Dakota Face-off: DC-3 Moulds in 1:400 |
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The DC-3 is so central to the story of aviation that you'd have to either be a modern collector or have an aversion to props not to have one in your collection. Having said that the DC-3 is one of the smallest moulds made in 1:400 and hasn't seen many releases in recent years.
63 DC-3s have been made in this scale - 26 of which are from the USA.
There are two major moulds - Aeroclassics and JC Wings:
I don't own either of those but the Herpa mould looks too long and has simple undercarriage struts. I have recently acquired 2 JC Wings examples and comparing them to the Aeroclassics mould it is surprising how different they actually are. So I thought I'd do a quick comparison:
63 DC-3s have been made in this scale - 26 of which are from the USA.
There are two major moulds - Aeroclassics and JC Wings:
- 48 of the made models use the Aeroclassics mould (AC and PAMC)
- 9 use the JC Wings moulds (5 Gemini and 4 JC Wings)
- Additionally Herpa have made 4 and Hogan 2.
I don't own either of those but the Herpa mould looks too long and has simple undercarriage struts. I have recently acquired 2 JC Wings examples and comparing them to the Aeroclassics mould it is surprising how different they actually are. So I thought I'd do a quick comparison:
Aeroclassics (Northeast) vs JC Wings (TAA) DC-3 Moulds
Aeroclassics (BEA) vs JC Wings (Aeronaves De Mexico) DC-3 Moulds
Fuselage: The biggest most obvious difference is that the AC mould looks distinctly dumpy compared to the JC Wings almost having a teardrop shape. The JC mould seems longer and is a lot slimmer. Its unusual for a 1:400 mould to have such different proportions. I'm probably preferring the JC mould but in some photos the Dak looks dumpy and some slimmer. Here's one of each:
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Aeroclassics (Northeast) vs JC Wings (TAA) DC-3 Moulds
Aeroclassics (BEA) vs JC Wings (Aeronaves De Mexico) DC-3 Moulds
Tail: The AC tail is much rounder whilst the JC tail has an almost squared off appearance round the top. Again the JC mould looks smaller overall but that is assisted by being closer to the ground at the rear too. Looking at photos I think the JC version is probably better.
Undercarriage: The JC Wings moulds is much more recent (c.2009) so it isn't too surprising that the wheels and struts are better detailed than on the Aeroclassics.
Nose: One of the clearest differences is in the nose. The Aeroclassics has a very rounded nose whilst the JC Wings releases have a longer, thinner more pointed nosecone. Looking at photos it does appear that some DC-3s were equipped with a much more pointed radome (I assume due to addition of radar?) so I guess the AC version and JC Wings version are both valid:
Undercarriage: The JC Wings moulds is much more recent (c.2009) so it isn't too surprising that the wheels and struts are better detailed than on the Aeroclassics.
Nose: One of the clearest differences is in the nose. The Aeroclassics has a very rounded nose whilst the JC Wings releases have a longer, thinner more pointed nosecone. Looking at photos it does appear that some DC-3s were equipped with a much more pointed radome (I assume due to addition of radar?) so I guess the AC version and JC Wings version are both valid:
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Wings: The seam on both the moulds is quite pronounced which is hard to avoid on such a small mould without making it one piece. The JC seam is shorter and curvier, fits the true junction point line and looks a bit better I think.
JC seems to largely be out of the classics game of recent and Aeroclassics hasn't released a DC-3 for ages so oddly it is only Gemini that have been making DC-3s recently. They have annoyed me a bit though by doing a Gemini! What I mean is that in their refusal to do classics they've been making 'classic's which are modern (like with the FAA CV-580). So their United DC-3 was never a United DC-3 but is a currently flying airshow example.
Regardless since the DC-3 was such a massive part of the aviation scene there are lots I'd like to be done - especially the many Local Service Airline DC-3s (like Allegheny, Ozark and Central) that provided the majority of the flying to small destinations throughout the 1950s and early 60s.
JC seems to largely be out of the classics game of recent and Aeroclassics hasn't released a DC-3 for ages so oddly it is only Gemini that have been making DC-3s recently. They have annoyed me a bit though by doing a Gemini! What I mean is that in their refusal to do classics they've been making 'classic's which are modern (like with the FAA CV-580). So their United DC-3 was never a United DC-3 but is a currently flying airshow example.
Regardless since the DC-3 was such a massive part of the aviation scene there are lots I'd like to be done - especially the many Local Service Airline DC-3s (like Allegheny, Ozark and Central) that provided the majority of the flying to small destinations throughout the 1950s and early 60s.
JC-Wings DC-3s