NG Model, Kuwait Airways A330-243: PK-APA

As I work to continue building my national flag carrying fleets, a new A330 arrived this week which assists in modernizing the representation of the middle eastern country, Kuwait. The airline has seen a substantial amount of attention in 1/400 scale over the last five years with over 20 models either announced or already produced. Today's example is from 2021. While this isn't the most modern rendition of the Kuwait Airways livery, and the airplane this model is based on is already out of the fleet, it's still a very nice looking diecast on based on the superb NG mould, for more, read on...

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Like several other Middle Eastern airlines, Kuwait Airlines has been growing recently. According to the Centre for Aviation, in 2013 Kuwait Airways had one of the oldest fleets in the Middle East with an average age of 20 years. Through a series of deals and investments, ten years later SkyTrax named the airline World's Most Improved. That was accomplished with help from aircraft like this one. Registered as 9K-APA, and completed in May of 2015, the ship would join Kuwait Airways that year. She would stay with the fleet until March of 2024, and is currently being converted into a military spec. A330 for the Canadian military. 

The real thing: Kuwait Airlines, 9K-APA touching down at Munich in September of 2018. (Photograph courtesy of Andrew Hunt, Airliners.net).

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Notes:
This little model, produced in 2021 represents a peak period for NG Models. The company was presenting far more diversity, and still in the process of developing some outstanding castings. The fuselage, wing details, see-through fan blades, and rolling gear are some of the best in the hobby. The combination of a brand new mould, and top notch paint and printing techniques mean that this is a premium 1/400 scale product.

There are one or two tiny errors on the model. The forward most port side door is supposed to run perfectly parallel with the cheatline but ducks below it at a weird angle. I'm also not convinced that NG got the colors exactly right. Paying no mind to these problems, the model is superb. The details around the nose cone, engine cowlings, and landing gear are awesome. Flip the model over and the 'Kuwait' title is beautifully replicated across the belly. The model has it all, go get one. 

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Sources:
-airliners.net
-modelaircraftdatabase.com
-Planespotters.net