1/144 British Airways A380 (Utopia "Australia" Livery)

[Back in the Saddle]

As you may know, I quite like the 'Utopia' or 'World Image' liveries introduced by British Airways from 1997. However, these liveries were not universally popular and were quietly dropped in 2001, with all aircraft receiving the current 'Chatham' tail fin design from that year onwards.

 

The A380 entered service over a decade later in 2013. I couldn't help wondering what this aircraft would have looked like with that massive tail covered in one of the ‘Utopia' designs. This build was the result of my pondering and can be seen here if you want to watch it come together, complete with the production of the custom decals I used on this model.

 

The design I chose was one of the rarer ones, used on just one aircraft. I hope you like it.🙂

 

As ever, comments and criticisms are welcomed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have five more of these kits in my stash(!), so other Utopia liveried A380s will follow in due course - it would be rude not to...!

 

 

[desert falcon]

That’s a stunning looking A380 🥰

[Andy Dyck]

Superb work…. The artwork on the tail is quite psychedelic 🤪

Andy

[Skodadriver]

"What ifs" aren't usually my thing but that is excellent.

 

I wasn't sure about the World Images until I realised how much Margaret Thatcher hated them and after that I became a convert. I was sorry when everything succumbed to Chatham blandness. My own favourite was Avignon (named after the artist who created it, not the French city) which was only carried by Deutsche BA and never made it to the main fleet. An Avignon A380 would be quite something!

 

Dave G

[Tim R-T-C]

A really nice job, that tail is really impressive.

 

Airliner models can, by the nature of the prototype, be a little sterile - this artwork and the interesting 'what-if' it represents, definitely makes this eye-catching.

[SAT69]

That's an A380 that will catch your eye! Well done!

[Skodadriver]

Back again! I've just been reading your WIP which I managed to miss.

 

Thanks for all the useful information particularly about making the decals. If it's any help here is how I dealt with a nose wheel leg which had to be attached at the start of the build.

[Andy Young]

Brilliant 380 Matt. That's a lot of area on a tail for all sorts of what-ifs!

Lovely model - I bet it's taking up quite a bit of space!

 

Cheers, Andy

[Back in the Saddle]

6 hours ago, desert falcon said:

That’s a stunning looking A380 🥰

Thanks Johnny!

 

5 hours ago, Andy Dyck said:

Superb work…. The artwork on the tail is quite psychedelic 🤪

Cheers Andy - wait until you see the next ones! 😁

 

5 hours ago, Skodadriver said:

"What ifs" aren't usually my thing but that is excellent.

 

I wasn't sure about the World Images until I realised how much Margaret Thatcher hated them and after that I became a convert. I was sorry when everything succumbed to Chatham blandness. My own favourite was Avignon (named after the artist who created it, not the French city) which was only carried by Deutsche BA and never made it to the main fleet. An Avignon A380 would be quite something!

Thanks Dave. I enjoyed your Utopia builds a few years ago. Your 'Avignon' suggestion has got me seriously thinking - it was not one I had considered building, but it would look very different. Here's a 737 with the design, for those who haven't seen it before:

 

 

If Andy thought the last one was psychedelic this could blow his mind! 😁

 

I will look into finding the artwork for this and see if converting it to the A380 is an option...

 

5 hours ago, Tim R-T-C said:

A really nice job, that tail is really impressive.

 

Airliner models can, by the nature of the prototype, be a little sterile - this artwork and the interesting 'what-if' it represents, definitely makes this eye-catching.

Thanks Tim, I agree. Maybe that's why I like the Utopia liveries so much?

 

5 hours ago, SAT69 said:

That's an A380 that will catch your eye! Well done!

Thank you!

 

5 hours ago, Skodadriver said:

Thanks for all the useful information particularly about making the decals. If it's any help here is how I dealt with a nose wheel leg which had to be attached at the start of the build.

Hello again! I might use that technique to protect my 767 nose legs which are currently on the bench...

 

5 hours ago, Andy Young said:

Brilliant 380 Matt. That's a lot of area on a tail for all sorts of what-ifs!

Lovely model - I bet it's taking up quite a bit of space!

Cheers Andy. You're right on both counts - it's a decent size tail fin  for displaying the liveries but it is taking up rather a lot of space on the shelf...!

[tomprobert]

That is absolutely stunning! Your ability to design and print decals has me very envious - it certainly opens up a whole new world of opportunities. 
 

Long live the A380 at BA!

 

Tom

[Andy Dyck]

Absolute stunning. You are an artist! And now as I had 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺 everything makes sense! 
 

Cheers 

[Abandoned Project]

That is fabulous! Inspirational! Looking forward to the rest of your Utopia fleet.

6 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

other Utopia liveried A380s will follow in due course - it would be rude not to...!

Indeed it would.

2 hours ago, tomprobert said:

Your ability to design and print decals has me very envious

Me too!!!!

5 hours ago, Tim R-T-C said:

that tail is really impressive

It is and you can be proud of your amazing work.

Absolutely top notch! Bravo Sir. Kudos to you.

[neilg]

That's beautiful!!  I've been waiting to see the finished thing!

 

That tail has got to be even more striking in real life.

 

Really well done!

[RCI]

Hey Matt!

i think this one would have a "go for" livery on the 380, if it was real. Definetly a creative idea and not that far from reality.

What i really like is your development in modelling. I was following your WIP threats - especially the "aircraft i have flown". I also would do that but it would be limited to A32X series aircraft only haha 🤣

Its really great seeing this pilot typical approach to modelling, always learn something new, advancing techniques and so... keep on doing it! 👌

best regards from the orange side of flying...

[Sky Keg]

Outstanding!!!! No it only is your A380 impressive to gaze upon, but it must be impressive on just how large it is even in 1 / 144 scale. 

 

Mike

[PhantomBigStu]

Absolutely stunning result  

[Alex1978]

A stunning looking A380.

That livery suits it perfectly and gives it a very nice touch.

Superb build again.

 

Looking forward to upcoming models from you

 

Alex

[Viking]

I enjoyed lurking through the WIP, so it is nice to see it finished,. It was certainly well worth it, it looks stunning.

 

Cheers

 

John

[Fritag]

Beautiful result Matt.

 

You’ve really cracked the production of DIY decals, on a grand scale!  The tail decals are dazzling - and produced and fitted with apparent nonchalant ease! 

[Bertie McBoatface]

That's impressive moddelling. And so big too, even in 144. Excellent decals, well done

 

[Stephen]

Beautiful build. it's hard to believe that the Utopia schemes were almost 25years ago. I can still recall being in the BA call centre in Glasgow and going to a presentation on the new liverys. We all had to sign an NDA before they would show us the video.

[Blue Monday]

Very nice 380!

 

BM.

[Back in the Saddle]

On 19/10/2021 at 17:00, tomprobert said:

That is absolutely stunning! Your ability to design and print decals has me very envious - it certainly opens up a whole new world of opportunities. 

Thanks Tom. 👍 You’re right about that, I have a whole stash of Utopia designs waiting to get unleashed! 😁

 

On 19/10/2021 at 18:30, Andy Dyck said:

Absolute stunning. You are an artist!

Thanks Andy. I wouldn’t go that far, but I can certainly adapt an artist’s work and do something with it!

 

On 19/10/2021 at 19:23, Abandoned Project said:

Absolutely top notch! Bravo Sir. Kudos to you.

Thank you! 

 

On 19/10/2021 at 20:37, neilg said:

That's beautiful!!  I've been waiting to see the finished thing!

 

That tail has got to be even more striking in real life.

Cheers Neil. It is certainly an eye-catching model!

 

On 19/10/2021 at 23:19, RCI said:

Hey Matt!

i think this one would have a "go for" livery on the 380, if it was real. Definetly a creative idea and not that far from reality.

What i really like is your development in modelling. I was following your WIP threats - especially the "aircraft i have flown". I also would do that but it would be limited to A32X series aircraft only haha 🤣

Its really great seeing this pilot typical approach to modelling, always learn something new, advancing techniques and so... keep on doing it! 👌

best regards from the orange side of flying...

Thanks RCI.👍 High praise indeed, your builds give me something to aspire to.🙂

 

On 20/10/2021 at 11:55, Sky Keg said:

Outstanding!!!! No it only is your A380 impressive to gaze upon, but it must be impressive on just how large it is even in 1 / 144 scale. 

Thank you! It does take up a lot of room…😁

 

On 20/10/2021 at 12:44, PhantomBigStu said:

Absolutely stunning result  

Cheers Stu! 👍

 

On 20/10/2021 at 13:40, Alex1978 said:

A stunning looking A380.

That livery suits it perfectly and gives it a very nice touch.

Superb build again.

 

Looking forward to upcoming models from you

Thanks Alex. I had a sneaking suspicion you would like this one! 😉

 

On 20/10/2021 at 18:30, Viking said:

I enjoyed lurking through the WIP, so it is nice to see it finished,. It was certainly well worth it, it looks stunning.

Thank you John. I enjoy a good lurk too!

 

On 20/10/2021 at 22:12, Fritag said:

Beautiful result Matt.

 

You’ve really cracked the production of DIY decals, on a grand scale!  The tail decals are dazzling - and produced and fitted with apparent nonchalant ease! 

Thank you! The application is getting easier with practice…😁

 

On 22/10/2021 at 12:17, Bertie Psmith said:

That's impressive moddelling. And so big too, even in 144. Excellent decals, well done

Cheers Bertie!

 

On 22/10/2021 at 12:23, Stephen said:

Beautiful build. it's hard to believe that the Utopia schemes were almost 25years ago. I can still recall being in the BA call centre in Glasgow and going to a presentation on the new liverys. We all had to sign an NDA before they would show us the video.

Thanks Stephen. The introduction was a couple of years before I joined BA but I heard it was all very hush hush…

 

On 22/10/2021 at 15:08, Blue Monday said:

Very nice 380!

Thank you!
 

 

[exdraken]

Fantastic work and design!

[Wings unlevel]

That looks magic. The colours in the tail art really complement the BA corporate colours.