Seeking expertise on pre-made (die-cast) airliner models in 1/200

[bianfuxia]

Hello, 

 

My airliner project is to build, in 1/200, one of each airliner I've been on, in the livery of the airline I flew it with. Stretch goals include not having any airlines doubling up.

 

Because I've committed to 1/200, there are naturally a few I can't find.

 

Thanks to COVID, I've also stopped flying, and for longer than my air miles lasted. So on a whim I used them to buy a B747-8i in 1/200 from the Lufthansa store. 

 

This got me thinking that maybe I could just use this kind of model to round out my collection where I can't get a plastic model (or resin or whatever) to build for myself.

 

So that brings me to the specific questions:

 

1. what are the pros and cons of the different brands? I am fairly price sensitive. A hundred bucks is about the limit for me and that would want to be something like an A380 or 747.

2. does anyone have a DARON model and are they any good? There's a QANTAS A380 I found that belongs in my collection at a seemingly reasonable price. 

 

Here's one that I have built:

 

As far as the collection goes, I'm doing ok so far. I have all these either built or on the way:

 

789 - two ANA ones, the regular and the star wars

773 - JAL although I didn't fly JAL, but it's built anyway

772 - Lauda (Hasegawa boxing with original decals)

763 - United using the new scheme decals from a company in mexico

744 - KLM (draw decals)

748 - (I am contemplating over-painting the LH diecast into an Air China one which I actually flew on)

739 - (I have a couple of Hasegawa kits to try a conversion into a KAL one)

738 - (two already built, MU and CA, both aftermarket decals)

737 - Air Do (built)

735 - LH (built)

A321 - got the kit not sure what airline I'll do, but I've been on many of these

A320 - MU, with some Chinese decals

A319 - to convert from A320 and hopefully find Atlantic Airways decals (the Faroe Is. airline).

 

Planes I'm missing include:

788 - Hainan (can use Hasegawa kit if I can get the decals)

742 - obviously Hasegawa when I get around to finding one; either old QF or UA.

732, 733 and 734 (I know there are Hasegawa for all three; I have the 732 already built in the old ANA scheme but maybe I can strip it back). I can probably find decals too. Sadly my cunning plan to get on an SAS 736 the other year failed when it was changed out to a bigger one. That and the very original -100 (before i was born) are the only 737s I haven't flown.

A380  - QF or MU

A340-600 and -400 (I think) (Cathay and SAS or LH)

A330 - many airlines

A300-600 - LH - maybe there is an old Hasegawa kit?

B717 - I have the Hasegawa DC-9 and I know there's a resin kit (RetroKit) - I'd need QF decals for it

Plus all the little guys that might be hard to get in 1/200 like ATR-72, Fokker 100, Fokker 50, Dash-8 etc.

 

 

 

[Sturmovik]

If you want to get advice on diecast 1:200 models, I suggest you join the Infinite Flight Community. There's an especific topic for scale models, where the users show their diecast models.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Sturmovik

[desert falcon]

Hi @bianfuxia

 

That's a nice project you are embarking on there, the current lockdown should give you some time to catch up.

 

You could try and have a look at the respective airlines official online stores, there might be something you can use?

 

Cleaning up the kids old toys when moving recently, I discovered some old broken/damaged 1/200 aircraft models in need of repair.

 

 

Thanks to the advice and support from fellow BM's I managed to find some new decal sheets from Hannants in the UK. So if you could find something on eBay, even if it might be showing signs of age, you could consider restoring it?

 

 

On 1/26/2021 at 10:56 AM, bianfuxia said:

A340-600 and -400 (I think) (Cathay and SAS or LH)

 

For the A340 I think you mean -600 and "-200", "-300" or "-500", as there is no A340-400 🙂 SAS had only A340-300, but I think they are all gone now.

 

Good luck and make sure to show us your full collection once complete !!

 

Johnny b 

[bianfuxia]

thanks for the reply! I enjoyed your thread on rebuilding the SAS fleet...:)

 

Yes I must have meant -300 because I've flown A340 a few times - Cathay on the -600 HK to LHR return in 08, then SAS and LH on the shorter ones. SAS was Beijing to Copenhagen and back in summer 2018; LH was Frankfurt to Addis and back at the very end of 2019 (it was the Star Alliance one actually, I think also a -300).

 

 

 

 

So I have an A330-200 diecast coming tomorrow actually, from a company called PPC (?). It's in Jetstar livery, which I've never flown. But I've been on lots of A330s so hopefully I can rustle up some decals in at least one of the airlines that had these. Air China, China Southern and China Eastern will all do (I have a few Air China random sheets sitting around so maybe that will work). The main thing is working out how effectively spray paint will go on the models - hopefully no need to sand anything back.

 

Seeing as you used to work for SAS I can offer my biggest complaint! I was all set to get my first flight on a 737-600 and I carefully checked the schedule and booked a flight from Kiruna to Stockholm on that summer 18 trip. I figured SAS was just about the last airline to use the -600, at least that I could easily fly on. 

 

But they switched it out for a larger one (-800 I think)!  Grrrr!

 

So now the 737-600 is one less conversion I need to do, I guess. 

 

thanks for responding to my thread!

On 1/29/2021 at 2:50 PM, Sturmovik said:

If you want to get advice on diecast 1:200 models, I suggest you join the Infinite Flight Community. There's an especific topic for scale models, where the users show their decast models.

thank you!

[desert falcon]

On 2/1/2021 at 11:02 AM, bianfuxia said:

Seeing as you used to work for SAS I can offer my biggest complaint! I was all set to get my first flight on a 737-600 and I carefully checked the schedule and booked a flight from Kiruna to Stockholm on that summer 18 trip. I figured SAS was just about the last airline to use the -600, at least that I could easily fly on. 

I’m innocent then, as I stopped working for SAS in 2008 😉 

We used to call the 737-600 “the Pig”, guess because it got a stubby nose and have short legs. Never was a big fan of the 737 myself, the A340 on the other hand was a very handsome aircraft and a smooth ride as well. It’s a a shame that “4 engines 4 long haul” became political incorrect. 
 

Think I only have diecast aircraft models from Gemini Jets, but they are all 1/400. They are very good quality though (and a bit expensive). 

[bianfuxia]

5 hours ago, desert falcon said:

I’m innocent then, as I stopped working for SAS in 2008 😉 

 

Haha! Nice escape!

 

Yes I prefer the A330 and A340 because I like the window plus aisle two-only seating (assuming you can get one). Once we had a kid I switched to preferring 787 and 777. 

 

The little ones all kind of suck unless you're going somewhere awesome. I worked in China a long time and flew a great deal, and by the end I was so tired off sitting around in airports for hours (long delays, always) only to then squeeze into an A320 or 737 with a plane load of other tired, frustrated and angry people! 

 

I did get very good at identifying the Great Wall from the plane, though!