Aerospatiale / BAC Concorde in 1:400 Scale
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Updated: October 2025
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What can I say about Concorde that hasn’t already been said? The programme began as just one of multiple supersonic transport initiatives that in the late 1960s were confidently expected to form a considerable chunk of the future airline fleets flying businessmen to and fro, with widebody jets fulfilling the mass transit role for economy class passengers.
Concorde was the smallest of the supersonic transports and the only survivor. Even so, the economic and environmental (see noise) issues the aircraft faced during the early 1970s almost saw its demise. The healthy order and options backlog the type had gained dwindled to almost nought, as the politics got in the way of a fine design, leaving Air France and British Airways to somewhat reluctantly take on their government’s aircraft.
Fortunately, the type’s mystique and unique qualities gained it a desirable niche across the Atlantic and over time the host airlines came to find Concorde to be an asset rather than a white elephant, although it must be said BA always seemed to get better use out of its aircraft than Air France. I certainly remember the amazement of seeing Concorde take-off at Heathrow. One experience of driving along the perimeter road when a Concorde unexpectedly roared off the tarmac next to our car was particularly unforgettable to a 10 year old.
Socatec Concordes
As the 21st century dawned I sometimes considered how long Concorde could go on for, especially following the unfortunate crash on July 25, 2000, which was arguably nothing to do with the aircraft itself. The type’s service with BA finally came to and end on October 24, 2003 and all the airframes were eagerly snapped up by museums around the world.
Aerospatiale / BAC Concorde in 400 Scale
Despite the prominence and popularity of the Concorde, in recent years it has been largely ignored in 400 scale until a resurgance in 2025. There have been only five moulds due to, I assume, the paucity of livery options. The Gemini Jets mould dates all the way from 2001 and has been used by far the most. The Dragon mould has been used only 10 times and for a highly eclectic bunch of models (no BA or Air France examples). In keeping with their profile, Herpa, has produced a mould for a rare type and used it infrequently. This is a shame as their mould is excellent. The other version is equally nice and owned by the French store Socatec and in recent years it has been the standard bearer for the type in the scale. Gemini and JC Wings still use the old Gemini mould from time to time.
Aerospatiale / BAC Concorde Droop Nose
From a configuration perspective the droop nose and visor of the aircraft provides for 4 distinct profiles. For more on this see:
NOSE & VISOR UP - inflight and parked mode
Eduard Marmet, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons
NOSE UP / VISOR DOWN - short subsonic cruise
Michel Gilliand (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2 ), via Wikimedia Commons
NOSE DOWN 5 DEGREES - taxi mode
_British_Airways._(8874219379).jpg)
Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
NOSE DOWN 12.5 DEGREES - landing mode
Eduard Marmet, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons
In theory this gives model manufacturers four different moulds they could make, or one with a moveable nosecone and visor, but nobody has taken up the initiative in 400 scale. All models made to date illustrate Concorde in flight mode (although admittedly often when parked the aircraft nose was also fully raised). This is a shame as Herpa have produced a droop nose mould in the smaller 500 scale. Here it is:
Herpa 1:500 Scale drooping nose Concorde
Concorde Moulds
Gemini Jets (2001)
The Gemini Jets mould is a classic of 400 scale and forms one of the many solid and reliable moulds that started Gemini off and has served them so well. As you'd expect from such an old mould it is rather obsolescent nowadays and showing its age. Nonetheless Gemini and its partner JC Wings continue to use it, albeit infrequently, and it has been updated slightly, with the addition of the single forward aerial (at least sometimes anyway). While clearly a reasonable representation of the type it is dated. The shape of the nose, cockpit and tailcone isn't correct and the undercarriage rather simplistic.
The mould still gets the odd run out and although JC Wings added the roof line aerial Gemini have not bothered. The mould completely lacks the long roofline longitudinal humps of the real thing.
A 2017 release shows little change from those from 2001
Phoenix have used this mould a few times between 2004 and 2009 to produce some fantasy schemes such as this pair:
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Black Box commissioned several US fantasies as well such as Eastern Air Lines:
Dragon Wings (2003)
Dragon barely used their own Concorde mould, with the majority of the releases being fantasy Jet-X Braniff examples. They are however the only brand to have made the prototype scheme. The mould is ok but rather marred by the deep lines on the wings and vertical stabiliser. The undercarriage is arguably superior to that on the Gemini Jets version, at least there are maingear doors. As is often the case with Dragon moulds the separate tail has an obvious join with the fuselage. Overall this mould isn't going to win any prizes but there isn't much choice if you want the schemes Dragon made.
Dragon barely used their own Concorde mould, with the majority of the releases being fantasy Jet-X Braniff examples. They are however the only brand to have made the prototype scheme. The mould is ok but rather marred by the deep lines on the wings and vertical stabiliser. The undercarriage is arguably superior to that on the Gemini Jets version, at least there are maingear doors. As is often the case with Dragon moulds the separate tail has an obvious join with the fuselage. Overall this mould isn't going to win any prizes but there isn't much choice if you want the schemes Dragon made.
Herpa (2004)
I admit to not being a big fan of Herpa models in 400 scale but just sometimes, not often I admit, they have an excellent mould and this Concorde surely qualifies as being one of their best. It looks fabulous with a lovely pointy nose and tailcone, and great cockpit contours. Plus the undercarriage is detailed, fine and well proportioned. Unfortunately, Herpa being Herpa they have only used the mould 7 times - the last in 2011. Three of those releases are Air France in the 90s scheme. It appeared the mould was gone but read on.
I admit to not being a big fan of Herpa models in 400 scale but just sometimes, not often I admit, they have an excellent mould and this Concorde surely qualifies as being one of their best. It looks fabulous with a lovely pointy nose and tailcone, and great cockpit contours. Plus the undercarriage is detailed, fine and well proportioned. Unfortunately, Herpa being Herpa they have only used the mould 7 times - the last in 2011. Three of those releases are Air France in the 90s scheme. It appeared the mould was gone but read on.
Socatec v1 (2012)
Around 2012 the French store Socatec, which had previously used the Gemini Concorde, commissioned their own mould. Several aspects of the mould are superior to the Gemini, but unfortunately the nose was rather blunt and the cockpit printing poor. These could, and can still, be found on eBay often at cheap prices.
Socatec v2 (2017)
In 2017 an unusual model appeared on Taobao. A new Concorde in the colours of CAAC. The model was sold as made by the new Aviation400. I didn't acquire it but it looked good and was apparently a celebration of the return of the AV400 brand and their first model.
In 2020 a trio of Socatec Concordes also surfaced using the same mould and it is a heavily updated and improved version of the original Socatec variant. The mould is very similar to the excellent Herpa Concorde. The main differences are a slight change in the shape of the seam at the front of the wing and that the undercarriage has been changed. The mould is almost as nice as the Herpa and superior to the other 400 scale Concordes.
In 2025 a selection of further Concordes were commissioned using this mould for Aviation Retail Direct in the UK (5x British Airways) and Socatec (now OneBird) in France (4x Air France). These models were made at the Aviation400 factory, but I am told the mould is owned by Socatec. For a review of one of these latest Concordes see:
Also check out the unboxing video: