Airbus A319 & A320 NEO 1:400 Scale New Mould Samples
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Modified: May 2022
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The need for larger aircraft and replacements for older 757 fleets has seen a lot of the impetus of the A320neo programme switch towards the larger A321 version however with over 3,800 orders to date the A320neo remains a massively important product for Airbus. The A319neo on the other hand is squeezed between the A320 and the new technology A220 and is nowadays a fringe aircraft. It has amassed only a paltry 72 orders but in the same way that making a 400 scale mould of it requires little overhead when you already have an A319ceo and the neo engines Airbus can still produce it without a massive investment.
I've already reviewed the general shape of the new NG Models A320 family mould over at the post relating to the CEO series so that is required reading before getting into this part of the review where I will focus only on the differences between the NEOs and CEOs which amount to:
- Sharklets (I know CEOs can have them but none of the samples do)
- The CFM LEAP & P&W PW1000G engines
The Real Thing
The A319neo and A320neo are available with either CFM LEAP (series 15X or 25X) or Pratt & Whitey PW1000G (series 17X or 27X) engines. Once again the two variants are essentially identical aside from the A319 being shortened by 3.73m over the A320-200. Both the NEO versions have the large Sharklet winglets replacing the CEO wingtip fences (CEOs were fitted with Sharklets from 2012 also).
Below: An A319-151N with CFM LEAP engines:
Pedro Aragão, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons
Below: An A320-271N with PW1127Gs:
Paul Schmid, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Competing A319/320neo Moulds in 400 Scale
Essentially the A320neo has the same moulds as the ceo version - as discussed here:
The big difference is obviously that the manufacturers have all needed to create a Sharklet equipped wing and the new NEO engines. Phoenix have gone furthest with the engines in creating hollow core spinning fanblade versions. Unfortunately in the process they have ignored the correct shape of the engine. Only Panda has gone to the trouble to bother moulding the differences between the CFM LEAP and PW1000G engines. In 2022 the are four contenders as follows:
Phoenix Models Airbus A320neo
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JC Wings Airbus A320neo
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Aeroclassics Airbus A320neo
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Panda Models Airbus A320neo
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I will take a detailed look at how the new NG Models A320 compares to these in a later article.
A320neo Release Options
Although I doubt the A319neo will ever have more than a handful of operators the A320neo is likely to remain into production into the 2030s. It has been ordered by an impressive list of airlines and will no doubt be a long-term feature of many growing markets like India, China and Indonesia. Add to them the large number of legacy airlines and the usual turnover of livery changes and there's going to be plenty of material for A320neos for sometime. Even though there will be at least 6 A320neo moulds available I don't see the competition being a major problem especially as it is clear the NG moulds are substantially superior to those on offer by everyone aside from Panda and Aviation400. Whether you like it or not A320neos are a sound investment.
The New NG Models Mould Sample for A319/320neo
Howard Pulling, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
SHARKLETS
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I haven't got any complaints when it comes to the Sharklets. They are well shaped with sharp edges and a nice curve down into the wing. Height and angle look fine to me.
WINGS
As you can see below the Sharklets are almost vertical, certainly more so than on the Panda mould, however images suggest this is accurate.
Airbus A319 with CFM LEAP engines
A321 with CFM LEAP engines
Airbus A320 with PW1000G engines
CFM LEAP ENGINES & PYLONS
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The biggest and most obvious difference between the LEAP and PW engines is that the nacelle for the CFM LEAP is asymmetric with a bulge on the lower left side, which house some hydraulics pumps. This has not often been modelled in by the 400 scale brands (although Panda did) but NG Models correctly recognises it should be there and the bulge looks good.
From the side the nacelle shape is fine but the side fins could be a little higher and the first of the two exhaust nozzles looks a little too small to me. When they get this into production I'd also expect the rims to be painted thicker. The pylons hold the engines well off the ground, which is something that can't be said for all the neo moulds!
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I'm less enamoured with the obvious ring among the fans, which on the real thing is behind the blades and usually hard to see. I'm sure the fans will look a lot better when they are painted dark grey or black but the fanblades on the Panda NEO are much nicer than this.
PW1000G ENGINES & PYLONS
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The PW nacelles lack the CFM's leftside bulge and have a more pleasing shape from that side because of it. The nacelle looks good and the exhaust nozzles are also well sized. Once again the pylons provide good ground clearance here. As with the CFM LEAP engines the fanblades are a little obscured by the large ring, which although present in reality is largely hidden behind the blades themselves. I would prefer them to remove the ring and focus on the individual fanblades.
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Airbus A319-151N/153N with CFM LEAP Engines
Airbus A319-171N with PW1124G1 Engines
Airbus A320-251N/253N with CFM LEAP Engines
Airbus A320-271N/273N with PW1120G Engines
Roundup
As with the CEOs I'm broadly happy with what NG has produced for the NEOs. My biggest issue is the fanblade detailing, which I think in trying to be more intricate loses the obvious visible structure of the blades. My points for improvement above what was said in the CEO review are:
Overall the NEOs nicely complement the CEOs and are fine examples of the type.
- Enlarge the first stage hot exhaust on the CFM LEAP engines
- Modify the fanblade detailing - removing the extra inner ring
Overall the NEOs nicely complement the CEOs and are fine examples of the type.
