Die-Cast Collector

Boeing and Airbus have been competing in the passenger jet market since the 70s, and until 2007, Boeing ruled the wide-body arena with its 747 airliner. Airbus finally  came up with an answer, the A380 , which became the largest passenger airliner in the world when it was introduced. Not to be outdone, Boeing also updated the 747 by introducing the 747-8 Intercontinental . I finally got both models this year. Here's how the two airliners compare in real life:  Boeing 747-8 Length: 250 ft  Wingspan: 224 ft  Cabin Width: 20.1 ft  Height: 63 ft  Maximum Take-Off Weight: 448,000 kg Max Passengers:  605 Range: 9210 miles Price:  $357.5 million Airbus A380 Length: 238.6 ft  Wingspan: 261.6 ft  Fuselage Width: 23.4 ft  Height: 80.2 ft  Maximum Take-Off Weight: 575,000 kg Max Passengers: 853 (one class) Range: 9755 miles Price: $403.9 million [sources: 1 , 2 ] 

I got my first Airbus A380 as a pasalubong, but we got it in a store in Greenhills. The Airbus A380 is the world's largest passenger airline. The A380, previously designated as the A3XX, broke Boeing's stranglehold on jumbo airlines. The four-engined double-decker can seat up to 853 passengers.  Its floorspace is 40% larger than Boeing's competitor, the 747-8 . It entered service in 2007. The model I got has an Air France livery. Model: Airbus A380  Livery: Air France   Registration: F-HPJC Manufacturer: Phoenix Platinum Series Scale: 1:400  Length: 7.18"  Wingspan: 7.85"  Provenance: Toy Nuts, Greenhills, Metro Manila Price: PhP 2,300.00 

I was able to visit the brick-and-mortar Boeing Store in St. Louis, MO a few weeks ago and the model I picked was the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental with the Boeing sunrise livery.  The 747-8I was a derivative of the 747-400 but has a longer fusilage. It is the largest 747, largest passenger aircraft built in the United States and at 250 ft 2", the longest passenger aircraft in the world [ 1 ]. Model: Boeing 747-8I  Livery: Boeing sunrise livery  Manufacturer: Hogan Wings  Scale: 1:400  Length: 7.5"  Wingspan: 6.75"  Provenance: Boeing Store, St. Louis, MO ( boeingstore.com )  Price: $35 Note: has spinning engine fans. 

The wide-body, two-engined Boeing 767-300F was ordered by UPS (United Parcel Service) Airlines in 1993 and entered service in 1995. It is the freighter version of the -300 variant, which first flew in 1986. The original 767-200 entered service in 1982. Model: Boeing 767-300F Livery: United Parcel Service (UPS) Worldwide Services Registration: N315UP Manufacturer:  Gemini Jets Scale: 1:400 Length: 5.41" Wingspan: 3.68"   Provenance: at Hobbiestock booth in ToyCon 2012, Megamall  Price: PhP 1050

Here are the side-by-side pics of Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-800, in 1:400 scale. How they compare in real life: 787-8 Length: 186 ft Wingspan:197 ft  Fuselage width: 18 ft 11 inches Heigth:  55 ft 6"  Maximum Takeoff Weight: 502,500 lbs Passengers (typical configuration 2-class): 264 Range: 7650-8200 nm A350-800 Length: 198 ft Wingspan: 213 ft. Fuselage width: 19.6 ft Heigth: 55.9 ft Maximum Takeoff Weight: 571,000 lbs Passengers (typical configuration 2-class): 276-312  Range: 8,480 nm [sources:  1 ,  2 ] 

On a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia I passed through the Low Cost Carrier Terminal of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The LCCT is the hub of the budget carrier AirAsia (which is also the airline I took for Langkawi, my onward destination), and the airline has a kiosk in the terminal that sells die-cast planes. I've purchased this 1:400 Airbus A340-300 in AirAsia X livery.  AirAsia X is the long haul twin of the airline, and it serves destinations to Asia and Australia.  The Airbus A340-300, which started service in 1993, is a four-engined long-haul widebody airliner that can typically accomodate 295 passengers. The 3-abreast  economy-class and mid-section business class  configuration of AirAsia X can carry 327 passengers. Model: Airbus A340-300 Livery: AirAsia X CAPA Best New Airline Manufacturer:  Dragon Wings? Scale: 1:400 Length: 6.21" Wingspan: 5.88"   Provenance: AirAsia  Price: RM 119 Notes: also avai...

The A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) is a long-range wide-body aircraft being developed by Airbus to compete against the Boeing 787 and 777 jetliners. It is slated to enter service in 2014. Made mainly of carbon composites, the jetliner has three variants, and can carry between 270 and 350 passengers. [ source ] Model: Airbus A350 XWB Livery: Airbus Manufacturer:  Dragon Wings  Scale: 1:400 Length: ? Wingspan: ?  Provenance: Lil's Hobby Shop, Megamall Price: PhP 1198 Notes: no landing gear, flight mode only

Here's the side by side pictures of the two cargo aircraft that I have in my growing collection, the Boeing  747 Dreamlifter and the Airbus A300-600ST Beluga. How they compare in real life: Boeing Dreamlifter Length: 235 ft Wingspan: 211 ft Fuselage Width 27ft  Height: 70 ft Maximum Take-Off Weight: 364 tons Range: 4,200 miles Airbus Beluga Length: 184 ft Wingspan: 147 ft Fuselage Width: 23ft  Height: 56 ft Maximum Take-Off Weight:  155 tons Range: 2778 miles (40-ton cargo)

This aircraft's ungainly ugliness makes it more interesting the more you look at it. The  A300-600ST (ST for Super Transport) was nicknamed Beluga for its resemblance to the whale, and the name stuck until it became its official designation.  Derived from the Airbus A300 wide-body aircraft, the Beluga is designed to transport oversized cargo and parts for the A380 aircraft. It can carry up to 47 tons of cargo. Only five were manufactured, and this die-cast model is aircraft number 5.  Model: Airbus A300-600ST Beluga Livery: Toulouse 2013 livery Manufacturer: Dragon Wings Scale: 1:400 Length: 5.48" Wingspan: 4.37"  Provenance: Lil's Hobby Shop Megamall Price: PhP 895

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a brand-new twin-engine, widebody airliner from Boeing Co. It is one of the first airliners to use composite materials for its construction. Model: Boeing 787 Dreamliner Livery: Boeing Test Flight livery Manufacturer: Dragon Wings Scale: 1:400 Length: 5.61" Wingspan: 5.13"  Provenance: Lil's Hobby Shop Megamall Price: PhP 1098

 I love the Space Shuttle, and when I saw this model of a Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with the space shuttle Discovery piggybacking on it I knew that I wanted it to be part of my collection.   This particular model is the second one to be commissioned by NASA, designated as SCA N911NA. It  is a modified Boeing 747-100SR, and it entered service in 1991.  Space Shuttle Discovery first made its maiden flight in 1984, and its last in 2011.  Model: Boeing 747 SCA + Space Shuttle Discovery Livery: NASA Manufacturer: Dragon Wings Scale: 1:400 Length: 7" (747) Wingspan: 6" (747) Provenance: Futaba Price: PhP 1198 Notes: the Shuttle Discovery is made of plastic

I think my collection is shaping up, and is leaning towards unusually-shaped aircraft. Case of point is the Boeing 747 Dreamlifter, which in real life, is a modified 747 wide-body cargo aircraft [1]. The aircraft, which has a large hump on the fuselage, is used to transport parts for the production of the 787 planes.   This die-cast model was on sale at boeingstore.com when I got it.  Model: Boeing 747 Dreamlifter Livery: Boeing Manufacturer: Hogan Wings Scale: 1:400 Length: 7.5" Wingspan: 6.5" Provenance: boeingstore.com Price: $22.46 + shipping

As somebody who grew up during the Cold War, it's is not uncommon for a curious kid like me to end up reading a lot about the arms race between the United States and the USSR - the spies, the weapons and of course, the planes! Harking back to that era is this Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-86, which is USSR's first wide-body aircraft, designed to compete against similar Western aircraft, such as the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.   The Il-86 was manufactured from 1976 to 1991, and 106 were built [ 1 ].   Model: Ilyushin Il-86 Livery: Aeroflot Red Flag Livery Manufacturer: Gemini Jets Scale: 1:400 Length: 5.93" Wingspan: 4.73" Provenance: airlinemuseum.com Price: $30