I own 1,526 models made by Aeroclassics, which probably puts me in the top 10 customers for the brand globally. Certainly, I am obviously a massive fan of their models, if not their owner. He harps on about a lack of innovation in the scale, which is nonsensical, but where is the innovation from Aeroclassics? Well they've recently made a couple of A320s with the double-bogey, fitted only to some of the Indian Airlines 320s. That is innovative, but are they any good?
Today is the first day of the China Beijing International Model Expo 2024, being held at the Beijing Exhibition Hall Theater for the next 3 days. Panda Models have a stand at the fair and are using it to announce their latest new 400 scale mould, which is the big MDD trijet the McDonnell Douglas MD-11.
For a long time it seemed Phoenix was content to just churn out the same old Asian models on weak moulds ad infinitum, while more active newer brands stole their marketshare. That is no longer the case. In the past year Phoenix have shown commendable agility, and have pivoted towards a wider diversity, of often classic models. They have also updated several moulds and now they are going to be making a type all new to 400 scale - the Ilyushin Il-96-400.
JC Wings has a huge mould back catalogue thanks to it being formed from the brands Blue Box and Jet-X, plus making a lot of new moulds over the past 16 or so years, plus acquiring the BigBird / Witty Wings / Apollo mould catalogue as well. Some of these old moulds are excellent and some are a lot less so. One that definitely falls into the latter category is the Airbus A300, but that hasn't stopped Gemini Jets from finding the old casting, dusting it off, upgrading it a little and releasing a new Emirates version on it.
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I'm Richard Stretton, an aviation enthusiast and major collector of 400 scale model aircraft. This blog discusses ongoing events in the world of 400 scale. This site is free. Please donate to keep it going.
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