Model: PH4VOZ326
Airline: Virgin Blue
Aircraft: Boeing 737-700
Registration: VH-VBH
Release Date: 2008
Units: 500
Notes: Standard Colours.
Virgin Blue is an Australian low-cost airline, Australia's second-biggest airline as well as the largest airline (by fleet size) with the Virgin branding. It was founded by British businessman Richard Branson's Virgin Group. Virgin Blue was launched on 31 August 2000, with two aircraft initially offering seven return flights a day between Brisbane and Sydney. This has been expanded to cover all major Australian cities and many holiday destinations.
The Pros
I was quite surprised when Phoenix released this model and the ‘50th aircraft’ version a few months ago, as Phoenix, in my opinion lacks diversity when compared to other 1:400 manufacturers such as AeroClassics and Gemini Jets. Every month you will see at least a Singapore Airlines, JAL, ANA or Air India model. Unless you fleet build these airlines, you are pretty much limited in PH releases.
When I received my model I was pleasantly surprised to see it on Ebay for prices as high as $60 USD, only a few days after the model was released, showing that I had already made a profit of 31 bucks in just a few days.
One first inspection the model seemed quite decent and I really like the new feature Phoenix added to this model, the small bump for live TV just behind the wings on the top of the fuselage as seen on the 1:1 version. This extra ‘add-on’ is a fantastic detail which takes accuracy and detail to a new standard in 1:400 model airplanes. Of course Phoenix are not the first company to add this new detail to their models with companies like Gemini adding ‘humps’ to their JetBlue models and even Blue Box who added even extra features like under-wing inlets, round lights and many other ‘small bumps’ you find on real aircraft. Dragon pioneered this detail in 1999 with two small communication humps appearing on all MD-11 models. Unlike the above models, the MD-11s humps were not added after production but rather included in the shape of the mould. They were basic but they added some extra detail which, back in the day, were unheard of on the very, very basic models of the late 90s.
The ‘Virgin’ font on the tail is correctly positioned, the forward font and VB’s telephone number are also in correct positions and Phoenix even included, with great detail and good printing methods, the female flag carrier and Australian flag after the registration. Every little detail of the 1:1 version has been successfully replicated even down to the tiny Virgin font on the winglets bordered by the blue which is also seen on the tail. The engines also feature a thin blue strip just before the thrust reverser area and Phoenix have even printed the tiny red lines of the restricted zone on the engine. The engine inlets have been painted metallic black, another plus, as the silver paint was too stark and very unrealistic and the same metallic black paint is seen on the base of the engine pylon under the wing on the exhaust pipe leading out of the CFM-56s. The top of the wings have a border of faint black paint replicating the ‘No Step’ areas of the wings as seen on the real aircraft. Flap outlines and spoilers have also been added to the model by outlines being engraved into the mould rather than printed. Leading edge slats have been painted in a subtle silver paint adding just that little bit extra realism. The nose gear is a good size and the gear bay doors are not oversized barn like doors as seen on AV400 73G mould. The nose gear bay door even features the last two letters of the registration ‘BH’.
Small ‘Phoenix’ logo on the belly of the model isn’t visible unless looked at from underneath and doesn’t wrap around with the curvature of the fuselage. Another plus!
The Cons
The major downfall of this model is the background paint, one of the most noticeable areas of a model and thus the most important to get correct. Phoenix stuffed this up big time. The colour should be similar to that of Gemini’s Virgin Blue 737-800, a bold red. Phoenix’s red is tangerine-orange red and therefore is incorrect. It is quite noticeable when both models are standing next to each other. On my diorama, I like to pretend that this particular aircraft is based in Alice Springs and has faded due to the heat.
The nose on this mould is also quite poor. It is just too blunt to be that of a 737s. The 737 has a distinctive pouty nose and higher cockpit windows but the nose of the model is short and blunt showing an essence of Concorde’s blunt nose, though not to that extreme.
The main landing gear is too tall. Although this is this the case on all of Gemini’s and Phoenix’s 737 NGs, this is wrong. The angle of the model hints the angle of an ERJ-145. The landing gears are angled too far backward, they should only be slightly angled although I think this was intended to balance the model’s Center of Gravity as the 737 NGs are notorious for falling on their backsides.
Below are ratings out of 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being excellent.
1: Worst
2: Bad
3: Poor
4: Could be better
5: Satisfactory
6: Average
7: Good
8: Great
9: HOT!
10: Excellent
Mould (Airframe): 8.0
Detail (Inc. Spoilers, Flaps, Gear bay doors, Cargo Doors): 9.0
Printing (Accuracy, Colour, Finish, Correct Fonts): 7.0
Quality (Any Scratches, Chips, Bent Pylons, Finish): 9.0
Value (Price, Money well spent): 8.5
Verdict: 8.5/10
Final Verdict
Putting the colour and minor mould issues aside, this model is still a must have for any person who collects Australian models. It has its issues but overall, Phoenix has done a good job at replicating the little Virgin. -VBH is a nice addition to the Virgin fleet. Expect to pay a minimum market price of USD $50 for this model. If you can get it cheaper, snap it up as it has become a much wanted model.
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Originally Posted by cougar
