I’m not much for building kerosine-burners but recently I’ve wanted to build a jetliner. I’ve always liked 727’s and 737’s. I started researching 737 kits and have found several different versions available. Airfix has an old kit of the 737-200 and Minicraft has a 737-300 and 737-400, all in 1/144 scale. I’m wondering if there is a real difference in fuselage length among the kits. To me the shorter fuselage airplanes are more attractive. I have found a decal sheet for the plane I want to build from Draw Decal. I’t for the 737-200. I would prefer to build the 737-300 or 737-400 because I like the way the engines look beneath the wings. I have purposely chosen earlier versions of the 737 without the winglets because I like the look of the earlier wing. The Airfix kit is in the lead right now because it can be built gear-up and has a display stand. If any of you out there have built any or all of these kits I would certainly appreciate your input.
Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all are enjoying the day with family.
It would appear that the 737-200 is 8.3" long and the 737-300 is 9.1" long. A scale difference of .8" or 10 feet. I think I’ll be safe is building the 737-300. The decals I have chosen should fit without too much difficulty.
I haven’t got my mits on one, but the Daco 737-300/400/500 is supposed to be the best of the mid 737 series. The Minicraft kit has also gotten good reviews. Which livery are you doing?
Lewbud, I just found a place out in Arizona that specializes in airline kits and decals, etc. I’ll be buying the Airfix kit or the MPC kit for this and the decals for Alien Airlines. Alien Airlines, actually Janet Airlines, departs daily from McCarran in Las Vegas for Area 51. Janet is actually the radio call sign. Those 737’s are the buses that take folks to work up there. Pretty ordinary looking airplane that has a pretty interesting job, actually.
Cool build. I’ve used Draw Decals before and they’re good stuff. If you’ve used Alps printed decals before, you’ll be okay. Just pay attention to the setting solution you use. A member of our club’s chapter build didn’t pay attention to the instructions and used something too hot (Solvaset if I remember correctly) and melted his decals. If you do the Airfix kit (and if it’s still going), that would be a perfect build for the Weekend GB.[whstl] I need to find me some Southwest Shamu One decals.
Yeah, I read the decal instructions on the Draw Decal website. I have Micro Sol and Solvaset but putting decals on the smooth surface of the fuselage shouldn’t be an issue in this case.
As for a group build, I am already commited to Bish’s Airfix Anniversary Build. I’ll be building Airfix’s 1/144 Boeing 314 Clipper as a “what-if” and/or the Airfix 1/72 B-29. I guess I could include the B-737 if I order it in time.
I see you’re a member of the “If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going” club with your scheduled builds. I look forward to watching them. Aside from Draw Decals, what airliner site are you ordering from? I’ve been looking for West Airlines Sorcerer’s Apprentice markings. Found them once, but didn’t order them at the time and now can’t remember where I found them.
I’ve been looking at the DACO 737’s and the kits look really nice. I might opt for one of those. I like the fact that no clear parts are needed unless the modeler really wants them. For me black decals would be just fine in that scale. The DACO kits don’t have a display stand like the Airfix kit however. I do have some display stands from Cult TV Man that I can make work I think. Jets just look better in flight than they do just sitting on the tarmac.
Thanks for the site info. Both links go to the same site. With such a diversity of markings, I wonder why airliners aren’t more popular. You could spend a good chunk of your life building 737’s alone. Where you’d put a couple of hundred 737’s, I have no idea. Didn’t find the decals I was looking for, but it sure was fun.
