El Aviador 400 Models |
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Updated: December 2023
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YEARS: 2020-2022
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# OF MODELS MADE: 12
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El Aviador has recently burst onto the 400 scale scene producing a new variety of Latin airliners partnering so far with the Aeroclassics factory and Panda Models for production. Since, aside from Aeroclassics, 400 scale is starved of classics it is very welcome to see the appearance of another brand that is mainly interested in serving this market. The market itself certainly seems one that has potential citing just two examples - recent sales of AeroPeru models by Aeroclassics, and how expensive and rare VARIG releases are in general.
I first wrote about El Aviador 400 scale models in January 2021 but with their increasing range it seems a brand page is more fitting than just a blog entry. See here for my initial blog entry on EAV400:
El Aviador itself is a Texas based online store that sells a wide variety of brands and manufacturer's models across 200 and 400 scale. Since at least 2019 they have partnered with Inflight too release a line of 200 scale models using a wide variety of Inflight's moulds (A320, 727-100/200, 737-200, 757, 767-300, C-130, DC-9-30 and L-1011 Tristar). These models cover a great range of airlines mainly dating from the 1980s and 1990s and if they merely repeated this production in 400 scale that would be a great line.
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El Aviador's move into 400 scale has seen them apply the same philosophy as in 200 scale i.e. partner with a brand or two and use their mould back catalogue to produce a range of colourful Latin classics mainly from the 80s-00s. Unlike most other retailer based brands El Aviador has chosen to brand its releases so they are immediately recognisable. The first pair of releases featured the TACA 75th Anniversary Airbus A321 and LACSA 1980s colours 727-200.
Following on from these somewhat surprisingly the next trio of releases featured the Lockheed L-188 Electra in the colours of SAHSA Honduras, TAME Ecuador and the Mexican Air Force. Although these models were slightly delayed beyond their original March/April release date by Covid they are all out on the market now. |
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As well as branding their models El Aviador has partnered with many other retailers in North and South America to sell them so they can be found at stores such as Ezytoys, Waffle Collectibles and The Airplane Collection.
Additionally unlike in 200 scale El Aviador has partnered with a 2nd manufacturer to increase the range of models it can get made. It's 6th and 7th releases were not with Aeroclassics but instead through Panda Models in the form of a 737-300 and 737-800. Both models were received onto the market in late July / early August 2021. |
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September 2021 Releases
El Aviador appeared intent on continuing to release one or two models per month and announced its 8th and 9th releases, both of which represented 737-200s using the excellent Aeroclassics 737-200 mould.
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November 2021 Release Abandoned?
The 10th El Aviador 400 release was announced on August 14, 2021 and was supposed to be using the Panda models Airbus A320 mould to make a Mexicana Oneworld livered aircraft registered XA-MXK:
Oddly this model has never actually appeared, perhaps partly because Aeroclassics made exactly the same model not long afterwards.
Last Releases?
El Aviador did make further models via Panda Models and its last three announcements were all 737s using the Panda series 300,400 and 800 moulds. These three models all released during 2022 appear to have been El Aviador's last foray into 400 scale, although they are still very active in the larger 200 scale.
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All Releases To Date
El Aviador @ Yesterday's Airlines
I am a big fan of these colourful and interesting releases and am proud to have been able to acquire and review several of them. Check out the following links for my detailed reviews of these fine models:
