started 3/27/11

Updated as of 12/18/12

As a collector, I maintain a list of models that I want to buy. I call it my "Top 50." I have a group that are top priority and I'm actively trying to find, and there are others, near the bottom that I would love to have, but there are so many ahead of them they don't garner much attention. The ultra-rare models supersede this list but have to be separate, because its not like I can just decide to get a rare model, it has to appear. I do this because there are so many models out there, and so many companies, that I don't want to forget about something I wanted. It also helps me keep from spending too much each month, I just pick a few of the top, and that's that. Needless to say I've had a good winter, made quite a few purchases, and the list is thinning out. I'm also sort of sick of hunting for the ultra rare models (Pan Am Billboard 747, Northwest DC-10 bowling shoe, etc). I don't know about you, but in the decision process as far as what to buy each month, I look at the pictures so many times, sometimes it takes away from the fun of opening and displaying it when it actually arrives! My top 5 currently sits as

1. Northwest DC-10-30 "Bowling Shoe" Inflight 200

2. Air Canada DC-8-63 Inflight 200

3. American Airlines 757-223 Flagship freedom Gemini 200

4. PSA BAe 146-100 Ornage livery Jet-X

5. Ozark DC-9-41 Inflight 200

I am a ridiculously loyal customer of Nick's at jetwaymodels.com, been shopping with him for about 12 years now. But he is in Oregon, and I am in Illinois, so I'm limited to shopping a website. I'd say I buy about 85% of my models from him, but occasionally, we'll take a shopping trip into Chicago and I'll dig through what the local model shops have. On the Northwest side of Chicago is Grayland Station. I drop my wife and daughter at the mall, and head over there with the boys. He doesn't really put much on a website, so his inventory moves quite a bit slower and he has a vast inventory of all scales of airplanes and trains. Its not pretty to look at, but it is a ton of fun to look through the mountains of inventory. You really never know what you are going to find behind a stack. A few months ago, I found a Gemini Eastern white 727, which I thought were long gone; the Gemini National 727; a Jet-X AA MD-80; among others. Anyone who knows Inflight200 knows that the low production runs, it many cases make the models rarer quicker. He has so many rare Inflight 200s to name. But overall, the best part is that pictures on the computer never do these fine models justice, so seeing the boxes, opening a few, and spending a lot of time looking them over is really fun.

This past weekend we headed up there, and I really didn't have any hopes as to something I was trying to find. I sort of thought I might pick up a couple off the list and that would be that. Ho-hum. Its always great to get a new model, but like I said, sometimes for me, looking at them on the computer and reading people picking them apart sort of takes something out of it.  On the way up I was sort of toying with the idea of forgetting the list and getting something I'd never seen before, but would that be?!  We walked in and started looking around, I saw the Alaska MD-80, there were 1/2 a dozen. Found the American MD-90, but Nick has it cheaper. The Astrojet was there, too. Saw a few others further down the list, but I wasn't too excited about them. I had also been wanting an Inflight200 DC-8-63 for sometime, but didn't really like the choices. However, a MAJOR benefit to the store is that I was able to actually look at what was there. Looked at the DHL, Flying Tigers, Capitol, and Seaboard -63s before I decided on the World Airways DC-8-63. What made me happiest about this find was that it wasn't on the list, and it is a truly classic livery on a classic aircraft that created an awesome looking model! I'd never seen it before, but seeing it in person was the seller.

World Airways early 1970s livery is truly classic. A window width cheatline with a pinstripe below it in red. The globe logos on the tail and the nose are unique and the call out to the DC-8 on the tail is always a great add to a livery. The thing that puts this model over the top is the all of the polished metal, she really shines! The control surfaces, leading edge, and entire underbelly are all near chrome shiney! Take a look, she is one long and good lookin' bird:

After deciding on the DC-8, I continued to shop and found something, I knew nothing about and was ecstatic to find. I had heard Hogan made a set of Concorde's, but I didn't know they were die-cast. My two favorite liveries that the Concorde wore are the British "landor" and Air France's 1970's initial Concorde livery. The one that I found is the Air France, and after looking it over and discovering the all-metal (heavy!) and excellent product Hogan and Socatec made, I bought that one too. This purchase was really fun, because it was something I never expected to find. The model is very detailed and sports Air France's livery that perfectly suited such a fast looking craft. Comes with a nice looking stand that is labeled with the aircraft's service dates. Also comes with trans-atlantic maps and pretty nice looking box! Have a look:

In the end, both are truly great models, and were awesome to find. It was a fun time and just reminded me that it is really fun to just see something I like and buy that. It doesn't matter if some people think the mold isn't prefect or the tires aren't the right tread. I like what I like, and that's what matters! Hope you enjoy the story, and as usual I'll be uploading more pictures of these fine models in the coming days. ~ Brian Sherman