Phoenix Models, Air Namibia 767-33AER: V5-NMB

National Airlines and flag carriers have long been an interest of mine, and one of my main criteria points when it comes to collecting. Air Namibia was the lone and longistanding flag carrier of the African nation, Namibia. The airline was founded in 1946, but it didn't become a serious pax carrier, or flag carrier until the late 1980's. The airline which was wholly owned by the Namibian government was shut down in 2021 after enduring years of financial turmoil. For a closer look, read on. 

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Line number 491 was delivered to TACA International in May of 1993. The aircraft has changed hands over 26 times according to Planespotters.net. Number 491 arrived to Air Namibia in 1998 and only spent a year with the company. The aircraft didn't wear the livery for very long as she was sent to Avianca in 1999.

​Stats provided by Planespotters.net

The real thing: Air Namibia registered V5-NMB resting at Frankfurt. Photograph by Konstantin von Weldelstaedt.

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Notes:
​V5-NMB was the only 767 that Air Namibia ever operated. While it's really nice to have this airline getting representation in the scale, there are still several opportunities to better showcase the defunct operator. NMB operated A319s, A330s, A340's, and 737s among several others types, many ripe opportunities for 1/400 manufactures. This is even more true considering the last Air Namibia release that was mainstream came out in 2004, an MD-11 by Phoenix. 

This is a nice little model, and while it will likely soon be the second best in 1/400 to Panda Model's casting, this one holds its own. It's nice to see the diversity from Phoenix Models, and even better to finally add Namibia to the list of countries represented in my collection.