Revell 1/450 Boeing 747-200
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM) is the national carrier of The Netherlands. Headquartered in Amstelveen, with a hub at the nearby Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, it is part of the Air France - KLM group and is a member of the Sky Team airline alliance. Founded in 1919, it is the world's oldest airline still operating under its original name.
KLM's first flight took place on 17 May 1920 from London Croydon Airport to Amsterdam, carrying two British journalists. In 1921 the airline began regular flights, using mainly the Fokker F.II and F.III, with its first transcontinental flight taking place on 1 October 1924.
In May 2004, the company was acquired by Air France, with both companies keeping their brands and fleets, while automatically becoming subsidiaries of parent Air France - KLM.
As of 2023, KLM operates regular passenger and freight services to approximately 130 destinations, having a reputation as one of the safest airlines in the world.
Among its historical fleet were the very successful Boeing 747-200 series, which KLM started operating from as early as 1971.
S/n 19923 was one of these machines, the second example received by KLM in 4-3-1971. Registered as PH - BUB and named Donau/The Danube, she proudly served the airline till 06/11/1989, where she was handed over to America West Airlines, before being scrapped in 1995.
This is the minuscule scale Revell 1/450 offering, a simple, old mold kit, which, though an uncomplicated construction, offers a basic representation of the iconic airliner.
Should you wish to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/civil/airlines/modern/pen747.htm
Happy Modelling!
A nice change of pace and a very nice build and presentation, Spiros.
Thanks so much, my friend @gwskat!
Great!
Thanks my friend @lis!
Definite change-of-pace project, and very nice scheme. Looks great!
Thanks my friend @gkittinger!
Looks great! nice work, congrats
Thanks my friend @federicoschulze!
Some very nice work on this 747, Spiros @fiveten
A very nice write-up about KLM as well.
Well done
Thanks my friend @johnb!
Beautiful paintjob, Spiros. Whenever I flew 747's I always sat in the very back row (so I could stand up during part of the 14 hours in the open space behind the seat). It was a looooong way up that aisle to the front! 🙂
Thanks my friend @robgenev665! Yes, the back row at the Jumbo had its privileges!
Interesting subject, Spiros! Well done!
Thanks my friend @bapowellphys!
Nicely done Spiros. Looks great.
Thanks my friend @roofrat!
@fiveten - Very nice Spiros! Commercial planes are so clean.
Thanks my friend @brithebuilder!
Great work, Spiros, it looks so clean. Interesting history of the airlines as well.
Thanks my friend @chinesegeorge!
Very nice rendition of the old KLM Jumbo, Spiros! @fiveten
KLM, our national pride, might be the oldest airline still operating under its original name, but it might also be the most subsidized airline in the world.
Short after its founding the KLM was periodically supported financially by the Dutch government. And it still is as of today.
Nice company to travel with though 🙂
Thanks so much, my friend @alfred! Indeed, KLM is a great company to fly!
That is a beautiful rendition Spiros. I am curious, the one shot of the unpainted airframe makes it look like it could have been molded as one piece. Were the wings and tailplanes separate moulded pieces? I was always tempted to try Heller’s Connie, but that is in 1/72 so I know that is many pieces and would likely require lots of modeling “skills” applied.
Thanks my friend @russjurco! The wings and tailplanes were separate pieces, but the small scale made construction not too complicated and the filing and sanding of seams an effortless job. Here is a pic of the sprues...
A beauty. This should be sitting the top floor office of some KLM Exec , Spiros @fiveten. Wasn't this intended for an anniversary KLM GB a couple of years ago?
Thanks so much, my friend @eb801!
The specific kit was grabbed by my youngest (6yo) son from a vendor during our local IPMS contest last March, then I was pressed by both my sons to build it😄
Spiros Pendedekas
This is a definite change of pace for you. It looks really nice too ! Well done. I had the opportunity to fly in a 747 twice, both times while serving in the US Army. I was part of the advanced party being sent to West Germany as it was called back then, as part of the REFORGER 83 exercises. We were flown to Germany in a Pan Am 747. We stopped in Maine on the way over for fuel, and the Twin Cities airport in Minnesota on the way home, also to refuel. You should have seen the looks we got as we disembarked the planes, all of us wearing camouflaged BDU's... wearing our helmets and carrying our weapons. We had to get off the jets as they fueled them up so we could make the rest of the journey home to Fort Bliss. It was an experience I will never forget. These planes were SO big inside, and they had 3 levels of seating. Incredible...
Thanks for sharing this one with us. Well done !
Thanks my friend @lgardner!
Wow! What an experience!
Colourful entry on this build , Spiros (@fiveten)!
Seeing your "Mini 747" reminds me of the words "Jumbo Shrimp"
Thanks my friend @georgeswork!
Love the Jumbo Shrimp name!