Hey everyone,

I was thinking about this the other day and it occurred to me that I don't think I've ever seen it discussed here. We've all seen press-op photos of airline/manufacturer execs shaking hands with a nice-looking scale model after finalizing a new order or inaugurating a new route (probably wishing we could get our hands on one). Where do these models come from? I initially figured one of the model companies (Gemeni, Herpa, etc) might make them under contract, but then it occurred to me that there are a lot of models out there in the world that were produced for orders that never panned out and I'd have to imagine that Airbus, Boeing, et al don't really want anyone outside the company knowing about ongoing negotiations in case they don't end up winning the order. There are also a lot of concept models of aircraft that never even get made that I would imagine need to be kept under lock and key for similar reasons. Do the manufacturers have dedicated departments to make these? I remember a friend of mine's dad worked in a graphics department at Boeing that made everything from facility signs to concept art--maybe this would have fallen to the same department? Any information anyone has to offer would be interesting.

The ones you mean are not toys or the ones you can buy onboard. The good ones are made to spec using the actual manufacturer's data and software. Including paint for upcoming customers and such. They will be strictly kept under wraps until an order is known in public. Google "executive aircraft models" I think the Boeing store as an example sometimes has some on offer.
The military has "briefing sticks" to train maneuvres and formation flying in class rooms. Little models with a stick to grab it.
The real top secret ones are wind tunnel models. They are way more expensive and made to superexact scale at specialist companies with built in sensors, cables and pipes or whatever is needed.

PacMin (Pacific Miniatures) makes many of those custom display models

Air Tahiti Nui 789 for example:
https://www.facebook.com/polynesianavia ... 2MTk4Njg0/

https://www.facebook.com/pacmin/

Thanks. I tried to link them up but their server is broken or at least I get a warning like that. That's the company I was thinking about myself. They do supersized models as well to hang under the roof of your terminal and such.

gunsontheroof wrote:

Hey everyone,

I was thinking about this the other day and it occurred to me that I don't think I've ever seen it discussed here. We've all seen press-op photos of airline/manufacturer execs shaking hands with a nice-looking scale model after finalizing a new order or inaugurating a new route (probably wishing we could get our hands on one).

I'm going to make you a little jealous (times 3).
I have not one but a few in my collections.
3 of the bigger ones are of 1/200 scale:-
A E195-E2 straight from Embraer themselves. (according to the box, made for them by Lupa Aircraft Models).
The other 2 are from Qatar: their A359 and A380. Given by the airline as souvenirs after an hr+ tour of their interiors; as an invited guest.
All are very well made and finished.

I had a relative who made these for Boeing probably in the 30s, maybe the 40s.

Back when I worked for Intel the corporate aviation department was located in the building next to the one I worked in. Whenever I had to walk through that building I would always pause for a moment to admire the model airplanes displayed in one of the cubicles. There was an ERJ-135 and a Beech 1900, both planes the company operated as corporate shuttles, and both models were painted in the blue and white livery of the company's actual planes. There was also a model of an Embraer Legacy; I have no idea if the company had one of those, too, but it would make sense as a corporate jet since they had other Embraers. The oddball was a Do-328 Jet model. I'm guessing that was a plane they considered but never ordered.

Do aircraft manufacturers give these out as gifts to executives to executives as companies considering purchasing planes from them? I always kind of wondered where those models came from.

Noshow wrote:

The real top secret ones are wind tunnel models. They are way more expensive and made to superexact scale at specialist companies with built in sensors, cables and pipes or whatever is needed.

I know this is getting a bit off topic for the original question, but here's a video Boeing put out with a little look into their model shop for wind tunnel models, which are made by incredibly skilled craftsmen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MFWnHkG6YU

neutrino wrote:

gunsontheroof wrote:

Hey everyone,

I was thinking about this the other day and it occurred to me that I don't think I've ever seen it discussed here. We've all seen press-op photos of airline/manufacturer execs shaking hands with a nice-looking scale model after finalizing a new order or inaugurating a new route (probably wishing we could get our hands on one).

I'm going to make you a little jealous (times 3).
I have not one but a few in my collections.
3 of the bigger ones are of 1/200 scale:-
A E195-E2 straight from Embraer themselves. (according to the box, made for them by Lupa Aircraft Models).
The other 2 are from Qatar: their A359 and A380. Given by the airline as souvenirs after an hr+ tour of their interiors; as an invited guest.
All are very well made and finished.

I think the ones the OP is asking about are the very large models often seen at air shows or ceremonies where orders are signed. The small ones are probably 1:100, and large ones can be significantly larger, with wing spans of 5-10 feet. 1:200 models are the largest scale usually readily available for collectors and made by many manufacturers (smaller aircraft can come in larger scales to be around the same size as a 1:200 widebody; for instance, a 1:130 737 is around the same size model as a 1:200 747).

Check out Atlantic models. I have an AA 757 made by them.

http://atlantic-models.com/

airplanenut wrote:

[ 1:200 models are the largest scale usually readily available for collectors and made by many manufacturers (smaller aircraft can come in larger scales to be around the same size as a 1:200 widebody; for instance, a 1:130 737 is around the same size model as a 1:200 747).

The Boeing Store sells 1:100 of most of their fleet, which is around 2.5 feet long for a 747-8i. Atlantic linked above also sells 1:100.

Tempting.

These aren't customer models, but you may find some of the models of concepts that never entered production interesting, here:
http://aviationweek.com/blog/boeings-wonder-wall

I think these were created mainly to give potential customers, the media, and others an idea what the aircraft would look like if built, not for engineering purposes like wind tunnel testing.

I think PPC Holland (used to be IMC) made some really big corporate models (as well as the little onboard ones)

iamlucky13 wrote:

These aren't customer models, but you may find some of the models of concepts that never entered production interesting, here:
http://aviationweek.com/blog/boeings-wonder-wall

I think these were created mainly to give potential customers, the media, and others an idea what the aircraft would look like if built, not for engineering purposes like wind tunnel testing.

Yes! There was a cool story on the Boeing archives in the Seattle Times some years ago that I need to dig up. I meant to see if I could arrange a visit back before my old man retired from Boeing (not far from. there, actually) but sadly, never got around to it.

neutrino wrote:

gunsontheroof wrote:

Hey everyone,

I was thinking about this the other day and it occurred to me that I don't think I've ever seen it discussed here. We've all seen press-op photos of airline/manufacturer execs shaking hands with a nice-looking scale model after finalizing a new order or inaugurating a new route (probably wishing we could get our hands on one).

I'm going to make you a little jealous (times 3).
I have not one but a few in my collections.
3 of the bigger ones are of 1/200 scale:-
A E195-E2 straight from Embraer themselves. (according to the box, made for them by Lupa Aircraft Models).
The other 2 are from Qatar: their A359 and A380. Given by the airline as souvenirs after an hr+ tour of their interiors; as an invited guest.
All are very well made and finished.

I am going to make you a little jealous (times 1000).... Thats how many I have in 200 scale and 100 scale...

I thought I might also mention a loosely relevant collection people in this thread should enjoy - the Holtgrewe model collection at the Museum of Flight:

http://museumofflight.org/Exhibits/holtgrewe
http://museumofflight.org/Exhibits/holt ... collection

The WWII models are all 1/72 scale, and the WWI models 1/48 scale, I believe. Some are kits customized by Dr. Holtgrewe, while others are completely custom.

I'm not sure why a retired Maryland doctor decided to donate the fruits of his hobby to a Seattle museum, but I'm really glad he did. I spend a significant amount of time each time I visit looking at various models of aircraft that in many cases I never even knew existed.

Atlantic Models in MIA makes all kind of models including classic liveries to modern paint schemes. Also in various sizes as large as 43 feet; they make models for the USAF to Boeing (check out the display at the MIA training center). Everyone is welcome to the factory about 10 minutes from MIA.

Virtual737 wrote:

airplanenut wrote:

[ 1:200 models are the largest scale usually readily available for collectors and made by many manufacturers (smaller aircraft can come in larger scales to be around the same size as a 1:200 widebody; for instance, a 1:130 737 is around the same size model as a 1:200 747).

The Boeing Store sells 1:100 of most of their fleet, which is around 2.5 feet long for a 747-8i. Atlantic linked above also sells 1:100.

Tempting.

Yes, but those are relatively limited in available variety--Boeing has them for their fleet in house colors, but you won't find a lot more than that. In 1:200, you can find tons of airlines for any given model.

In the 1970s and 1980s I had a part-time job of painting and decaling desk display model aircraft under a subcontract for Beech Aircraft. This part time job helped pay my way thru college. I completed about 2,500 models over a 10 year period. Beech would give a model free for customers who purchased a Baron or larger aircraft. I painted mostly the Baron, Duke, and some of the King Air models. There were about 4 of us who did the models, delivering about 25 models each week. These models were about 12 to 16 inches long, and sat on acrylic stands. The actual models were purchased in an all white color from a company in Japan, and later came from a company called Space Models from England. The Japanese models were more detailed than the English models.

The models were masked off and painted in a paint booth in usually two colors. The windows, registration numbers, flags, etc were decals dipped in water. The de-icing boots were black tape on the leading edges. Many foreign models also had larger registration numbers on the upper and/or lower wings. Beech had models for every product that they produced at the time and some out of production models. Musketeer, Bonanza (straight and V tail and A36), Baron (B55, E55, 58, 58TC, 58P), Duke, Queen Air, King Air (E90, F90, 100, 200), 99 Airliner and 1900. The Staggerwing models were tightly controlled, and required Olive Ann Beech's approval before we could paint one of those. I remember painting a few Staggerwing models. Every year in the spring we had to paint one of each model in house colors for Beech's display at the Paris Air Show.

Customers who ordered Barons or larger planes were given one free at the delivery ceremony. Smaller airplane deliveries could special order models also. I remember doing a model for Christopher Reeve (Superman) - a Baron 58P, N123CR. One time we received an official looking letter requesting a model of a King Air. The letter was on Philippine government letter head, and signed by Imelda Marcos. She was ordering the King Air model for her husband Ferdinand as a birthday present. In 1976 I toured the Pentagon during the bi-centennial and saw some models I had painted in a display case. In 1982 I met Olive Ann Beech in her office, where she had all of Beech's models displayed on shelves behind her desk. She signed a picture of a Staggerwing and gave it to me. It hangs in my office today. To this day I still remember her birthdate (September 25) because each year we did a model of her King Air company plane - N925BA. Her favorite color was blue, so her plane was always the latest color scheme in blue.

Interesting... I have two models of the planes I have flown. Both are wood carved FROM the Philippines. They probably 3D print them now?