shown any interest in a 747-300, so for now the only competition for this mould is the old BigBird version. Good for its time, it is now rather obsolescent and easily beaten by this new HX Models casting. 

I have been a big fan of the HX 747s and reviewed series 100s here at the site (see 
Pan Am | Boeing 747-121 | N747PA 'Jet Clipper America' | HX Models ) as well as featured the mould in a detailed comparison scoring - see ​Boeing 747-100/200 Detailed Mould Comparison. 

Most of what I said in those reviews remains 100% true for this 747-300, as the 300 shares largely the same stucture, aside from the SUD, as the 200. There are imperfections certainly: the nosegear door size, angle of the inner maingear doors and tail curve to join roofline at the leading edge for example all could be modified. However, these are easily overshadowed by what the mould gets right. 

In comparison to the competing BigBird / Apollo 747-300 this version has far superior detailing and modern features. Engine pylons, join to wing, engine detailing, underbody detailing, wingtip HF aerials and tailcone form are all much better.

This is a lovely mould and I hope to see plenty more models using it.

SCORE - 9

Nalanji Dreaming was the less famous of the two extremely colourful Qantas 747 liveries. Unveiled in November 1995 to celebrate Qantas 75th anniversary as a celebration of 'balance and harmony of nature in 'our place' Australia' since Nalanji in this aboriginal language means 'or place'. Of course the best place on the web for information about Australian airliners is Aussie Airliners and their page for VH-EBU has many good photos of this aircraft - see: Aussie Airliners VH-EBU.

This is clearly a fiendishly hard scheme to get correct. One element misplaced will throw out others so it is a triumph of hardwork that given the huge number of individual components present here I am struggling to find any issues.

The colours are vibrant and fit well with the images I'm looking at. None are wildy off and I find myself just staring at the beautiful rendition produced here. This is another example of why licensing has no impact on the quality of the finished product as there's no way this model would be better if Qantas had been involved in its production.

This is a superb livery application from the main Nalanji scheme down to the tiny Qantas logos on the rear of the engine nacelles.

SCORE - 10

HX Models overall printwork is top quality and although the livery overshadows all the other print on this model the underlying details are still clearly good. The only area of any complaint here are the cockpit positioning. Ever so slightly out of position they maybe, but they don't impact the overall look of the model.

HX Models do focus on a lot of nice modern detailing. Wheel tyre hubs and engine inners show the level of quality that you're getting with these 747s. Build quality also remains strong, as does the overall package.

The model comes with the lovely top-spec metal stand plus a collector's card. The only grip is that there is a minor crack in the portside outer engine pylon, which means it wiggles a little.

SCORE - 9

I can't deny I'm impressed by this model. I love the mould, and the livery application here takes this into the top tier of 400 scale models ever made for me. My only complaint about HX 747s isn't the models themselves, but the slightly uninspiring set of releases to date, which have featured a lot of samey Asian models - many too modern for my tastes. If HX could release 2 or 3 more representative classic 747-100/200/300/400s a month under their own brand name then they would be making an even bigger name for themselves than they are. As it stands this model is a showcase for what HX can deliver. If you haven't been paying attention to their 747s by now, hopefully this model will help you to focus more on them.

FINAL SCORE - 28/30

Much like the A340, the 767 is a type that hadn't seen a lot of love in 400 scale for sometime, but now has a renewed focus on it. Despite being the first variant in service, the series 200 is the last to get the refresh the type has needed, but now there are two new contenders and a whole lot of potential to exploit. Panda themselves rarely make models under their own name anymore so it comes down to brands like C Models, Z2 Models and V1:400 Models to get the ball rolling with Panda's new 767-200. 

​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

Whereas there have been over 560 767-300s made in 400 scale, with 35 announced in 2025 alone, there have only been 179 767-200s, but pleasingly 22 have been announced in 2025 (compared to only 11 in 2024). Additionally, V1:400 Models will also soon be announcing a further 8 series 200s.

The uptick in 2025 for the series 200 is due to the new Panda Models mould, which this model uses. Of the 30 this year 14 use the Panda mould. The rest are split between the old JC Wings / Gemini and Aeroclassics moulds, with the NG Models 767 having vanished after a single airline release in 2024.

In truth the Aeroclassics 767-200 itself actually isn't that old, having debuted in 2018, however it has the feel of a mould that is easily 10 years older so although it has seen nearly 100 releases covering a worthy list of airlines it is very much not competitive with the two newer moulds. I'll take a closer look at competing 767-200s soon.

I have already reviewed a Panda Models 767-300 (see ​Air Sahara | Boeing 767-322ER | VT-SDL | VTJets / Panda Models) and this series 200 shares the majority of its features. That means it is superb, with no significant failings.

The shape of the fuselage barrel is exceptional from nose to APU. The wings slot in tightly to the fuselage and the wingjoin is lovely too. Only the NG Models 767-200 comes close. 

​The wings, engines and pylons all show excellent detailing. The attachment of the pylons to the wing and engine detailing is a major improvement over the older moulds. I also think the hot sections of the Pratt & Whitney engines fitted here are more accurate than the NG samples had. Also of note is the fact that this mould uses solidcore engines enabling a very accurate level of fanblade detailing.

​At the rear of the wing one of the small points of difference from the NG 767 mould is that the flap track fairings are slightly longer and protrude very slightly further beyond the wing margin. I think this is more accurate. The only other difference I have noticed is in the maingear where the Panda 767 shows a little more gear leg than the NG. In this case I'd say the NG is better, but both of these callouts are very minor.

On the underside there's more obvious differences with the NG version. The NACA intakes are moulded but the rectangular grills moulded into the NG are not printed. The most obvious difference is the position of the standhole - much further forward on the NG.

As this is a series 200 the tailbumper present on the 300 is correctly absent. Overall this is another exceptional casting from Panda to join their equally impressive MD-11. The variation with the NG mould is small, but the Panda looks better given current output helped massively by the printing.

SCORE - 10

Air China inherited CAAC's 4 delivered 767-2J6ERs in 1987/88 and added a pair of new aircraft in 1988/89 for a total of 6. B-2556 was the last of them, arriving in February 1989 and flew with the flag carrier for 20 years. Nowadays she still serves, but with the Colombian Air Force as a tanker transport.

Air China's livery seems timeless, so much so that it may well survive long enough for the return of the cheatline to popularity. It is such a commonly reproduced livery by Chinese brands that they rarely make any mistakes with it. Certainly the VIP / Phoenix tail logo and cheatlines look great.

The Air China blue can often look very dark in photos, but in close up it matches the lighter tone being used here (see this photo for reference). One thing that is correct, but slightly disappointing for me is that the model wears the Star Alliance logo. Air China only joined the Alliance in late 2007 so this airframe operated for over 18 of its 20 years without having the logo and I think that would have been more representative of the type in Air China service.

SCORE - 10

I mentioned printing in the mould section vis a vis the NG 767-200 and you can see the issues that the NG had in the review I did for that model in August 2024 (American Airlines | Boeing 767-223 | N313AA | NG Models). Fortunately, Panda don't have any issues with windowline or cockpit height. 

The print detailing here is excellent with very fine linework. So fine in fact, that it is sometimes hard to see against the grey belly. The paintwork is also majestic, with particularly lovely finishes around the engine rims and inners.

There are no major problems on the quality front in terms of build either. I do have a trio of small nitpicks though. Firstly, and only visible in macro, is that the tyrehubs lack detailing. Secondly, the right wing has a slight curvature at the wingtip, not present on the leftside. Thirdly, there is some plastic chaff in the portside maingear visible from the front.

C Models is one of the more active up and coming brands in 400 scale and while they have produced a nice bespoke designed box for this model they do not go in for the collectors cards that many of the smaller brands choose to add nowadays. For more on C Models see my video:

I've been really looking forward to the Panda 767-200, and not only because, V1:400, the new US brand I'm working with have used it for 8 models. Although the existing 767-200s are all decent middle of the road models, this one really knocks it out the park and will have you considering wholesale replacement of your 767 fleet. Of course, whether that is an option is dependent on which brands use the Panda mould, and for what. However I have no issue in replacing the older JC Wings mould Air China 767-200 I own with this one. It is at the pinnacle of what is possible in 400 scale today.

FINAL SCORE - 28/30

In addition to its line of regional types, 3D Design Deck has also created an increasing range of military aircraft. Most recently this has included a run of Lockheed F-35s, which must be among the very smallest types available in the scale. Slightly larger, but still not massive at 400 scale, is the B-2 Stealth Bomber, which is a type that hasn't seen any exposure in the scale for nearly 20 years. It provides both healthy competition and a nice complement to the Gemini MACs range. In this review I take a look at the 2nd release of a B-2 Spirit by 3DD.

As I mentioned in the intro this isn't the first B-2 Spirit in 400 scale as the 400 scale military pioneer Dragon Wings produced a mould way back in 2003. The first release did not have undercarriage and accompanied a KC-10 Extender tanker, but the 4 subsequent releases, made between 2004 and the end of 2006, all came fitted with landing gear and sold as individual models.

As with many of the Dragon Wings military range these old B-2s stand up surprisingly well today, but they aren't especially common so it is good to see a new version available. Of course the B-2 itself has an almost unique flying wing design and is really only likely to be mistaken with its replacement the B-21 Raider.

I have no major complaints ​with the overall form of the aircraft wing and fuselage. The curves are graceful and angles sharp.

From the front the angles once again look good. One area that doesn't look as accurate is the slightly hooked nosepoint - something hard to model in 400 scale. It is finer and more pointed than on the Dragon mould,which also lacks the beaklike point.

The undercarriage has a good amount of detailing, especially on the maingear units. The nosegear tyre is slightly too large and lacks the gearhub detailing present on the DHC-8s, but doesn't stand out and is an improvement on what the Dragon mould offers.

One area that is perhaps not as nice as on the Dragon version are the intakes. Although well shaped they feel not quite as angular, but aren't helped by the lack of a dark inner.

The unusual form of the B2 seems to suit the unique 3D printing design that 3DD is using as it replicates the almost organic form of the bomber with real skill. Once again it is easy to nitpick, but also important to remember the small size of this type in 400 scale (the fuselage length is under 5cm and wingspan under 13cm). Small modifications could be made around the nosegear tyre, beak and engine intakes - but these are not essential.

SCORE - 8

The whole point of being a stealth bomber is that you remain unseen, so the low-viz colours of the B-2 fleet can hardly be called a livery or colourscheme. The B-2s are painted into a dark grey scheme, sometimes called 'gunship grey'. It often looks almost black in photos, but is much lighter in close up. The shade used here is a good match for several of the closer shots I'm seeing, but looks lighter than the inflight images of other airframes I used above.

This aircraft, 88-0330, is reasonably well represented in photos at sites like JetPhotos. These show the unit markings well, although they are mostly restricted to the undercarriage doors. The markings worn from 2023 differ to those worn in 2021. Between those two years the aircraft was in heavy maintenance at Palmdale.

The updated markings, as seen in this photo, are faithfully reproduced here on the maingear doors. The 80330 on the nosegear door is however not well centred.

SCORE - 9

There is an impressive amount of line printing on the model. On the upper surfaces, most of it is in white so stands out well. You might think it stands out too well, but photos I've seen of the frame suggest that is accurate.

The resolution of the printing is excellent and holds up well even with macro photos. In extreme close-up and with flash you do start to see the granularity of the printed material, but with the eye this is not at all noticeable.

On the underside the printing is dark lined and if anything even finer than on the top. In a comparison with the old Dragon Wings B-2s the amount of printwork on the 3DD version is significantly higher, and very impressive.

My only criticism of the print is the aforementioned intakes, which I'd like to see in the same dark colour as the exhausts.

As with all 3DD models the final product has been hand checked and secured in a foam cradle, which means the quality control of the model is very high.

SCORE - 9

It is a tribute to the team at 3D Design Deck that after only a short period their models are directly comparable to diecast 400 scale units, especially given the pioneering 3D printing and UV applied markings. I am yet to be disappointed by any of the purchases I have made from them and the subject matter alone adds a uniqueness to their offering, which is hard to turn down. This is an excellent B-2 and displays wonderfully with my existing range of Gemini MACs and Dragon military aircraft.

FINAL SCORE - 26/30

I have been impressed with how far 3D Design Deck (3DD) have come in only a couple of years. They are now the go to choice for regional airliners in 400 scale, producing models at a level of quality that can match die-cast rivals. Their 3D printed method also makes it possible for them to produce unusual one-off types and make quick updates to designs. They have a growing mould catalogue in 400 scale featuring aircraft as small as an F-35 up to a Boeing 737-200. Although for many of the smaller types they have no competition, they are increasingly producing airliners that are part of the JC Wings / Gemini stable. The DHC-8-Q400 is one such aircraft and the one we'll look at in this review.

Ignoring the DeAgostini / JAL Collection version, the only other DHC-8-Q400 in this scale is the Gemini Jets mould (also used by JC Wings), which dates all the way back to 2006. That mould has been used 44 times and seen something of a resurgence recently with 6 releases in 2024 and another in 2025, compared to only 2 models in the period from 2020-2024.

One of the great things about 3DD is that with their smaller runs they can make more releases and so although this aircraft type was only added to the portfolio in mid-2025 there are already 7 released or announced models.

From a mould perspective, despite its age, the old Gemini version remains a competitive casting. At the same time it has never been updated with aerials and the height of the nosegear often gives it an inaccurate taildown stance. The new 3DD version certainly gives it a very good run for its money.

The overall aircraft looks good, with a surprising fineness of detailing present. The wings attach as a separate piece, but with the seam almost totally obscured it doesn't detract from the model in anyway. The fuselage barrel is well-shaped aside from a couple of minor complaints at each end.

I would argue the nose is a little too stubby and not quite long enough at the tip. At the tailcone end the small upturned APU exhaust isn't present. On the plus side the ventral fins are sharper and appear better moulded than on the Gemini.

The 3DD version also has a more accurate nosedown stance, with a really nice set of maingear that is better detailed at the struts and tyrehub than the Gemini version. In fact the maingear tyres are a big improvement over earlier DHC-8 tyres. Unfortunately, despite the proper nosedown stance the nosegear tyre is oversized and not enough gear leg is visible.

The model has aerials, but 3DD does struggle to accurately replicate the shape of the blade type aerials. The wings and stabilisers are really nice, as are the props (which spin). The engine nacelles are well-shaped at the upper surfaces but are a bit chunky on the underside where the front inlet and rear canoe fairing are slightly too deep. Despite this I'd argue the shape of the engines is no worse than those on the Gemini.

This is a decent Q400, which has a lot to like about it. Modification of the nosegear and some slight finessing at the nose, tailcone and under the engines would improve it, but with the Mk1 eyeball, rather than magnified macro-photos, none of these things stands out. Side by side with the Gemini mould this 3DD version is as good in my opinion.

SCORE - 8

This DHC-8-Q400 was delivered to Jazz Air, operating as Air Canada Express, in October 2011. The frosted leaf scheme has never been a favourite of mine and is difficult to reproduce at such a small scale due to the complex dotted tail design.

There are limitations to the fidelity that is presently possible with the UV printing method 3DD are using, but once again these are really only visible when you zoom in at extreme detail. With the naked eye the model's livery looks good, indeed better than the DHC-8-300 I reviewed in the same colours in August 2024.

Zoom in as I have with these photos and the resolution of the print shows its limits, especially at the grey express titles. Nonetheless everything is printed in the correct place and the colours are good.

SCORE - 8

A weakness of many of the Gemini Q400s has been their cockpit printing, which is often oversized. I prefer the size of the 3DD cockpit windows, however from the side the angle of them isn't as good. They droop down towards the rear, when they should have a straight lower margin. From the front they look fine.

There is a lot of nice line printing on the model, (far more than on recent JC Wings Q400s) especially on the wingtops. The resolution of the wingtop print is actually really good, and better than the line printing on the fuselage and engines, which at magnification can be seen to be a bit fuzzy. Once again at 1:1 the linework looks really good.

Another area of minor criticism is from the front. It would be ideal if the engine inlets were dark and not white. 3DD model's come in quite thick boxes with foam inserts, which provide a lot of protection to the model. That, alongside the individual inspection of each model by the owner, means that QC is good.

SCORE - 8

Although at magnification the print detail can't quite match that of a Tampo printed diecast model I would argue that the overall finish of 3DD products is as good as those of diecast regional airliners. This is one of the first 3 Q400 releases from them and I would expect there to be minor mods to the form of the model for coming versions, as 3DD have shown a willingness to take feedback and modify their print files, which their 3D printing method readily enables. Regardless of that this model displays beautifully alongside its diecast equivalents and I can heartily recommend 3D Design Deck models for the release choices, aircraft variety, model finish and quality service - plus of course being Canadian they aren't as impacted by US tariffs as China.

FINAL SCORE - 24/30

In the past year I've been getting into military models in a big way. This has meant picking up a lot of older Dragon Wings releases, but also a fair number of Gemini MACs. Nowadays Gemini have a near monopoly on military types, which is both good and bad. It's always good to have competition, however they also have access to some excellent moulds for unique types. The C-5 Galaxy is one of those and the August release of this camo liveried example provides a nice difference to the majority of the low-viz schemed releases they've made before.

Gemini's isn't the only C-5 Galaxy available in 400 scale, but it is the only extant one. Dragon Wings previously had a mould that they debuted in 2004. They made 10 models using it, up until 2011. That was one year after Gemini's own mould appeared and since then they have produced 19 releases including this one (plus JC Wings made a fantasy American Airlines model in 2013).

Thanks to my military build-up I own 3 of the earlier Dragon C-5s, and now also 3 of the Geminis too. There are in fact two versions of the mould, allowing Gemini to model both the earlier C-5A Galaxy and the later C-5M Super Galaxy. 

Despite what the box says, this model is the earlier C-5A version. Externally the difference is only visible at the engines. The C-5M has new General Electric CF6-80C2s rather than the General Electric TF39s of the C-5A. Visually that means the earlier C-5As have a shorter nacelle, longer hot section and thrust reversal vents on the nacelle.

Both the Dragon and Gemini C-5 moulds are excellent and unusually for a Dragon mould they share a lot of design elements. Most unusually is the fact that both have a single moulded fuselage and wings making them seamless. This is especially unusual for Dragon where the wings are usually plastic.

I can't find fault with the complex form of the massive fuselage barrel, or the join to the wing, or the wings themselves. Arguably, the rear dorsal aerials could be fitted here but are not. This is really a very impressive casting. Then again you can say the same for the Dragon fuselage too. 

Equally the engines and pylons are excellent on both moulds too. The engines are solid core, but that only adds to the realism of the fanblades.

At the rear the join of the vertical stabiliser to the fuselage is tighter than on the Dragon. The horizontal stabilisers sit atop the rest of the tail as a separate one piece part in both moulds. This looks ok, but does introduce the only area of inaccuracy I can find in that the join line is straight rather than the multi-curve of the real thing.

Comparing old Dragon military moulds with newer Gemini ones is an interesting thing to do. Sometimes they are superior and sometimes they aren't. In this case I'd say that the Gemini is marginally better, mainly due to the landing gear. Regardless, it is certainly one of Gemini's best all round moulds.

SCORE - 9

All of the USAF's C-5 Galaxy's were repainted from their green and gray camouflage scheme into a low-viz livery as part of the Proud MAC Image Program, which began in the early 90s and was supposed to finish by the end of 1997. The change not only gave an updated image, but was designed to reduce visibility as well. 

The camo pattern used throughout the fleet, prior to the change to low-viz, looks quite variable and I've only been able to find two photos of the portside of this airframe wearing camouflage. Firstly there is this photo of 68-0226, from JetPhotos, taken in 1992. Secondly there is this photo of 68-0226 from 1985. The camo pattern appears to be the same in both.  

For the starboard side there is this shot from 1993 when the aircraft carried extra 'Empire State' titles. It is hard to be 100% certain given the limited evidence, but there appear to be significant differences in the shape of several patches of camo, most noticeably in the part on the portside ahead of the wing, which is not wide enough on the model. The shapes of the two green panels at the front of the fuselage also don't match any images I can see.

On the starboard side it looks like Gemini have mirrored the tail from the portside, which doesn't look like it is correct to me. Having said that, with limited photos I'm willing to be proven wrong if anyone has other photo evidence. Non-camo details, like the large black nose, anti-glare, NEW YORK AIR GUARD on the maingear doors and logos are all fine.

SCORE - 7

The printing on the model is crisp and precise. It has lots of nice detailing, especially around the nose, cockpit and towards the rear underside with the loading ramp. The engines are also well detailed with the cowlings and thrust reverser doors printed up well.

A minor issue is the silvery colour of the engine inners and fans. That's a shame as the 2012 Gemini C-5M I own has a much more appropriate dark grey set of fans and engine inners. It is a shame that this sort of thing is so inconsistent, especially when it was done better 13 years ago by the same company!

Build quality is excellent. The main gear bogies do have a tendency to hang at odd angles, but can be manually repositioned easily enough. 

Something that is odd is that on the box this aircraft is marked as a C-5M Super Galaxy, not just in one place, but all over the place. This includes the text and specification table on the inside of the box. That's a bit sloppy as this clearly isn't a C-5M. I assume it is just a carry over from the previous release boxes, as the last 10 C-5s made by Gemini have all been C-5Ms.

SCORE - 8

When it comes to MACs moulds the C-5 is up there with the B-52, A400M, Hercules and P-8 Poseidon as one of the best. About the only thing that could really improve this mould would be an interactive version, but I wouldn't want that to replace this version. It is good to get a bit more variety in terms of colour schemes for the MACs releases as well and this camo'd C-5 is a great choice. It'd be good to also get a white schemed version, as the last was made in 2013. The negatives with the model are that it appears the art design and box design have been a bit sloppy. Neither has a dramatic impact on the overall finish, but if I can see the issues why can't they?

FINAL SCORE - 24/30

The Airbus A340 looks like it is becoming hot property again in 400 scale after years of being rather ignored. HX models (and sisterbrand YY Wings) has debuted new A340-600s while NG Models belated A340-200/300 moulds should be getting used in the next 6 months. NG have also said they have 500 and 600s coming too. It has been Aviation400 though that has been announcing by far the most A340-300s this year, although a lot are not ready yet. One that you're unlikely to see from other brands, due to licensing issues, is Emirates, however AV400 don't seem concerned about that as this is their 5th EK release this year.

Aviation400 have had an A340-300 mould since 2017, when they first reappeared as a brand, so this is 100% not a new casting, although it had not been used since 2021 (they had only used it 9 times by then). This 2025 version has updated landing gear and in 2025 AV400 have announced 23 A340-300s (13 of which are Air China, China Eastern or China Southwest examples). I do believe that Aviation400 are looking at updating this mould further, or even replacing it, but for now the current A340s are using it.

Competition comes from a variety of sources, but it is Phoenix who have been making the most A340-300s recently. They have announced 5 in 2025 and made 10 in 2024, 4 in 2023 and 8 in 2022. The Phoenix A340 was reviewed last at the website here in April 2024 using an Egyptair example.

Other moulds exist. Aeroclassics have made 62, but only 3 since 2018. I reviewed a rather poor Lan Chile A340-300 of theirs in March 2023. JC Wings has made 24 series 300s itself and announced 5 in 2025. Gemini use the JC Wings mould, but have done so only 3 times, between 2017 and 2021. Their earlier seamed A340-300 is now retired.

None of the 4 A340-300 moulds currently in use are excellent, but none are dreadful either. The Panda Models version, not seen since 2020, was the best until now, but the much delayed NG mould (see here for the September 2022 sample review of the NG samples) looks like it will take that mantle if they ever get it into production!

Returning to the Aviation400 A340-300 it is the change to the undercarriage that stands out and not in a good way. The new gear leg is too short with the forward facing prongs (steering actuators) too high on the leg as well. I'm also not sold by the silver hubcaps on this A340 either.

I have an older Aviation400 Cathay Pacific A340 and it has a much better taller nosegear - nicer in general. Plus I think the nosegear position on the AV400 A340 isn't correct either. It is a little too far back on the model - something shared with the AV400 A330s.

Along with the nosegear I'm not convinced by the shape of the nose section either. The nosecone of AV400 A330/340s often seems a little blunt and the shape around the cockpit could do with a little refining as well. 

It's a shame that the front of the mould isn't great because the rest of the casting is actually rather good. I don't have any concerns about the rest of the fuselage barrel and the wing fit to the fuselage is tight and accurate. 

The wings are decent, as are the engine pylons and CFM engines. One point of criticism is the shape of the flap track fairings, which are way too pointy and not squared off enough.

The model comes with the expected AV400 red jewel navigation beacons atop and beneath the fuselage. It also has four aerials / drain masts and the two rooftop ADF antenna bumps moulded in.

In my opinion this is the weakest of the existing A340 moulds and needs some work at the front-end and longer landing gear. Even so, that doesn't make it a disaster, but given the competition AV400 could really do with the updated A330/A340 they have suggested they are working on.

SCORE - 6

Emirates didn't pick up its A340-300s new, in fact they were acquired from Boeing not Airbus (stay tuned for an avhistory blogpost on that subject tomorrow). That meant they were introduced after EK's 777s and after the introduction of the billboard livery in 1999. They arrived in 2004 the year before the addition of the belly branding.

The Emirates liveries have always been simple, but stylish and elegant too. The golden billboard titles use the correct font and are positioned correctly in relation to the windowline. Arguably, the black outline around the titles is a little heavy.

The colours and position of the flag on the tail are generally good, aside from the lower edge of the black portion, which is not thick enough towards the tail's rudder. The Arabic calligraphy logo is nicely printed and positioned on both the engine nacelles and inside / outside of the winglets.

SCORE - 8

There's plenty of solid detail printwork on the model with the underside looking particularly good. AV400 linework does tend to be slightly thicker than brands like NG, which can sometimes be a benefit and sometimes less so.

There is some nice detail printing, such as the swirl on the fan spinners in the centre of the engines. The engine fans themselves however are a little silvery.

My biggest issue with the print is that the entire windowline, and therefore also the livery elements that go with it such as the titles and AIRBUS A340-300 script on the nose, is printed too high. It doesn't stand out dramatically, however when looking at photos the top of the main titles lettering is too close to the roofline, even baggage compartments are too high and parts like the AIRBUS A340-300 script on the nose curve downwards. 

Build quality is good. The model comes in a generic box without any Emirates or AV400 branding, as with previous Emirates releases. The model comes with the standard Aviation400 plastic stand.

SCORE - 7

This is by no means a bad model, but sometimes Aviation400's tinkering with their moulds weakens them and doesn't make them stronger. This model would look much better if it were fitted with the earlier style landing gear, which had better detailing, form and height. Misprinting of windowlines on Airbuses has been a fairly common issue in recent times too, that has impacted many brands from NG Models to Aeroclassics. However, in this case it feels eminently avoidable. Those two issues do undermine the scoring of what remains a perfectly serviceable model and one that is unlikely to get made by anyone else unless Gemini decide to produce it.

​FINAL SCORE - 21/30