TucanoLineINCL. Golden Wings, Navigator Models
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YEARS: 2001-2004
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# OF MODELS MADE: 95
31 (USING DRAGON WINGS MOULDS), 1 (USING AEROCLASSICS MOULD), 63 (ALL 3 BRANDS USING OWN MOULDS) |
2001-2002: Working with Dragon Wings (and Aeroclassics)
Tucano Line was started by a man named Claudio Zvyssig of Swiss descent. Initially he partnered with Dragon Wings for a selection of 31 models using Dragon moulds. The models were typically packaged the same as standard Dragon releases but would often have 'In Cooperation with Tucano Line' markings on the box. The models themselves were not branded as Tucano Line in anyway.
The majority of the models had a Swiss influence, with 15 being Swissair examples. There was also a single Aeroclassics Swissair Caravelle made for Tucano Line.
The majority of the models had a Swiss influence, with 15 being Swissair examples. There was also a single Aeroclassics Swissair Caravelle made for Tucano Line.
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It wasn't all Swissair but almost all the remaining models still had a Swiss connection. They were either Swiss airlines (Crossair, Balair, Swiss Int) or had Swiss affiliation (Sabena, which was a member of Swissair's Qualiflyer group). These initial models were very nice and well received, although many of the Dragon moulds look dated by today’s standards. The only models made without an obvious connection to Switzerland were a Bangkok Airways Boeing 717 and a Varig Boeing 777-200. One of the Swissair models (the MD-81 HB-INX in the brown stripe scheme) was made in partnership with the Swiss National museum.
Dragon Wings appeared to have connections with other Swiss related partners at the time and this African Safari DC-10 was advertised as BUCHairMODEL No 2. Whether the BUCHair shop had any connection with Tucano I can't say and I don't know what model number one would have been.
2002-2004: Expansion & Stolen Moulds
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In 2002 Zvyssig moved into ordering his own models, the first of which appeared that year. The new moulds were generally not very well received by collectors, although a couple were decent enough for the time. Apparently, he didn’t take criticism of his models well either, a recurring theme in 1:400 scale manufacturers. As well as the models being of questionable quality TucanoLine was also involved in some poor business and near illegal activities.
Aeroclassics was at the time working on a Tupolev Tu-154 mould and the mould maker apparently provided an early version of the mould to TucanoLine illegally. Tucano started using it. This led to confrontations and legal threats and a very angry Mr Klein.
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Armenian Airlines Tupolev Tu-154B-2 by Tucano Line
Aeroclassics were not the only ones upset by TucanoLine's dealings as Gemini Jets suffered even more significant loss. This next paragraph was written by Gemini Jets themselves in 2003:
Over a year ago, GJ and Aero Classics commissioned the same supplier (we will call it China #1) to make moulds for the two companies. GJ commissioned an MD80, EMB-145, CRJ & A310. AC commissioned a TU-154 mould at the same time. Unknown to us, China #1 was outsourcing the mould work to what we will refer to as China #2. Additionally unknown to us was the fact that China #2 was also planning to do work for Tucano Line.
Although Tucano Line existed as a Dragon "re-brand", they were yet to have gone out on their own. The real trouble started when China #1 hid the fact that they were having financial troubles. When these financial troubles peaked, China #1 failed to pay China #2 for the mould services that were being arranged for GJ & AC. When China #2 was not paid by China #1, they sought to sell these moulds to Tucano. Of course the right thing to do would have been for China #2 to contact both AC & GJ, but for whatever the reason, they chose to sell the moulds to Tucano. This was all going on under the noses of both GJ and AC and shame on the both of us for being so naive. The big issue here was ethics. There is no doubt that Tucano new these moulds belonged to GJ & AC and you can say that they pulled a fast one.
If anyone knows the main individuals behind Tucano, it should not all surprise you. These same individuals tried for several years to be part of the GJ Team, but unfortunately, we did not feel comfortable with them so this was their way of revenge for not teaming up with them. Such is life in business and unfortunately, this does go on everyday in the corporate world. Fortunately for both GJ & AC, Tucano failed to have the knowledge to realize that these moulds had not been "tweaked" yet and were not the final products. Although I cannot speak for AC, I happen to know that we had issues with the prototypes that had never been corrected when they went to Tucano. That tells the Tucano story so it is up to you if you want to support a company that has harmed your two favorite manufacturers!
Although Tucano Line existed as a Dragon "re-brand", they were yet to have gone out on their own. The real trouble started when China #1 hid the fact that they were having financial troubles. When these financial troubles peaked, China #1 failed to pay China #2 for the mould services that were being arranged for GJ & AC. When China #2 was not paid by China #1, they sought to sell these moulds to Tucano. Of course the right thing to do would have been for China #2 to contact both AC & GJ, but for whatever the reason, they chose to sell the moulds to Tucano. This was all going on under the noses of both GJ and AC and shame on the both of us for being so naive. The big issue here was ethics. There is no doubt that Tucano new these moulds belonged to GJ & AC and you can say that they pulled a fast one.
If anyone knows the main individuals behind Tucano, it should not all surprise you. These same individuals tried for several years to be part of the GJ Team, but unfortunately, we did not feel comfortable with them so this was their way of revenge for not teaming up with them. Such is life in business and unfortunately, this does go on everyday in the corporate world. Fortunately for both GJ & AC, Tucano failed to have the knowledge to realize that these moulds had not been "tweaked" yet and were not the final products. Although I cannot speak for AC, I happen to know that we had issues with the prototypes that had never been corrected when they went to Tucano. That tells the Tucano story so it is up to you if you want to support a company that has harmed your two favorite manufacturers!
Uzbekistan Airways Tupolev Tu-154B-2 by Golden Wings
GOLDEN WINGS
Sichuan Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 by Golden Wings
Much of the collectorate at the time was less than impressed by TucanoLine’s behaviour and some refused to buy his models. Another strategy was also utilised by Zvyssig and he created another brand to hide his models behind,which he called Golden Wings. Often the same models would be released twice under different brands in an effort to increase prices by saying they were limited to x number of releases under one brand.
China Yunnan Airlines Boeing 767-300 by Golden Wings
Below are the relatively small number (18) releases known to have been branded as Golden Wings:
Another sub-brand of Tucano Line was Navigator Models but they only released two models.
Navigator Models was a last throw of the dice but only seem to have released two models including this Delta DC-9
2003-2004: The End & A New Beginning
Qantas Boeing 747-438 VH-OJB Tucano Line 1:400 Scale Model Airliner
In 2003 Zvyssig ordered a huge number of models from his Hong Kong agent Imperial Models but did not pay for them. With TucanoLine (and the sub-brands) effectively dead Zvyssig exited the market leaving Imperial with a warehouse full of unpaid models. Rather than going bankrupt Imperial, assisted by Gemini Jets looking to recoup some of their lost costs, repackaged the models as Phoenix Models and sold them on.
Of the in-house non-Dragon moulds Tucano had access to the quality was quite low. For the time the 747s, 767s, MD-11 and Tu-154s were fine, possibly even the MD-80 too. Only the ERJ-145 stands up to any scrutiny today and is significantly better than the version still being used in 2023 by Gemini. Obviously by modern standards all the moulds are anachronistic but given some of the unusual airline / aircraft combinations made I still have a few in my collection.
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Above: The Tucano DC-10 is very poor whereas the ERJ-145 (below right) is actually quite good
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TucanoLine was often referred to by collectors as Tucrappo or Tucriminal, and the repackaging of the models to Phoenix was not particularly well thought of. However somehow out of this mess Phoenix has become one of the most important brands in 1:400 scale.
This 767 was released under the Golden Wings line
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Later Gemini Jets and Phoenix were made in the same factory and Gemini Jets rather ironically used several of the moulds (767-300, DC-9-30 and TU-154) although only the DC-9 became a regular Gemini mould. A version of the MD-80 was still used by Phoenix as late as 2017 and the existing Phoenix MD-11 is an updated version of the original Tucano product (it was only used once by Tucano) so even in 2024 the legacy of Tucano Line lives on, and of course if there was no Tucano there'd be no Phoenix at all.
References
2003: What the Hell is Going On? DAC
2003. The Truth behind DAC and Tucano. DAC
2017. Tucano Scandal. DAC
2003: What the Hell is Going On? DAC
2003. The Truth behind DAC and Tucano. DAC
2017. Tucano Scandal. DAC