JC Wings: A Friendly Face in 1:400

Being involved in collecting and reporting on 1:400 scale models can sometimes be an unfriendly experience. Most collectors are pretty decent but the manufacturers themselves are often less interested in engaging positively with their customers. It is therefore with much happiness that I can report how positive my interactions with JC Wings are. They may take ages to release many models they announce but in most other ways they are a model manufacturer, if you pardon the pun!

I've copped a fair amount of flak from the manufacturers for daring to report on and review their models and the models of their competitors. I know that Jon Champs over at 1:400 Reviews and Donald from Diecast Flier have at times also incurred the wrath of various people with skin in the game. I am pleased to say that JC Wings are not one of the companies that has ever given me grief - in fact quite the opposite they have been encouraging.

JC Wings have come along nicely as a model manufacturer in 1:400 scale in recent years. Yes they usually take an age to release models they announce but in recent years they have spent a fortune on new moulds, which have often been excellent. They aren't all by a long shot (the A320s are poor) but in general the company has been innovative and made good models.

For more on this see my other JC posts:

• Investing in the Future: JC Wings' New Moulds
• 1:400 Review of 2017: JC Wings

I'd prefer a wider range of subject matter myself, especially as they have so many moulds, but as I understand it they are constrained somewhat by their relationship with Gemini Jets whom they make models for (or at least a division of JC Wings does).

Despite what some have accused me of I don't receive free models from manufacturers in return for writing about them. To be honest I'm not actually against the idea as my writing would still be as honest as usual. The only company I have ever received a free model from is JC Wings. Last September my JC Wings contact sent me a free model to review of an airplane close to his heart. I felt quite bad at the time as I ended up reviewing the model and it didn't do very well. Nonetheless it was a pleasant gesture and I really appreciated the encouragement he gave me.

The RTAF A340-500 JC Wings sent me last year. It scored 22 out of 30.

If you want to read the review of that model it can be found here:

A Second Chance: Royal Thai Air Force Airbus A340-541 HS-TYV by JC Wings

I'd like to think this proves that I'm no soft touch to people that send me things (not that anyone else does)!

Anyway recently I reviewed a Phoenix Xiamen Airlines Boeing 787-9 in the UN sustainability colours and after that my JC contact expressed interest in sending me their new release version with which to do a comparison. I could hardly refuse and good to his word the box arrived a couple of weeks later. When I opened it I got a surprise as not only had he included the Xiamen 787 but he'd also slipped in a Hainan 737 MAX-8 and a Ukrainian 777-200 with flaps down.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank JC Wings for their continuing support and for having faith enough in their models that they are willing to send them to me knowing that I may not review them favourably. I will certainly try and work these models into my review schedule over the next few months.

If only other manufacturers were as friendly, generous and honest as JC Wings I think the collectors would be better off. Anyway it was a nice gesture by them and it'll be interesting to see how the models fare. A first glance suggests JC have sent some of their strongest models across and why not.

P.S: For the several that have asked I am not at liberty to give out JC Wings contact details