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Taobao Arrivals - Dream Air / Panda / NG Models

21/10/2020

The Chinese market often gets releases well before those of us in the West and looking around Chinese sellers can often turn up new information and releases that you might otherwise miss out on. Checking around the past few days has turned up just such releases and announcements from Panda Models, Dream Air and NG Models.

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Local Service Airlines: Missing Models

14/10/2020

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The local service airlines had their routes in a postwar need for service to smaller communities and feeder routes into the the trunk services of the majors. Initially called simply 'Feeder Airlines' in July 1944 by the CAB they became known as 'Local Service' airlines when the survivors were certificated permanently in 1955. These airlines grew into majors over time and have had a decent representation in 400 scale, however there are significant gaps still to be filled.

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HC-053: 400 Scale Hangar's Latest Club Model

1/10/2020

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400 Scale Hangar (found at www.400scalehangar.net) is one of the original homes of 400 Scale on the web. Now under new ownership it is back producing, in partnership with Aeroclassics, the Hangar Club models that the site is famous for. Thanks to Paresh at 400SH I was recently able to purchase the latest Hangar Club offering – a really nice hybrid 727-22 made in very limited numbers.

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Indonesia Ahoy: Starting A New Collection

18/9/2020

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Given the number of models I own I really ought not to be starting new areas of the collection, but the post-deregulation period in developing nations has always been of real interest to me and Indonesia in particular is super interesting. In recent years there has been a nice selection of relatively obscure releases made, often in partnership with retailers, and even though I know I shouldn't have recently I started an Indonesian fleet too.

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Yu ModeLs & The Return of the Tu-154

12/9/2020

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I was alerted today by my good friend Minh Quân Nguyễn that some new Tupolev 154s had mysteriously appeared on taobao. A quick search revealed there were two new releases using the Aeroclassics mould, but not made by Aeroclassics. Indeed, they are being marketed as Yu ModeLs - a new brand in 1:400 scale. Read on to learn more...

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The Final Hangar Addition

4/9/2020

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It has been clear for sometime that my 400 scale collecting has gotten well out of hand and of course with lots of models you need lots of box storage and lots of display cabinets. Just this past week or two I have slotted in what is potentially the final piece in the hangar display system and which has finally allowed me to retire my first cabinet. Read on for a tour of the changes to the US part of the fleet.

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New JC Wings Flaps Down 747-400 Mould

13/8/2020

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Way back in August 2018 I was able to announce that JC Wings were working on a new 747-400 mould and was even able to show some photos of a near finished mould. It obviously hasn't been a high priority for them as here we are in August 2020 and they've only just announced the first release using the new 'flaps down' version. Thanks to JC Wings and my friend JagT747 I have been able to access some new photos of the finished mould and here they are.

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Aeroclassics August 2020 Releases

8/8/2020

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You've got to hand it to Aeroclassics they have motored through the Covid crisis, changed their sales over to aeroclassicsdirect.com and are still producing an excellent variety of 400 scale models. Last month's set saw the return of the 747 and 727-100. There are no 747s this month but the choices of release on other types sure make up for that.

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New Collection Additions: April/May 2020

18/6/2020

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I am very happy to say that New Zealand is out the other side of its lockdown, and now we are level 1 almost everything is back to normal. Things that aren't are international travel and postage so it has taken some time for models to reach me. Nonetheless 14 models did make it through in the past two months, many of which have already received detailed reviews.

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Big Prop Wishlist 2: Diesel Fours

17/6/2020

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There is a dearth of coverage in 1:400 scale of the 1940s and 1950s, partly because the models are small in 1:400, older collectors have gravitated to 1:200 and also because the modern collector only seems to care about A350s and 787s. That's a real shame but doesn't mean there is no hope for more DC-4s. Of course, the one hope remaining is Aeroclassics.

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Big Prop Wishlist 1: Short Nosed Super Connies

11/5/2020

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Prop releases in 1:400 are rare nowadays but there are still some large holes in the fleet despite Aeroclassics' best efforts. The original Super Connie for example has barely been touched and like the early jet 707s is a major missing space in a seminal period of aviation history.

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New Collection Additions: March 2020

27/4/2020

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March was the month level 4 lockdown began for New Zealand and there was further dislocation to the manufacturing of 1:400 scale, with most companies delaying new releases. Even so there are always older models to acquire and with my job holding on for the timebeing I was able to take advantage of some nice Aeroclassics sales.

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The Return of HYJLwings

25/4/2020

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The last time that HYJLwings released an A321 was way back in December 2018 and since then NG Models have begun to use the HYJLwings mould for own-branded A321s. It seems however that after a break HYJLwings, or the name at least, is back - with a new trio of Chinese A321s scheduled for May.

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Holiday: A Euro 737-300 Wishlist

16/4/2020

2 Comments

The Panda Models 737-300 mould (once used by Aeroclassics also) is massively under-used. Panda has shown some interest in it, most recently with some easyjet and Jet2 examples but frankly they could be a lot more active. There are many series 300s left to be made and most exciting of these for me are the European charter airlines that took people to the sun and snow during the 80s, 90s and, with LCCs, even into the 2000s.

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Aviation400 April 2020 Releases

12/4/2020

4 Comments

Aviation400 has gained something of a reputation for long lead times with its releases, somewhat in the vain of JC Wings. It was last June that they announced a trio of military A330s seemingly suggesting that they would also be adding the extra elements to the models to make them realistic as tankers. It has been 10 months but the trio have just hit the shops alongside some more standard A350s and a 777. Have AV400 done what they said they would?

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<<Previous

Taobao Arrivals - Dream Air / Panda / NG Models

Local Service Airlines: Missing Models

HC-053: 400 Scale Hangar's Latest Club Model

Indonesia Ahoy: Starting A New Collection

Yu ModeLs & The Return of the Tu-154

The Final Hangar Addition

New JC Wings Flaps Down 747-400 Mould

Aeroclassics August 2020 Releases

New Collection Additions: April/May 2020

Big Prop Wishlist 2: Diesel Fours

Big Prop Wishlist 1: Short Nosed Super Connies

New Collection Additions: March 2020

The Return of HYJLwings

Holiday: A Euro 737-300 Wishlist

Aviation400 April 2020 Releases

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