YESTERDAY'S AIRLINES
  • Home
    • About
    • Links
  • My Models
    • The Hangar
    • My Collection >
      • US Trunk Fleets >
        • My American Airlines Fleet
        • My Braniff Intnl Fleet
        • My Continental Fleet
        • My Delta Air Lines Fleet
        • My Eastern Air Lines Fleet
        • My National Airlines Fleet
        • My Northeast / Capital Fleet
        • My Northwest Airlines Fleet
        • My Pan Am Fleet
        • My TWA Fleet
        • My United Airlines Fleet
        • My Western Airlines Fleet
      • US Local Service Fleets >
        • My Frontier Airlines Fleet
        • My Hughes Airwest Fleet
        • My Ozark Airlines Fleet
        • My Republic Airlines Fleet
        • My Texas Int Fleet
      • US Other Fleets >
        • My Alaska Airlines Fleet
        • My Hawaiian / Aloha Fleet
        • My PSA Fleet
        • My Flying Tigers Fleet
        • My World Airways Fleet
      • UK Fleets >
        • My British Airways Fleet
      • Canadian Fleets
      • China Fleets >
        • My Cathay Pacific Fleet
      • Russian Fleet >
        • Russian Fleet Video
      • Fleet Videos >
        • US Trunk Airlines
    • Model Airports >
      • Dowse National Airport >
        • Gallery 1: Chicago c.1966
        • Gallery 2: Miami c.1970
      • Wright Field Municipal >
        • Wright Field Video Tour
      • Xin Long International
      • Imogenia Intnl 1/600 Scale
  • AV History
    • Airline History Blog
    • Airline Development >
      • CANADA >
        • Canadian Mainline
        • Canadian Charters & LCCs
        • Canadian Regionals
      • CHINA >
        • Part 1: China's Airlines Industry Blossoms 1984-2002
        • Part 2: The Big Six in the 1990s
        • The Big Three
        • Hainan Airlines Group
        • Other Chinese Airlines
      • MEXICO >
        • 1988-2005: Competition arrives
        • 2005-2014: Low cost in Mexico
        • Mexican Airline Genealogy
        • Mexicana Livery Tails
      • RUSSIA >
        • Aeroflot Group
        • S7 Airlines & AiRUnion
        • Other Russian Airlines
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • UNITED KINGDOM >
        • BA Genealogy Pt1
        • BA Genealogy Pt2
        • BA Genealogy Pt3
        • BUIA & BUAF Genealogies
        • UK Charter Airlines Pt1
        • UK Charter Airlines Pt2
        • BEA Liveries 1946-1974
        • BOAC Liveries 1939-1974
      • UNITED STATES >
        • Trunk & Local Service Airlines >
          • American / TWA Genealogy
          • Delta / Northwest Genealogy
          • United / Continental Genealogy
          • Braniff / Eastern / US Airways Genealogy
        • Territorial Airlines
        • Intra-State Airlines
        • Supplemental Airlines
        • Deregulation Startups 1
        • Deregulation Startups 2
        • Trunk Airline Livery Changes 1959-1980
    • Liveries >
      • American Airlines Liveries
      • British Airways Liveries
      • Continental Airlines Liveries
      • Delta Air Lines Liveries
      • Eastern Air Lines Liveries
      • Landor Liveries
      • National Airlines Liveries
      • Northeast Airlines Liveries
      • Northwest Airlines Liveries
      • Pan Am Liveries
      • Trans World Airlines Liveries
      • United Airlines Liveries
      • Western Airlines Liveries
    • Real Airport Histories >
      • Albany International
      • Dallas Love Field
      • Rochester International Pt1
      • Rochester International Pt2
      • San Francisco - 1927-1959
      • San Francisco - 1959-1978
      • San Francisco - 1978-2015
      • San Jose International
      • San Jose International Pt2
    • Aviation Stickers >
      • ATR Stickers
      • A300 Stickers
      • DC-9 Stickers
      • DC-10 Stickers
  • 1:400 SCALE
    • Collecting 1:400 Scale >
      • Who Is The Best?
      • Who Has The Best Mould?
    • The History of 1:400 Scale >
      • 1:400 History 1996-2000
      • 1:400 History 2001-2008
    • 1:400 Brands >
      • Aeroclassics >
        • Generation One History
        • Gen 1 Photo Galleries >
          • BAC One-Eleven
          • Douglas DC-6
          • Douglas DC-9
          • Fairchild FH-227
          • Lockheed L-1049 Super Connie
          • Lockheed L-188 Electra
          • Vickers VC10
          • Vickers Vanguard
          • Vickers Viscount
      • AURORA Models
      • Big Bird 400 Your Craftsman
      • Black Box Models
      • Dragon Wings
      • Gemini Jets
      • Jet-X >
        • Jet-X: Part 1 2000-2006
      • MP4 & Airshop Diecast
      • Seattle Models Co (SMA)
      • Skyjets400
      • Sovereign Models
      • TucanoLine
    • Zinc Rot
  • 1:400 Moulds
    • Airbus >
      • Airbus A300
      • Airbus A310
      • Airbus A320
      • Airbus A330-200/300
      • Airbus A330-200F
      • Airbus A330 Beluga XL
      • Airbus A350-900/1000
    • Boeing >
      • Boeing B-377 Stratocruiser
      • Boeing 707-120/138/720
      • Boeing 707-320/420
      • Boeing 727-100
      • Boeing 727-200
      • Boeing 737-100/200
      • Boeing 737-300/400/500
      • Boeing 747-100/200
      • Boeing 747SP
      • Boeing 757-200
      • Boeing 767-200
      • Boeing 767-300
      • Boeing 777-200
      • Boeing 777-300
    • British >
      • BAC One-Eleven 200-500
      • BAE-146 / Avro RJ-85-100
      • De Havilland DH-106 Comet
      • Hawker Siddeley Trident
      • Shorts 360
      • Vickers VC10
      • Vickers Viscount
    • Douglas >
      • Douglas DC-3 / C-47
      • Douglas DC-6
      • Douglas DC-7
      • Douglas DC-7C
      • Douglas DC-8-10-50
      • Douglas DC-8-60s/70s
      • Douglas DC-9-10
      • Douglas DC-9-30
      • Douglas DC-9-41/51
      • McDonnell Douglas DC-10
      • McDonnell Douglas MD-11
      • McDonnell Douglas MD-80
      • McDonnell Douglas MD-90
    • Lockheed >
      • Lockheed Constellation
      • Lockheed Super Connie
      • Lockheed L-1649 Starliner
      • Lockheed L-188 Electra
      • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 1 / Tristar 200
      • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 500
    • Other >
      • Convair CV-240-580
      • Convair CV-880/990
      • Curtiss C-46
      • Fairchild F-27 / Fokker F27
      • Fairchild-Hiller FH-227
      • Fokker F28/F70/F100
      • SE 210 Caravelle
    • Chinese >
      • Comac ARJ21
      • Xi'an Y-20
    • Russian >
      • Ilyushin IL-62
      • Ilyushin IL-86/IL-96
      • Tupolev TU-154B-2/M
  • 1:400 News
    • Model Blog
    • New Mould Samples >
      • JC Wings Boeing 747-400
      • NG Models >
        • A330-200/300
        • Airbus A330 Beluga XL
        • A350-900
        • Boeing 737-800
        • Boeing B747SP
        • Comac ARJ21 - 1:200
        • Falcon 7X - 1:200
        • Gulfstream G550 - 1:200
        • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar
        • Lockeed Tristar 500
  • 1:400 Reviews
    • Detailed Mould Comparison >
      • Airbus A320neo
      • Airbus A330 Beluga XL
      • Airbus A330-900neo
      • Airbus A350-900
      • Boeing 777-300ER
    • 1:400 Model Reviews
    • Model Airliner.com Reviews
  • 1:600 SCALE
    • Schabak >
      • Schabak History 1982-2006
      • Schabak Airline Numbers
      • Schabak Wheel Variants
      • Schabak Window Variants
      • Schabak Decal Cracking
    • Schabak Moulds >
      • Airbus A300
      • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar
      • McDonnell Douglas DC-10
    • Schabak Non-airline Models
    • Silver Wings
  • Dioramas
    • As Real As It Gets 1:200
    • As Real As It Gets 1:400 >
      • Real As It Gets - Africa
      • Real As It Gets - Asia
      • Real As It Gets - China
      • Real As It Gets - Europe
      • Real As It Gets - Middle East
      • Real As It Gets - N America
      • Real As It Gets - Oceania
      • Real As It Gets - Russia
      • Real As It Gets - S America
Picture

Who Has The Best Mould For X?

As we learnt in part 1 since the level of quality between brands is so close and the line between success and failure so thin it only makes sense to look at the mould being used by that particular manufacturer for the aircraft type. This is where the major differences lie. Everyone has good and not so good moulds. In 2020 only NG Models and Panda can claim to not have any moulds that are weak.
I don't recommend asking people’s opinions randomly. From what I’ve seen a lot of collectors only know what they own and most think if they own it it must be great. If someone asks what is the best 777-300 mould for example it’d be useful to a) know what ones exist and b) to actually look at a proper comparison not just ask any old person what they think. 
Now I am not a genius but I own a lot of models and have done the hard yards looking at them in detail. Obviously I think I know my shit on this topic. That doesn't necessarily make me 100% correct and there is plenty of room for discussion, but a like on a poll vote on Facebook hardly compares to the sum of knowledge on this site, Jon Champ's site and the forums.
Since usually the people asking 'who has the best ABC' are interested in modern types, where there is a lot of competition, I will focus below on those only. I have of course done loads of mould reviews on other types and there are lots of aircraft types with little or no competition between brands as there is only one mould, or at least one active mould.

​So who has the best?


AIRBUS A320 & A320NEO
Picture
There are lots of A320 moulds but the best is that used by Aeroclassics and Panda Models (the latter being a clone of the former). The Phoenix mould is pretty good and the Gemini Jets / JC Wings the weakest.
A320 MOULD REVIEW
A320 DETAILED MOULD COMPARISON
A320 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS

AIRBUS A321
An A321 isn't just a long A320, it has a different wing too. So although you can broadly trust the A320 reviews you can't when it comes to wings. The best A321 is that of HYJLwings / NG Models with the Panda mould a close second. They are the only ones with the right wings for all versions.
A321 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS

AIRBUS A330
Picture
There are six active A330 moulds and four of them are bloody good. I am happy to acquire any of the Aeroclassics, Panda Models, Phoenix or NG Models A330s but for me the best is the Panda Models one.
A330 MOULD REVIEW
A330 DETAILED MOULD COMPARISON
A330 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS

AIRBUS A350
Picture
Another major battleground. The best A350 is currently that of Aviation400 but a new NG Models mould is coming soon. The updated JC Wings / Gemini mould is good and the Phoenix is the worst of the bunch.
A350 MOULD REVIEW
A350 DETAILED MOULD COMPARISON
A350 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS

BOEING 737-800 / 737 MAX
Picture
The new NG Models 737-800 is the best 737NG ever made. Of the rest the old Panda mould is next best. For the 737 MAX it is between the Gemini Jets / JC Wings mould and the Panda Models mould.
737-800 MOULD REVIEW
737-800 DETAILED MOULD COMPARISON
737 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS


BOEING 777
Picture
Phoenix had the best 777 mould until 2017 but nowadays the best is the new JC Wings mould. The new Aviation400 mould also looks strong.
777-200 MOULD REVIEW
777-300 MOULD REVIEW
777-300ER DETAILED MOULD COMPARISON
777 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS

BOEING 787
Picture
It's another close run thing but at present I think the JC Wings 787 just pips the NG Models version. Phoenix and Gemini bring up the rear and are some distance away from the first two.
787 DETAILED MOULD COMPARISON
787 INDIVIDUAL MODEL REVIEWS
  • Home
    • About
    • Links
  • My Models
    • The Hangar
    • My Collection >
      • US Trunk Fleets >
        • My American Airlines Fleet
        • My Braniff Intnl Fleet
        • My Continental Fleet
        • My Delta Air Lines Fleet
        • My Eastern Air Lines Fleet
        • My National Airlines Fleet
        • My Northeast / Capital Fleet
        • My Northwest Airlines Fleet
        • My Pan Am Fleet
        • My TWA Fleet
        • My United Airlines Fleet
        • My Western Airlines Fleet
      • US Local Service Fleets >
        • My Frontier Airlines Fleet
        • My Hughes Airwest Fleet
        • My Ozark Airlines Fleet
        • My Republic Airlines Fleet
        • My Texas Int Fleet
      • US Other Fleets >
        • My Alaska Airlines Fleet
        • My Hawaiian / Aloha Fleet
        • My PSA Fleet
        • My Flying Tigers Fleet
        • My World Airways Fleet
      • UK Fleets >
        • My British Airways Fleet
      • Canadian Fleets
      • China Fleets >
        • My Cathay Pacific Fleet
      • Russian Fleet >
        • Russian Fleet Video
      • Fleet Videos >
        • US Trunk Airlines
    • Model Airports >
      • Dowse National Airport >
        • Gallery 1: Chicago c.1966
        • Gallery 2: Miami c.1970
      • Wright Field Municipal >
        • Wright Field Video Tour
      • Xin Long International
      • Imogenia Intnl 1/600 Scale
  • AV History
    • Airline History Blog
    • Airline Development >
      • CANADA >
        • Canadian Mainline
        • Canadian Charters & LCCs
        • Canadian Regionals
      • CHINA >
        • Part 1: China's Airlines Industry Blossoms 1984-2002
        • Part 2: The Big Six in the 1990s
        • The Big Three
        • Hainan Airlines Group
        • Other Chinese Airlines
      • MEXICO >
        • 1988-2005: Competition arrives
        • 2005-2014: Low cost in Mexico
        • Mexican Airline Genealogy
        • Mexicana Livery Tails
      • RUSSIA >
        • Aeroflot Group
        • S7 Airlines & AiRUnion
        • Other Russian Airlines
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • UNITED KINGDOM >
        • BA Genealogy Pt1
        • BA Genealogy Pt2
        • BA Genealogy Pt3
        • BUIA & BUAF Genealogies
        • UK Charter Airlines Pt1
        • UK Charter Airlines Pt2
        • BEA Liveries 1946-1974
        • BOAC Liveries 1939-1974
      • UNITED STATES >
        • Trunk & Local Service Airlines >
          • American / TWA Genealogy
          • Delta / Northwest Genealogy
          • United / Continental Genealogy
          • Braniff / Eastern / US Airways Genealogy
        • Territorial Airlines
        • Intra-State Airlines
        • Supplemental Airlines
        • Deregulation Startups 1
        • Deregulation Startups 2
        • Trunk Airline Livery Changes 1959-1980
    • Liveries >
      • American Airlines Liveries
      • British Airways Liveries
      • Continental Airlines Liveries
      • Delta Air Lines Liveries
      • Eastern Air Lines Liveries
      • Landor Liveries
      • National Airlines Liveries
      • Northeast Airlines Liveries
      • Northwest Airlines Liveries
      • Pan Am Liveries
      • Trans World Airlines Liveries
      • United Airlines Liveries
      • Western Airlines Liveries
    • Real Airport Histories >
      • Albany International
      • Dallas Love Field
      • Rochester International Pt1
      • Rochester International Pt2
      • San Francisco - 1927-1959
      • San Francisco - 1959-1978
      • San Francisco - 1978-2015
      • San Jose International
      • San Jose International Pt2
    • Aviation Stickers >
      • ATR Stickers
      • A300 Stickers
      • DC-9 Stickers
      • DC-10 Stickers
  • 1:400 SCALE
    • Collecting 1:400 Scale >
      • Who Is The Best?
      • Who Has The Best Mould?
    • The History of 1:400 Scale >
      • 1:400 History 1996-2000
      • 1:400 History 2001-2008
    • 1:400 Brands >
      • Aeroclassics >
        • Generation One History
        • Gen 1 Photo Galleries >
          • BAC One-Eleven
          • Douglas DC-6
          • Douglas DC-9
          • Fairchild FH-227
          • Lockheed L-1049 Super Connie
          • Lockheed L-188 Electra
          • Vickers VC10
          • Vickers Vanguard
          • Vickers Viscount
      • AURORA Models
      • Big Bird 400 Your Craftsman
      • Black Box Models
      • Dragon Wings
      • Gemini Jets
      • Jet-X >
        • Jet-X: Part 1 2000-2006
      • MP4 & Airshop Diecast
      • Seattle Models Co (SMA)
      • Skyjets400
      • Sovereign Models
      • TucanoLine
    • Zinc Rot
  • 1:400 Moulds
    • Airbus >
      • Airbus A300
      • Airbus A310
      • Airbus A320
      • Airbus A330-200/300
      • Airbus A330-200F
      • Airbus A330 Beluga XL
      • Airbus A350-900/1000
    • Boeing >
      • Boeing B-377 Stratocruiser
      • Boeing 707-120/138/720
      • Boeing 707-320/420
      • Boeing 727-100
      • Boeing 727-200
      • Boeing 737-100/200
      • Boeing 737-300/400/500
      • Boeing 747-100/200
      • Boeing 747SP
      • Boeing 757-200
      • Boeing 767-200
      • Boeing 767-300
      • Boeing 777-200
      • Boeing 777-300
    • British >
      • BAC One-Eleven 200-500
      • BAE-146 / Avro RJ-85-100
      • De Havilland DH-106 Comet
      • Hawker Siddeley Trident
      • Shorts 360
      • Vickers VC10
      • Vickers Viscount
    • Douglas >
      • Douglas DC-3 / C-47
      • Douglas DC-6
      • Douglas DC-7
      • Douglas DC-7C
      • Douglas DC-8-10-50
      • Douglas DC-8-60s/70s
      • Douglas DC-9-10
      • Douglas DC-9-30
      • Douglas DC-9-41/51
      • McDonnell Douglas DC-10
      • McDonnell Douglas MD-11
      • McDonnell Douglas MD-80
      • McDonnell Douglas MD-90
    • Lockheed >
      • Lockheed Constellation
      • Lockheed Super Connie
      • Lockheed L-1649 Starliner
      • Lockheed L-188 Electra
      • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 1 / Tristar 200
      • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 500
    • Other >
      • Convair CV-240-580
      • Convair CV-880/990
      • Curtiss C-46
      • Fairchild F-27 / Fokker F27
      • Fairchild-Hiller FH-227
      • Fokker F28/F70/F100
      • SE 210 Caravelle
    • Chinese >
      • Comac ARJ21
      • Xi'an Y-20
    • Russian >
      • Ilyushin IL-62
      • Ilyushin IL-86/IL-96
      • Tupolev TU-154B-2/M
  • 1:400 News
    • Model Blog
    • New Mould Samples >
      • JC Wings Boeing 747-400
      • NG Models >
        • A330-200/300
        • Airbus A330 Beluga XL
        • A350-900
        • Boeing 737-800
        • Boeing B747SP
        • Comac ARJ21 - 1:200
        • Falcon 7X - 1:200
        • Gulfstream G550 - 1:200
        • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar
        • Lockeed Tristar 500
  • 1:400 Reviews
    • Detailed Mould Comparison >
      • Airbus A320neo
      • Airbus A330 Beluga XL
      • Airbus A330-900neo
      • Airbus A350-900
      • Boeing 777-300ER
    • 1:400 Model Reviews
    • Model Airliner.com Reviews
  • 1:600 SCALE
    • Schabak >
      • Schabak History 1982-2006
      • Schabak Airline Numbers
      • Schabak Wheel Variants
      • Schabak Window Variants
      • Schabak Decal Cracking
    • Schabak Moulds >
      • Airbus A300
      • Lockheed L-1011 Tristar
      • McDonnell Douglas DC-10
    • Schabak Non-airline Models
    • Silver Wings
  • Dioramas
    • As Real As It Gets 1:200
    • As Real As It Gets 1:400 >
      • Real As It Gets - Africa
      • Real As It Gets - Asia
      • Real As It Gets - China
      • Real As It Gets - Europe
      • Real As It Gets - Middle East
      • Real As It Gets - N America
      • Real As It Gets - Oceania
      • Real As It Gets - Russia
      • Real As It Gets - S America