Boeing 737-300/400 Series 1:400 Scale Moulds
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Updated: August 2016
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At the end of the 1970s Boeing was looking to meet the competition, provided by the then DC-9-80 of McDonnell Douglas, and improve its 737-200 Advanced model with a larger airframe which nonetheless shared cmmonality with its earlier 737s. The result was the 737-300 series which was ordered, in March 1981, by both USAir and Southwest Airlines. The most obvious external change was the replacement of the JT9Ds of the series 200s with new CFM56 engines which required a new engine pod with its characteristic flattenned bottom due to the low ground clearance of the 737 design. The series 300 first flew on January 17 1984 with first deliveries in November. The series 300 could seat a maximum of 149 passengers in a fuselage with a length of 33.4m. The longer series 400 (with a further 3.45m stretch for seating up to 188) was launched in 1985 to compete against the newer Airbus A320. Launch customer was Piedmont on September 15 1988. Lastly a shortened version of the new 737 (the series 500) seating a maximum of 140 passengers was also produced which more closely fit the length of the original series 200. The series 500 joined launch customer Southwest on June 30 1989.
The classic series 737s were good sellers for Boeing meeting the challenge faced by the MD-80 series. They were generally inferior to the later A320 and this eventually resulted in the Next Generation 737 series in the late 90s. The last aircraft was delivered to Air New Zealand in December 1999 after 1,988 had been built.
Within 1:400 scale the 737 Classic series had until recently been rather ignored, which is surprising considering that even in 2015 it can still be found operating with a large number of airlines, including several in the USA. That has changed more recently with the new Aeroclassics mould but there still remain many 737 Classics that coud be made in 1:400.
Within 1:400 scale the 737 Classic series had until recently been rather ignored, which is surprising considering that even in 2015 it can still be found operating with a large number of airlines, including several in the USA. That has changed more recently with the new Aeroclassics mould but there still remain many 737 Classics that coud be made in 1:400.
B737-300 in 1/400 Scale
Before we take a look at the situation in 1:400 let's take a look at the B737-300 in real life:
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As of August 2016 in 1:400 there have been 166 B737-300s released. These models have been made by the manufacturers described in the table on the right. Although Aeroclassics came to the type late they have, as is often the case, been prolific. Below is a description of the moulds in 1:400 scale.
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Herpa B737-300 (2000)
Herpa struck first with the 737-300 releasing a single model in 2000. As is typical for Herpa they have since released only 12 models between 2000 and 2009! I don't own any of their series 300 models however the earliest of their examples are ruined by very high and unrealistically long nosegear legs. The nose also appears a little pointy. Later models seem to be much improved with new nosegear legs and look like decent efforts.
Herpa struck first with the 737-300 releasing a single model in 2000. As is typical for Herpa they have since released only 12 models between 2000 and 2009! I don't own any of their series 300 models however the earliest of their examples are ruined by very high and unrealistically long nosegear legs. The nose also appears a little pointy. Later models seem to be much improved with new nosegear legs and look like decent efforts.
Early Herpa release
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Later Herpa release
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Dragon Wings / Jet-X B737-300 (2000)
In 2000 Jet-X made a single AirCal 737-300 and this was followed by 16 Dragon Wings releases. The earliest Dragon releases suffered from an ugly elongated nosegear which you can see below on the New York Air example. This is made worse by the tiny nosegear. Then again some suffer the opposite and have very large nosegear wheels like the Shuttle by United example below. About half however don't have the same level of nosegear problems and aren't bad attempts at a 737-300. The nose isn't quite pointy enough and the wheels are always too large but overall the later Frontier (see below photos), Ansett and KLM examples are good models. Releases tailed off in 2003.
The difference new landing gear and better cockpit printing make is evident between these two Dragon Frontier 737s. The early example on the left is vastly inferior to the later one on the right:
Gemini Jets B737-300 Mould (2004)
Gemini produced their first 737-300 (a Deltaflot example) in 2004 and since then have dribbled out releases at a disappointingly slow rate of 14 in 10 years! I'm not sure why they were so slack with the mould as its perfectly presentable, though not perfect. Gemini always struggle to get their 737 noses correct and the series 300 shares some of the faults of their series 200 in that the nose is a little bit too long and duck-shaped. The wing seam join is also clunky and obvious compared to the Dragon Wings example. Their releases have been pretty ordinary too - mainly major US airlines plus Lufthansa and KLM though they did slip in an Aviacsa and Hooters Air. Overall the mould isn't bad but it certainly isn't much better than the Dragon effort if you ignore the Dragon gear problems.
Phoenix also used this mould 9 times between 2004 and 2009 for 3 Air Asia, 3 PIA, 2 Ansett and 1 Varig releases.
Comparison of Dragon Wings (Frontier) and Gemini Jets (US Airways) 737-300 Moulds in 1:400
Aeroclassics / Panda Models B737-300 Mould (2013)
Despite the type's popularity in the real world it took until 2013 for someone to get serious about the 737-300 and that was Aeroclassics (some models are released under the Blue Box brand). The mould is excellent and about the only criticism I can make is that perhaps the nosegear is a tiny bit long. Thankfully Aeroclassics have also been pumping out the models at a decent rate covering a splendid variety of airlines. The mould is one of those which has been caught up in the ongoing stoush with Kang Kai, who appear to be the real owner of it. They are now producing models using this mould under the Panda Models brand representing Chinese airlines. So far Aeroclassics have continued to be able to also release 737-300s and hopefully this will continue.
Despite the type's popularity in the real world it took until 2013 for someone to get serious about the 737-300 and that was Aeroclassics (some models are released under the Blue Box brand). The mould is excellent and about the only criticism I can make is that perhaps the nosegear is a tiny bit long. Thankfully Aeroclassics have also been pumping out the models at a decent rate covering a splendid variety of airlines. The mould is one of those which has been caught up in the ongoing stoush with Kang Kai, who appear to be the real owner of it. They are now producing models using this mould under the Panda Models brand representing Chinese airlines. So far Aeroclassics have continued to be able to also release 737-300s and hopefully this will continue.
Comparison of the Aeroclassics mould (America West) with the Dragon Wings (Frontier):
Comparison of the Aeroclassics mould (America West) with the Gemini Jets (US Airways):
Phoenix / Gemini Jets 737-300 Mould 2 (2014)
Sadly we have to save the worst till last as Phoenix in their refitting of rolling gears have produced a new 737-300 mould which is truly awful. I'm really not sure what they are thinking. An SF Airlines release in 2013 doesn't look too bad but the recent Western Pacific Simpsons releases is dreadful. The nose is way too long, the plane points upwards and I'm not sure what's going on with the maingear. Recently Gemini Jets have also begun to use this mould, probably because a version of it comes with winglets. In my opinion it is a poorer mould than the old Gemini version.
Sadly we have to save the worst till last as Phoenix in their refitting of rolling gears have produced a new 737-300 mould which is truly awful. I'm really not sure what they are thinking. An SF Airlines release in 2013 doesn't look too bad but the recent Western Pacific Simpsons releases is dreadful. The nose is way too long, the plane points upwards and I'm not sure what's going on with the maingear. Recently Gemini Jets have also begun to use this mould, probably because a version of it comes with winglets. In my opinion it is a poorer mould than the old Gemini version.
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B737-400 in 1/400 Scale
The longer but otherwise similar to the series 300 737-400 has seen treatments from the same mould makers as its shorter brethren, except that Aeroclassics have yet to enter the ring. 64 models have been produced up till August 2016. These are broken down as follows:
Here's the B737-400 in real life:
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Herpa B737-400 & Dragon Wings / Jet-X B737-400 Moulds (2000)
I don't own either of these moulds but they appear to be almost exact copies of their 737-300 counterparts (except for their lengths obviously) and therefore share all the same faults. The nosegear doors on the Dragon seem to be larger however and the Dragons exhibit the same selection of gear too small (JTA), too large (Virgin Express, Pan Am) or only slightly too large (Skynet Asia, Alaska). You might be able to live with some of them but check out the photos first to see what you're getting.
Gemini Jets B737-400 (2003)
Like the Herpa and Dragon efforts this mould shares the same issues as its series 300 counterpart. That being said its not a bad mould, though not perfect, with good printing (like the SF below) it looks pretty sharp. As well as the 23 Geminis Phoenix used it for 19 versions also up till 2013, by which time it had rolling gears fitted (which improved the look of the mould). The nose/cockpit area looks a bit odd on this US Air example but that isn't the case on the rest of the releases it seems.
Phoenix 737-400 Mould (2013)
Phoenix as with their 737-300 mould also updated the series 400 and it shares most of the same issues the 300 has. The nose still seems too long to me and their cockpit window printing is often questionable on the right hand side (see the LOT below). They've only used it 4 times so far and I assume that it will also turn up on Gemini releases given time. I'd rather see Aeroclassics enter the series 400 market but that now seems unlikely to happen.
Phoenix as with their 737-300 mould also updated the series 400 and it shares most of the same issues the 300 has. The nose still seems too long to me and their cockpit window printing is often questionable on the right hand side (see the LOT below). They've only used it 4 times so far and I assume that it will also turn up on Gemini releases given time. I'd rather see Aeroclassics enter the series 400 market but that now seems unlikely to happen.
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Here are all three of the Gemini Jets 737 Classic moulds together:
