[Celtic]

I'm a fan of the Big Bird line, and have just ordered a 1/500 IL-76 China United from JetCollector. I have 15 other models, all 1/400 scale B747s, from Japan Airlines, Pan Am, British airways, South African Airways, Condor, and others. I've just started branching into 1/500 from BB and StarJets.

Like to hear from anyone into BB...

[admin]

I'm just now beginning to develop an interest in the small scale stuff. I am interested to know who's got the best products in this range.

[Celtic]

Originally Posted by admin

I'm just now beginning to develop an interest in the small scale stuff. I am interested to know who's got the best products in this range.

INVHO, they are:
1/400 - Big Bird, GeminiJets, AeroClassics, Pheonix, Aurora, and Seattle Model Aircraft Company (apparently now defunct)
1/500 - StarJets and Inflight (which just introduced a 1/500 line)

For me, GJ offers the best value for the buck. AeroClassics is mostly excellent, but with occasional clunkers (their Connie is superb). StarJets is top quality (no one better), and the new Inflight 1/500 line looks just as good (though I haven't ordered from that line--yet).

I think Herpa is considered the leader in the 1/500 line (and maybe 1/400), and they have huge offerings in other scales (see the list at diecastairplane). However, I don't like Herpa because of the plastic wings, and some of their early 1/500 offerings look kinda chintzy.

The 1/200 and 1/250 scales are getting popular, but they are very expensive.

My favorite dealers are JetCollector, diecastairplane, and eztoys. All of these have good service, good stock, and trustworthy organizations. However, there are dozens of good dealers out there, so it pays to look around. The best database available for these models is Wings900. They now have a list of almost all the diecast airliners ever made, and if you register, you can create a comprehensive database of your own collection which can be either kept private or shared with the community.

[PH-LKK]

Just to add to Celtic's fine summary: SMAC is gone, as is StarJets (both went belly up a while back now). You may still find these brands advertised by various retailers, but it is always older stock (plenty of them are still floating around). SMAC had its very own DC-9 toolings, but otherwise borrowed toolings owned by AeroClassics (for its 737 and 747 releases). Some of StarJets toolings have been bought up by Herpa, but are otherwise used by 5Star (a brand that issues black market models).

There are a couple of additional things you may want to keep in mind: Many "brands" use the same toolings, and are manufactured at the same factories, but nevertheless originate from different "companies". Some of it above board (like Gemini Jets issuing models using AeroClassics toolings), and some of it deep under the table (like Pan Am releases using AeroClassics toolings). A quick run down:

1/400
AeroClassics toolings are used by AeroJets (commissions), Aurora400 (commissions), British & Irish Classics (fully licensed), EuroClassics (fully licensed), Gemini Jets (fully licensed), Green Box (black market), Pan Am Model Co. (black market), Phoenix (black market), and Sovereign (gray market).
Gemini Jets toolings are used by 737Club (defunct), AeroJets (commissions), Aurora400 (commissions), BiggestBird (black market), Black Box (black market), DreamJets (black market), Golden Falcon (black market), Phoenix (black market), RetroJets (black market), SkyJets400 (fully licensed), Sovereign (gray market), and White Box (black market).
BigBird400 (defunct) toolings are used by AeroClassics, SMAC, and now Inflight400.
Seattle Model Aircraft Company ("SMAC") (defunct) toolings are used by Sovereign (gray market).
Dragon Wings toolings are used by BigShooter (black market), DoDo Diecast (black market), Flying Colors (black market), Jet-X (fully licensed), SuperWings (black market), TwinStar (black market), and Nintendo (fully licensed).
In addition, some Tucano (defunct) toolings, after refitting, are now used by Gemini Jets, Sovereign (gray market), and Phoenix (black market).

1/500
BigBird (defunct) toolings are used by Herpa and Inflight500.
StarJets (defunct) toolings are used by Herpa and 5Star (black market).

Some folks, you will notice, use toolings from more than one source, such as Sovereign (using AeroClassics, Gemini Jets, SMAC and Tucano toolings, depending on the airframe). Others borrow toolings only occassionally for specific air frames (Gemini Jets uses the AeroClassics L-1049 and Convair toolings, and uses a TU-154 tooling which was adapted from the Tucano tooling after Tucano self destructed, but uses its own toolings for all the rest). And finally some are exclusive to a particular source: DoDo Diecast only uses Dragon toolings. Generally, the quality of a particular model will correspond to the quality of the tooling's owner (thus a Gemini Jets L-1049 has the same level of quality as an AeroClassics L-1049, and a BlackBox 737 has the same level of quality as a Gemini Jets 737). You also need to be careful with some of these, as the "BigBird400" name (sometimes just "Your Craftsmen") is now being used by a company putting out models using a tooling *not* used by the original BigBird entity (the toolings have gone to Inflight400, and are occassionally used by AeroClassics). A black market company calling itself "Blue Box" (not connected with the BlueBox toy and model manufacturer) has started using the BigBird name now that the original BigBird is defunct.

1/400 tooling sources to avoid, IMHO, in no particular order: BlueBox (the black market "brand"), C&C, Tucano.
1/400 tooling sources to seek, IMHO, in order: BigBird400 (prior to mid-2006), AeroClassics, Jet-X (only DC-9 toolings are home grown at this point), Gemini Jets, and Herpa (particularly the new PBY tooling).

It's all rather dizzying. If you have questions about a specific model, feel free to ask.

[Celtic]

Thank you, PH-LKK. I knew about 10% of all that. It is all very confusing, and a bit putting off. To bad about Big Bird being gone, and it looks like getting into 1/500 is a bad thing at this time (and maybe forever). I emailed Pam at JetCollector a week ago and asked if they were staying in 1/500 (I was suspicious because all their 1/500 were marked as low quanitity, and the prices were marked down), and she replied that they were getting out of the scale as soon as current stocks were gone. However, she didn't explain why.

Is 1/500 dying? I notice Inflight is now releasing the scale, and it seems to be a Herpa staple (and Herpa using the StarJets moulds may explain the recent improvement in Herpa offerings in the scale). My question is, are the wings of the StarJets/Herpa models metal or plastic? I hate to waste money trying them out, but may have too.

My question to you (as an obvious expert) is, if I want continuity in my 1/500purchases (good quality, metal wings, and some assurance the company will stay in business), what companies should I go to?

Same question in 1/400 models. Who should I rely on? Your excellent summary makes it sound as if this scale is fluid to the point of nearly total confusion, which makes trying to find the best quality models very difficult, and a bit putting-off.

[PH-LKK]

1/500 isn't going anywhere. We've lost StarJets, and Schuco keeps knocking about (saying they will enter the fray ... someday), but Herpa is a huge presense (bigger than all of the 1/400 guys put together). I have always favored 1/400 myself, and am actually going to be selling off all of my 1/500 stuff. If I were to continue with 1/500, I'd definitely stick close to Inflight, and probably only pick up an occassional Herpa (like their new Il-76). I've never been particularly impressed with Herpa, and liked StarJets a lot. Too bad StarJets never really caught on in Europe, where Herpa is king. They (StarJets) had a marketing deal with Schuco near the end, and for a couple of years Schuco distributed both Gemini Jets (in 1/400 scale) and StarJets (in 1/500) in Europe under the Schuco name (both Gemini Jets and StarJets were distributed in the U.S. by ADI). Still, the older BigBird 1/500 stuff is the nicest stuff out there, IMHO, as detailed as its 1/400 siblings, but at Herpa's smaller scale. Simply outstanding. I believe Inflight's 1/500 scale 747 toolings came from BigBird, so you know they're going to be good.

As I mentioned above, in 1/400 land, I definitely favor AeroClassics, and to a lesser extent Gemini Jets. BigBird400 is probably the most reliable in terms of quality, assuming you can be sure that you're getting a "real" BigBird400. Gemini Jets has had some trouble maintaining the consistency of its quality (possibly as a result of its relatively large runs of 1500 per model).

1/400 is a relatively small world. Think about it. Gemini Jets used to have runs of 2500, but unsold stock was piling up. Now the standard run is 1500. And AeroClassics generally sticks to runs between 400 and 500, with some runs as low as 50. And still, these things don't sell out immediately.

We all saw what happened to the FM Galland 262, and that was a run of 262. And a Corgi run of as much as 1000 is considered quite low. It's a different market entirely.

If you want to know more, there are a couple of forums with loads more information. Wings900, the Diecast Aircraft Forum, 400scalehangar, and AirlineBUZZ are just four that pop to mind. The first focuses more on 1/500, the others on 1/400, but they all have members who are devoted to scales ranging from 1/600 to 1/200.

[ZS-VAN]

Originally Posted by Celtic

I'm a fan of the Big Bird line, and have just ordered a 1/500 IL-76 China United from JetCollector. I have 15 other models, all 1/400 scale B747s, from Japan Airlines, Pan Am, British airways, South African Airways, Condor, and others. I've just started branching into 1/500 from BB and StarJets.

Like to hear from anyone into BB...

Good man Celtic! Lovely bird you have there! I started getting 1/400 models a few months ago and I can tell you that this particular model in 1/400 is highly sought after by me. I lost out on two auctions already. I just can't get this one nailed!

[ZS-VAN]

Just going through the thread I notice that you guys aren't big into Dragon Wings 1/400. I'm aware that some don't like the plastic wings but they actually are to the correct scale that would be difficult to replicate in metal.

While a have very few 1/400s the council I received from a mate who is big into 1/400 the brands to go for are as mentioned, BigBird, Areoclassics, Gemini Jets, Phoenix and Dragon Wings. One's to avoid, as previously noted.

PS Only noticed the dates now. That said, anyone with a spare 1/400 SAA BigBird 747, look no further I'm your man! I'll happily take it off your hands.

[Celtic]

Originally Posted by haq747

i am a fan of Big Bird, Aeroclassics, Phoenix models, Gemini Jets, Dragon Wings...etc but for the airline models i congregate on this forum Global 400 Aviation as this forum meets my airline models needs. have a look

Yes, there doesn't seem to be much interest in our tiny airliners in this neck of the woods. Personnaly, I like both the "big" (1/72) boys and the airliners, and my collecting habits seem to swing from one to the other. I will check out that forum--today--but note that the link at the bottom of your post doesn't work (apparently because The Model Hangar can't route it).

[IKONOS]

Yes, there are several small scale airline forums available for fanciers of these models to frequent, and you have made your point as to which one is your favorite. In all fairness, why don't you list the others so potential connoisseurs can make an informed decision as to which they like the best?

Just a suggestion.