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

​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.

I have written about the history of the Hangar Club before - see:

The Hangar Club: 400 Scale Hangar Specials

This is the second new Hangar Club model since the change in ownership at 400SH. Previous to that the last new model was HC-051 back in 2015. Although labelled HC-051 that was in fact the 53rd HangarClub model as two previous ones had had A/B versions. The first of the reborn Hangar Club models was HC-052, an Air Canada Lockheed Tristar in the Air Lanka hybrid colours:

This latest example follows the pattern of that release and many of the previous ones, leveraging an existing Aeroclassics model and creating a version that uses much of the same printing design. In this case Aeroclassics released in September both a United Airlines Saul Bass 727-22 N7026U (AC419764) and an Alaska Airlines 727-21 N316AS (AC419762). The Hangar Club special is able to use parts of the design of both to represent one of the 727s Alaska leased from United and operated in a hybrid scheme.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 727-22 N7054U (HC-053)

As with all Hangar Club Models this one comes with its own laminated card featuring the history of the airframe:

It also indicates that this is model number 8 of only 48 units made.

There aren't many photos of the aircraft in this hybrid scheme about - here's one by Perry Hoppe from Airliners.net:

I'll discuss how this aircraft fits into the history of Alaska Airlines in an upcoming avhistory blog article but here I'll give the model a quick review in my usual style.

THE MODEL

The format for my reviews is to split them into three key areas:

• The mould of the aircraft
• The paint and livery
• Printing and quality control

Each can get a maximum score of 10 for a section giving a maximum combined total score of 30.

THE MOULD

Just recently I reviewed a TAESA 727-100 release by Aeroclassics and I am quite happy with this mould despite its age. Yes it isn't perfect but it is perfectly serviceable and I am glad to see it return after six years in the wilderness. I got a bit of a hard time from a couple of people over my scoring of the mould but to my eye it's failings are relatively minor. 

Plus Points

Good nose and cockpit region
Good fuselage shape
Discrete seam line under wing
Nice #1 and #3 engines
Correctly shaped #2 engine intake
Nice undercarriage

Minus Points

No aerials
Two seams
Tail angle incorrect at top forward
​Rear tail shape slightly incorrect

Yes it looks like a pre-2010 model but a good one and putting a couple of aerials on it and adding wheelhubs isn't going to make much of a difference to a 727. It is the best 727-100 by some distance. Arguably it could be a 7 but I'm happy with an 8.

SCORE - 8

PAINT & LIVERY

The classic Saul Bass welded to the classic Alaska titles and Chester. The colours are all good with the Saul Bass Rainbow nice and bright, titles black and Chester a dark blue. 

The only complaint I have is that Chester himself is a little too large. If you check the photo above of the real aircraft you'll note that the lower edge of Chester's hood should be higher up the tail.

SCORE - 9

PRINTING & QUALITY CONTROL

I can lift the same text from my TAESA article here since Aeroclassics reproduces the same elements for all its 727s. There are good parts like the extra flap details and emergency markings on the overwing, and less good parts. The tail is a little bereft of detailing as there is no printing of the rudder line. Aeroclassics relies on the mould detailing for that but it is rather hidden by the painting.

The cockpit printing on this model uses the standard template, which has the central cockpit windows not high enough giving a slightly stern look.

Construction of the model is very good, although it would be nice if Aeroclassics painted the insides of the engines. The fanblades on the numbers 1 and 3 engines remain unpainted plasticky light grey.

SCORE - 8
​

CONCLUSION

There are lots of 727-100s to be made and nobody else interested in making them other than Aeroclassics. This example was one I highlighted in my mega-wishlist for the type so I am super happy to see it produced:

Trijet Reborn: A 727-100 Wishlist

Yes it isn't NG Models but as I said for the TAESA "it is a really nice release built and printed to the usual Aeroclassics standard. You certainly know what you’re getting when you buy Aeroclassics and for this sort of model that is fine by me." I hope to see more interesting models like this from the Hangar Club in the future.

There will be an accompanying post in the avhistory blog putting this model into its context within Alaska Airlines' history so keep an eye out for that.

​FINAL SCORE - 25