Phoenix Models History Pt1 |
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Phoenix Models, as the name suggests, rose from the ashes of TucanoLine in 2003 as part of a deal to create a successor brand to sell on the catalogue of Tucano stock that the factory had been lumbered with when the Tucano owner went AWOL. Initially they weren't seen as being much better than their predecessor, however over time they have built themselves up into one of the most respected, and largest, of the 400 scale brands under the leadership of one of 400 scale's few female leaders - Sanry.
TUCANOLINE MK2
The first Phoenix branded models appeared in 2003 and the vast majority of the models created in the first two years used the ex-TucanoLine moulds. I suspect they were a mixture of old TucanoLine stock and new products created using the original moulds. A lot of these early models used an unusual plastic outer packaging. This didn't last however and more traditional cardboard boxes with plastic inserts were produced for later releases.
Below: The early style of plastic boxes
This initial output looked very similar to the old TucanoLine and so early Phoenix releases were not much more highly thought of than TucanoLine itself.
By 2003/04 it seems the new Phoenix was already sharing production facilities with Gemini Jets. Judging by the Phoenix output in the first two years it wouldn't surprise me if Gemini had a similar non-competition arrangement with Phoenix as they currently do with JC Wings. The Phoenix release choices are often a little obscure, at least in areas where Gemini was strong i.e. Europe and North America. Indeed, Phoenix became known in this period for making more unusual and often colourful airlines.
A lot of the first year's models utilised the TucanoLine DC-9 and often featured airlines from the USA, which would be highly unusual subject matter in later years suggesting to me they were products made originally for TucanoLine. Moving forward Phoenix as a brand would barely make any US carriers.
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Even as of 2024 Phoenix has only made 111 models of US airliners and nearly a third of those were made in 2023 when the brand's strategy changed. The majority of the rest are either cargo airlines, Boeing house colours, liveries with licensing issues Gemini wouldn't touch (Simpsons, Disney) and the handful of early US DC-9s. These early DC-9s included Northwest Airlines, Texas International, Ozark, JetTrain, New York Air, Valujet and Hughes Airwest. The last of these is particularly unusual as it forms half of an Aeroclassics boxset with a 727-200 (this was prior to Aeroclassics having its own DC-9 mould). Not all the DC-9s were American - the South African 1Time edition being a good example of some of the unusual models produced in these early years.
Some of the very earliest 767 releases used a very pointy nosed version of the TucanoLine 767-300 but later editions would be modified and look substantially better. Indeed, that 767-300 mould was also used by Gemini at certain times. Even so, many of the TucanoLine moulds were poor and the tweaks Phoenix made to them didn't substantially improve them. The DC-10 is a good example. Note the Novair below is a DC-10-10 - achieved by simply not installing the centre gear and leaving an odd hole.
Even with the limitations of some of the moulds Phoenix was producing some interesting and attractive models, broadly in line with the quality of all the other major brands at the time. As of 2024 I still have 13 models made by Phoenix from 2003/2004 in my collection, partly because the unusual subject matter hasn't been released by anyone else.
The MD-11 mould was the most prolific of the TucanoLine moulds used by Phoenix in this period and remains one of only three of the moulds still in use in 2024 - albeit in modified form. The mould left usage in 2008 but reappeared 5 years later in 2013 with updated replacement rolling gear. Aerials would be added later and this mould remains in usage in 2024.
The other moulds still in use in 2024 with a TucanoLine heritage are the Tu-154B and M. These moulds were used regularly by Phoenix and gained updated rolling gear in 2012. Once again the subject matter produced by Phoenix in this early period has largely not been replaced by more recent releases and half of my Phoenix models from these two years are 154s.
The other moulds still in use in 2024 with a TucanoLine heritage are the Tu-154B and M. These moulds were used regularly by Phoenix and gained updated rolling gear in 2012. Once again the subject matter produced by Phoenix in this early period has largely not been replaced by more recent releases and half of my Phoenix models from these two years are 154s.
The below table illustrates the decreasing usage of the old TucanoLine moulds across the first decade of Phoenix models. Several of the moulds were replaced by all new Phoenix made moulds and so became redundant (747s and 767s) whereas several of the other moulds dropped out of usage completely (DC-9 and DC-10). The remaining moulds (MD-80/90, MD-11 and Tu-154) were still available for use throughout this entire period (the MD-80 wasn't used in 2011-2013 but would reappear later). As you can see, by as early as 2007/2008 the old TucanoLine moulds had largely been discarded and made up a very small volume of total releases.
Two moulds that were 'new' but almost certainly came from the same stable as the other TucanoLine moulds due to their look and feel are the MD-90 and B717. Interestingly Phoenix would switch to the Gemini B717 mould in 2008 for a single release before having to switch back to their old mould for later releases after their break with Gemini Jets.
PIVOT TO GEMINI MOULDS
In 2003 with Phoenix now sharing production facilities with Gemini Jets they were already able to begin to leverage the Gemini mould catalogue. The first year saw only a a single 737-500 but the number of Phoenix releases using Gemini moulds would rapidly increase year on year both as the overall number of Phoenix releases increased and also as a percentage of the Phoenix release set. By 2006 Phoenix was making 81 models a year but in that year more than half (47 models equating to 58%) used Gemini moulds spread across 21 aircraft types.
These releases covered the majority of the Gemini mould catalogue at the time including a small selection of fantasy Concordes (JAL, ANA and Pan Am) and the Air France 'Pepsi version once again no doubt too hot from a licensing standpoint to be made by Gemini themselves.
Below: Phoenix made 65 A320s using the old Gemini mould before switching to their own mould in 2013.
In general I would say that the selected airlines became more mainstream and featured plenty of flag carriers, especially from Asia. Even so, there was still room for more unusual airlines and special schemes. By 2006 Phoenix had become a significant force in 400 scale and one of the largest brands due to its own catalogue of ex-TucanoLine moulds and access to Gemini Jets mould catalogue.
Above: Entries in red indicate usage of a Gemini mould but with updated Phoenix specific landing gear.
With its models being made in the same factory as Gemini the finish and detailing where as good as anyone's at the time and Phoenix found respectability. Phoenix was far from finished though and 2006 marked the transformation of Phoenix into effectively an all new brand and manufacturer, as it began to produce its own range of all new moulds.
Below: The 737NG was also popular for Phoenix who made 51 on the Gemini moulds before they replaced them with their own in 2011.
As these new moulds came online usage of the older Gemini equivalents stopped. This can be clearly seen in the above table for A330/340s, 737NGs and 777s - although these were a small fraction of the new moulds Phoenix was producing. Although 2009 marked the high watermark of Gemini Jets mould usage, as a percentage of total Phoenix releases the usage of Gemini moulds had dropped substantially to 40%.
It was around 2008 that Gemini Jets started production at the JC Wings facility as well as remaining at the Phoenix factory. Phoenix continued to use a few Gemini moulds (A319s, 737-300/400s and 757s) but these were updated in 2012/2013 with new different rolling gear to that used by Gemini. The photos below show a couple of these late Phoenix uses of the Gemini moulds. Unfortunately the new rolling gear added to the 757 was not a success as the nosegear was way too short and the tyre too large.
A BRAND NEW PHOENIX
Below: A selection of the new Phoenix mould catalogue
Phoenix introduced its first all new moulds in 2006 and undertook an impressive period of new mould creation between then and 2013 that effectively transformed it as a player in 400 scale. Although not all the new moulds were particularly good, some were awful and some excellent, Phoenix was catapulted into the first rank of 400 scale brands. As the below table shows the percentage of releases made using Phoenix own moulds skyrocketed between 2008 and 2009. By 2013 no 100% Gemini moulds were still in usage, although 10 models were still made on Gemini moulds updated with new Phoenix landing gear.
The period 2003-2013 contains three significant aspects to the Phoenix brand:
1. The emergence from TucanoLine
2. Partnership with Gemini
3. Independence as its own distinct brand with its own moulds
It is this third component and the new moulds that appeared from it that I will investigate in part 2 of the Phoenix history.
1. The emergence from TucanoLine
2. Partnership with Gemini
3. Independence as its own distinct brand with its own moulds
It is this third component and the new moulds that appeared from it that I will investigate in part 2 of the Phoenix history.