Panda Models October Announcements

I admit I can't quite get a handle on Panda Models release schedule, which seems often rather random. Certainly they are still making almost as many models for exclusives for retailers as they are for themselves. However, they have just announced their next batch of 6 models bringing their 2022 announcements to 17. 

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Previous Releases

The last batch of releases announced by Panda Models are now out and apparently on their way to retailers. These included a trio of Tu-134s and a pair of Tu-214s. They look great and I'm looking forward to adding all the 134s to my fleet. Here are the photos from taobao:

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October Announcements

This month's releases swing back towards the US with a collection of Boeings:

The pair of Varig 737-400s had already been posted about and appear effectively ready for sale so presumably we'll see those very soon:

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The other four releases are all 737-800s and will use the newer Panda 737-800 mould, which is excellent. Hopefully they won't have any issues with windowline height printing as some releases have had. 

The livery choices are the usual random bunch. MIAT has suddenly started getting a lot of interest in 400 scale. Until 2021 there were no MIAT releases and now we have a 767-300 (JC Wings), 2 787-9s (NG Models and JC Wings) and this pair of 737-800s. It is a lovely livery so it's not a bad thing:

The United Star Alliance series 800 with split scimitars is less interesting since it has recently been made by NG Models, albeit that was N14219. Oddly of the 16 China Southern Airlines 737-800s that have been made only one exists with the standard colours and no winglets, and that was made by Phoenix way back in 2012. This one should be comfortably better:

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Summary

This is a nice set of releases albeit a small one. Given the part numbers suggest some of these 737s are in the 30s in terms of models designed by Panda this year when they have released only 17 it suggests they have a backlog of other models on the way. I have nothing against them releasing 737s, however for me it is the Tu-134s that interest me. Of this set I can't really come up with an excuse to get the MIATs but I suspect I will try and acquire the CZ 737-800 and at least one of the Varigs.