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rstretton
01-31-2010, 10:07 PM
For this review we look at the Indian subcontinent which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and islands in the Indian Ocean. For the majority of the time Schabak was around air travel in India was dominated by the two national carriers and so there weren't many airlines that schabak could make. Even then they never made Indian Airlines for some reason or even Bangladesh Biman. These are both obvious missing airlines but at least we've seen them in the form of my custom models.

Anyway the first airline in the region to be made was PIA at no 25. This is quite early for a Pakistani carrier but Schabak, and now Schuco obviously, have a good relationship with this carrier as they've made many models for them. Unfortunately until recently PIA had a rather ordinary livery but Schabak made it on the 747-200, A300, A310 and 737-300 nonetheless. A F-27 would've been nice though.

It was not until airline 94 that another airline from this region, this time Air Lanka, was made. Worth the wait though for the L1011 Tristar and later the A340. After the rebranding to Sri Lankan Schabak was going to make an A330 but sadly it never showed up.

rstretton
01-31-2010, 10:15 PM
Air India didn't get a look in until airline 108 in 1990 - maybe Schabak's close relationship with PIA hurt their business in India??? Anyway it was all 747s with AI though late on an A310 was mooted but never completed.

Branching into the Indian Ocean Air Austral of the little island group of Reunion was a surprise at airline 141 (1992). Considering the small number of 737-500 models made this airline was a bizarre choice and excellently we also got an F-28. Hopefully Schuco will make a 777 or A380 in their lovely new colours soon.

rstretton
01-31-2010, 10:19 PM
The last airline of the region Schabak made was Air Seychelles. Their lone 767-200 was always at Gatwick when I was spotting so I was very happy to see it made into a model and they continued by also making the 767-300.

An airline conspicuous by its absence however is Air Mauritius but from what Wilfried says it seems they may be about to get a new Schuco so watch this space :smile:

Nowadays there are soo many colourful Indian airlines (Jet Airways, AI Express, Go Air etc) and even some already gone (Air Sahara, Deccan) that surely an Indian low cost set isin order - yeah I know it'll never happen but we can dream can't we.

maximilian
02-01-2010, 07:33 AM
yeah I know it'll never happen but we can dream can't we.
Of course we can! Besides, looking on the produced models in the past shows that there have always been releases one hadn't seriously thought of. So: "Never say never" concerning the 1:600 scale! :wink:

Are we only talking about Schabak excluding the new Schuco models in these reviews? If not, one could also add Air India's 777 and 787, though they were just made recently.

rstretton
02-01-2010, 01:45 PM
Are we only talking about Schabak excluding the new Schuco models in these reviews? If not, one could also add Air India's 777 and 787, though they were just made recently.

I've been largely ignoring the new Schucos but yeah the new AI colours are very nice. I liked the short lived Indian Airlines new colours too.