Douglas DC-8 Super 60 Series Moulds
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Updated: March 2025 |
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Aeroclassics DC-8-63s
The April 1965 announcement of the Super Sixties series saved the DC-8 from being a failure. In fact it re-energised the production line and created the largest jetliner of the time. By the time production ceased, in 1972, of the 556 DC-8s built 262 were series 61/62/63s. As well as the US majors, United and Delta, the stretch Eights were very popular with supplemental airlines and cargo companies offering great range/payload on their South-east Asian Vietnam contracts.
All three variants were retrofitted in the early 80s with new CFM56-2 Turbofan engines making them into DC-8-71/72 or 73s and I'll cover those variants in another review.
Aeroclassics DC-8-62s
DC-8 Super 60 in 1:400 Scale
Although there have been multiple Series 60s moulds, ignoring the DeAgostini versions, they have all come from Gemini Jets and Aeroclassics, both of whom have modified their original moulds. However, it is only Aeroclassics that have put the effort into creating the modified wing of the Super 62/63s (see later sections of this review). As is usually the case Aeroclassics has used its moulds extensively. The Super 62/63s saw plenty of usage from 2008-2012, 2015-2017, 2020-2022 and most recently some 62s in 2024/25. Gemini Jets usage of its super 61 mould was almost entirely during the early days of the scale from 2000-2005, aside from single examples in 2006, 2007 and, after a massive gap, in 2018.
DeAgostini's JAL Collection utilised new, but rather anachronistic, series 61 and 62 moulds in 2020.
DC-8 Super 60 Variants
The DC-8-61 represented a mammoth double stretch of the original DC-8 body (6.1m before the wing and 5.1m after it) and sacrificed range for passenger load. It could seat over 250 people and entered service with United in February 1967. The DC-8-62 had two smaller 1m stretches, but also featured an extended wing (3ft / 0.91m), plus redesigned engine pods and pylons. It could seat up to 189 passengers and had fabulous range. Finally the ultimate DC-8, the series 63, had the body of the 61 with the wing and engines of the 62. It entered service in June 1968.
DC-8-61
Felix Goetting (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2 ), via Wikimedia Commons
DC-8-62
Tim Rees (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2 ), via Wikimedia Commons
DC-8-63
Felix Goetting (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2 ), via Wikimedia Commons
Moulds
Gemini Jets Mould 1a (2001) - DC-8-61
Gemini's original DC-8-61 mould dates from 2001 and shares the standard features of early Gemini moulds - simple undercarriage and a rear seam at the tail. The mould is actually pretty good and shares the nose of their shorter DC-8-51 mould. Being so much longer the slightly chunky nature of the nose is better hidden. The worst thing about the mould is that the nosegear seems too short sometimes, but its a relatively minor niggle. They produced 6 US examples with 2 of them re-released as Schucos between 2001 and 2004:
Gemini Jets Mould 1b (2007) - DC-8-61
Gemini have returned to the DC-8-61 only twice more and that was in 2007 when they released a version in the colours of Capitol Airways and another in the colours of Loftleidir Icelandic. These 2 utilised a new one piece fuselage, which didn't have the seam, and they also modified the nose-gear doors, though now if anything they are too big. Still its a great mould.
Gemini Jets DC-8-61 Mould (2007)
This mould returned once more in June 2018 for an Eastern example that was refitted a single rooftop aerial also:
Here's a closer comparison of the two Gemini Jets DC-8-61 Moulds - as you can see they did a better job with the cockpit windows on the Capitol too:
Aeroclassics Mould 1 (2004) - DC-8-61 & 63
Aeroclassics entered the Super 60 market in 2004 with their own mould - though it looks like two of the earliest releases were for BigBird. The mould is nice except that the nose is a bit pointy and certainly inferior to later Aeroclassics DC-8s made. 9 models were made between 2004 and 2007 for the series 61 and 13 models were made between 2004 and 2007 for the series 63. The differences between the wingspan and engine pylon join were correctly replicated for the wing of the series 61 and 63.
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Below left: Series 61 wing
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Below right: Series 63 wing
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Aeroclassics DC-8-62 Mould 1a (2004)
Aeroclassics also produced series 62 mould in 2004, but as this needed a new fuselage it doesn't match the 61/63 fuselage. This is beneficial as this mould has a better shaped nose than the series 61 version. This initial version was not used heavily and they produced only 6 models for the Series 62 (including 1 for Gemini and 2 for BigBird) up to 2007.
Aeroclassics Mould 2 (2008) - DC-8-61/62/63
Fortunately Aeroclassics came good in 2008 and created the definitive DC-8-61/63 mould with a new fuselage featuring a much superior nose, and rolling gears. These moulds have been used extensively, especially for Super 63s. They are superb. For a review of an example of the series 63 see:
Here's a close-up of the old (National) and new (Trans International) Aeroclassics moulds showing the significant difference between the nose and landing gear:
Aeroclassics DC-8-62 Mould 1b (2008)
In 2008 Aeroclassics updated their mould with rolling gears which has made an already fine mould exceptionally good. Since then they have used the mould a lot (including 7 Jellybean Braniffs). For a review of an example of the series 62 see:
See this article for a comparison of the old and new version of the DC-8-62:
De Agostini / Jet Hut Mould (2020) - DC-8-61/62
A pair of DC-8s were made for the JAL Collection magazine and I have reviewed the mould here at the site. For that review click the image below:
The JAL Collection Super 62:
