Gemini Jets January 2021 Southwest Exclusive

Photo taken from Gemini Jets Facbook Page.

In a rare move, Gemini has somewhat quietly released an exclusive 1/400 scale Southwest Airlines model. The model itself is the one of a kind, 'Louisiana One.' Gemini scarcely releases models in this way and the timing is interesting.
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2020 has seen Gemini dip into the Southwest honey pot multiple times. In the past, years at a time have gone by without a single Southwest model at all. In the last 14 months, Gemini has released four 737 state flag models (not including N946WN). I believe the choice to release these in the way Gemini have, only to make the most recent release an exclusive model was more than deliberate.

Image lifted from DiMA, Wafflecollectibles.com

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Photograph by Nick Krawczyk, Airliners.net. March 2018, Love Field.

Rumblings of this exclusive release had been circulating social media and hobby forums for quite sometime about an exclusive release. Gemini Jets themselves made it official however with a Facebook post on January 5th. 

As indicated on the box and publicized by Gemini Jets, the model to my knowledge is only available at the airplaneshop.com. From what I understand this online store is located in New Jersey and has some sort of connection to ADI. I saw a suggestion it is owned by ADI. This would make a lot of sense as to why they alone seem to have the model in stock.

The tricky detail here is that model is retailing for 49.95. While I'm not up for a debate on the overall cost of running a 1/400 company, others in the same industry are doing a lot more for a lot less if you get my meaning. For anyone who wants to keep up with the state flag releases, hobbyists now have to take their business and fistful of cash to airplaneshop.com if they want to keep their Southwest fleet complete. 

This is an interesting move by Gemini Jets. Southwest jets are about as close to a sure thing as far as sales go. They never stay in stock long and are almost guaranteed to appreciate on the open market. Using the term 'cash grab' is probably a bit harsh, but $50 for a 737 on a pretty old mould is a tough pill to swallow.