Tupolev TU-154 Moulds in 1:400 Scale |
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Updated: September 2020
The TU-154 got off to a rocky start, with early versions having serious structural problems with the wings. However with the TU-154B onwards Tupolev created a rugged, reliable airliner well suited to the often harsh environmental and poor infrastructural conditions found in the Soviet Union and Russia. If quite a few of the 1,026 built have been lost in accidents it would be unfair to point towards the airframe and instead better to look at the operating conditions and often dubious companies operating them. Structurally there are two major versions of the type. The TU-154, A, B, B-1 and B-2 are outwardly essentially the same, however the TU-154M, which is the ultimate version, has several variations - primarily associated with the central engine.
Tu-154 in 1:400 Scale
In 1:400 the TU-154 has a somewhat complicated production history due to the Tucano Line scandal. Check out my history of that brand for more details:
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By December 2014 72 TU-154s had been made. One more made an appearance in 2016 and then there was silence. That is until September 2020 when a new brand appeared. TU-154s have been made by the following brands:
Due to the Tucano Line scandal all use very similar moulds with minor variations to the attached elements (undercarriage and tail/engine units). |
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Tupolev Tu-154 Variants
As is usually the case with Soviet-era designs there are lots of versions of the Tu-154, however the primary visible differences are between the early variants and the last Tu-154M version, which has a relocated CPU and bulbous no 2 engine intake. In the below images the Aeroflot example is a Tu-154B-2 and the Up- registered aircraft is a Tu-154M. Pay attention to the no 2 engine intake and exhaust areas.
Pedro Aragão / CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL
Anton Bannikov [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)]
Here are tail comparisons so you can see the difference between the B-2 series (left two) and the M (right two). The M has a relocated CPU and a bulbous no 2 engine intake:
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Moulds (in date order)
Aeroclassics (2002)
It was Aeroclassics who originally decided to make a Tu-154 and their mould, which was stolen and copied to make the Tucano Line version. Their mould is showing its age but is still pretty decent and has formed the basis for all other TU-154s since. Most Aeroclassics TU-154s are quite hard to come by nowadays and some have suffered from zinc rot. The primary issue with the mould is the nosegear which is too high. The TU-154 does sometimes have a slight nose-up attitude when loaded but not by this much. Also the spike on the tail top isn't quite spikey enough and perhaps the nose radome slightly too long and not pointy enough. Still as I said considering its age it is a decent mould.
The last Aeroclassics TU-154s were made in 2007 but in September 2020 Yu ModeLs fixed up the old mould and has started producing some new versions, which look very similar to those of pre-2010.
Aeroclassics made both Tu-154B-2s and Tu-154Ms. In the photos below all of the models are Ms aside from the Sibir, which is a B-2:
Tucano Line / Golden Wings / Phoenix Mould 1a (2002)
In 2002 a second TU-154 mould appeared, and it was suspiciously similar to the Aeroclassics mould . In fact the main fuselage of the two are the same so its hard to tell them apart - though the tail sections and undercarriage make it much easier to do so as they show significant differences. The first models on this mould were TU-154Ms, whereas Aeroclassics didn't release an M until 2003, which may also account for why the two M versions have different tail units. This is what had happened:
In early 2000s, Andrew Klein commissioned the development of the TU-154 mould. He had a prototype developed, which was good, but not without its flaws. Unfortunately, during that time, a third party (Tucano Line) gained access to this mould. They then developed their airlines off of that prototype mould. The prototype had incorrectly sized engines for an M version. Andrew Klein, instead of releasing the prototype, further developed the mould, fixing the issues such as the intake size of the #2 engine, and also increased the size of other engines. So the engines for these non-Aeroclassics TU-154Ms are not as large as they ought to be."
Tucano Line did not survive this scandal and it's leftover inventory was rebranded as Phoenix Models. Phoenix only used it 6 times (and lent it to Gemini once also) before they updated the mould in 2004. So on this mould a total of 14 models were made.
In 2002 a second TU-154 mould appeared, and it was suspiciously similar to the Aeroclassics mould . In fact the main fuselage of the two are the same so its hard to tell them apart - though the tail sections and undercarriage make it much easier to do so as they show significant differences. The first models on this mould were TU-154Ms, whereas Aeroclassics didn't release an M until 2003, which may also account for why the two M versions have different tail units. This is what had happened:
In early 2000s, Andrew Klein commissioned the development of the TU-154 mould. He had a prototype developed, which was good, but not without its flaws. Unfortunately, during that time, a third party (Tucano Line) gained access to this mould. They then developed their airlines off of that prototype mould. The prototype had incorrectly sized engines for an M version. Andrew Klein, instead of releasing the prototype, further developed the mould, fixing the issues such as the intake size of the #2 engine, and also increased the size of other engines. So the engines for these non-Aeroclassics TU-154Ms are not as large as they ought to be."
Tucano Line did not survive this scandal and it's leftover inventory was rebranded as Phoenix Models. Phoenix only used it 6 times (and lent it to Gemini once also) before they updated the mould in 2004. So on this mould a total of 14 models were made.
Phoenix TU-154 Mould 1
Comparing the Aeroclassics mould with the first Phoenix Mould
The primary difference between the two moulds is the shorter chunky front gear leg of the Phoenix. The Aeroclassics is too high but the Phoenix appears too low to me. The next Phoenix release would fix this.
The primary difference between the two moulds is the shorter chunky front gear leg of the Phoenix. The Aeroclassics is too high but the Phoenix appears too low to me. The next Phoenix release would fix this.
Comparing Aeroclassics with the first Phoenix TU-154
Looking at the tails of the two moulds (both TU-154Ms) you can see the tail units are actually different in detail. The exhaust of the Aeroclassics is quite a lot longer than the Phoenix. You can also clearly see here the size difference between the intake for the no 2 engine. The tail chord of the Aeroclassics is also different so that the front and rear are more clearly not running parallel with each other. I think the Aeroclassics has the better tail and the Phoenix the better exhaust.
Aeroclassics & Phoenix TU-154 Tails
There are also some differences albeit minor in the detailing underneath the two moulds - see lines across wing roots and engine pylon attachments:
Phoenix Mould 1b (2004)
In 2004 Phoenix updated the low nosegear of the 1a mould to create the 1b. This appears to be the only difference and formed the basis of production until the 2011 Eram Air release. That was only 14 models mind. The mould was also used 3 times by Gemini for a total of 17 models altogether. You can see the new mould has a new nosegear leg which is more detailed and higher - though still not as high as the Aeroclassics version.
In 2004 Phoenix updated the low nosegear of the 1a mould to create the 1b. This appears to be the only difference and formed the basis of production until the 2011 Eram Air release. That was only 14 models mind. The mould was also used 3 times by Gemini for a total of 17 models altogether. You can see the new mould has a new nosegear leg which is more detailed and higher - though still not as high as the Aeroclassics version.
Phoenix TU-154 Mould 1a (Tarom) and Mould 1b (Aeroflot)
Phoenix TU-154 Mould 1a (Tarom) and Mould 1b (Aeroflot) Noses
Aeroclassics vs Phoenix TU-154 Mould 1b (Atlant Soyuz)
The Tarom and Aeroflot versions below give an opportunity to compare the TU-154B-2 with the TU-154M at the rear which relate to the position of the CPU and the bulging middle central intake on the M:
Phoenix TU-154B-2 (Tarom) and TU-154M (Aeroflot) Tails
Phoenix Mould 1c (2012)
Phoenix have gradually been adding rolling gears to their active moulds. Sometimes this improves them and sometimes it ruins them (see 757). With the TU-154 though it was a definite improvement and also enabled them to recreate the gears completely to create new much more detailed and accurate gear legs. The result is the best TU-154 version by far. Phoenix dribbled out new TU-154s at one every 3-4 months, so that by December 2014 they'd managed 8 releases. Sadly they have only produced one other and the mould appears to have fallen into disuse.
Phoenix have gradually been adding rolling gears to their active moulds. Sometimes this improves them and sometimes it ruins them (see 757). With the TU-154 though it was a definite improvement and also enabled them to recreate the gears completely to create new much more detailed and accurate gear legs. The result is the best TU-154 version by far. Phoenix dribbled out new TU-154s at one every 3-4 months, so that by December 2014 they'd managed 8 releases. Sadly they have only produced one other and the mould appears to have fallen into disuse.
Phoenix TU-154 Moulds: 1b on left and 1c (old colours) on right