Tupolev TU-154 Moulds in 1/400 Scale
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Updated: July 2016
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.
In 1:400 the TU-154 has a somewhat complicated production history. By December 2014 72 TU-154s had been made, although they all appear to use either the same or very similar moulds with minor variations to the attached elements (undercarriage and tail/engine units).
TU-154s have been made by the following manufacturers:
We'll start with a look at the real thing:
In 1:400 the TU-154 has a somewhat complicated production history. By December 2014 72 TU-154s had been made, although they all appear to use either the same or very similar moulds with minor variations to the attached elements (undercarriage and tail/engine units).
TU-154s have been made by the following manufacturers:
- Aeroclassics
- Tucano Line
- Phoenix
- Golden Wings
- Gemini jets
We'll start with a look at the real thing:
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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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Onto the models:
Aeroclassics (2002)
Aeroclassics has made 32 of the 72 TU-154s starting in 2002. Their mould is showingh its age but is still pretty decent and has formed the basis for all other TU-154s since. The Aeroclassics TU-154s are quite hard to come by nowadays and I only own one - a Syrianair example which is a TU-154M. The primary issue with the mould is the nosegear which is a bit too high. The TU-154 does sometimes have a slight nose-up attitude when loaded but probably not quite 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.
Aeroclassics (2002)
Aeroclassics has made 32 of the 72 TU-154s starting in 2002. Their mould is showingh its age but is still pretty decent and has formed the basis for all other TU-154s since. The Aeroclassics TU-154s are quite hard to come by nowadays and I only own one - a Syrianair example which is a TU-154M. The primary issue with the mould is the nosegear which is a bit too high. The TU-154 does sometimes have a slight nose-up attitude when loaded but probably not quite 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.
Aeroclassics TU-154M
Tucano Line / Golden Wings / Phoenix Mould 1a (2002)
Also in 2002 a second TU-154 mould appeared, though in many ways its very similar to the Aeroclassics mould. In fact the main fuselage of the two are so similar 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 (if indeed some mould thievery was going on). I don't know much about Tucano Line or Golden Wings and they only produced 4 and 3 models, respectively, before Pheonix tookover primary usage of the mould. 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.
UPDATE - I have since learnt more about the peculiar story behind the two similar TU-154 moulds of 2002 from Corey La Chance. He says:
"What 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, Golden Wings) 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."
Also in 2002 a second TU-154 mould appeared, though in many ways its very similar to the Aeroclassics mould. In fact the main fuselage of the two are so similar 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 (if indeed some mould thievery was going on). I don't know much about Tucano Line or Golden Wings and they only produced 4 and 3 models, respectively, before Pheonix tookover primary usage of the mould. 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.
UPDATE - I have since learnt more about the peculiar story behind the two similar TU-154 moulds of 2002 from Corey La Chance. He says:
"What 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, Golden Wings) 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."
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 have dribbled out new TU-154s at one every 3-4 months, so that by December 2014 they'd managed 8 releases.
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 have dribbled out new TU-154s at one every 3-4 months, so that by December 2014 they'd managed 8 releases.
Phoenix TU-154 Moulds: 1b on left and 1c (old colours) on right
Phoenix TU-154B-2 Mould 1c
I'm quite happy with the latest Phoenix mould and would like to see quite a few re-releases of earlier examples as well as many of the Russian airline users that have never been made in 1:400. Phoenix have done a few rereleases (like the recent LOT) but I doubt they'll ever produce more than 3 or 4 a year. In fact they've been worse than that with no models at all in 2015 and only one so far in 2016 (another Aeroflot latest colours) for a total of 73 TU-154s in this scale.