Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Good Afternoon collectors! I'm new to collecting 1/200 models. I received my first 1/200 on Christmas Day it is a Gemini 200 Atlas Air 747-8. Its a nice looking model, its so nice that I kind of feel like getting rid of my 1/400s for 1/200s models! ;) The next 1/200 model I'm thinking of getting is a Herpa TNT BAe-146. I did read somewhere that some Herpa 200 are plastic some aren't. My question is which ones are plastic and which ones aren't? also why don't they just do one material?

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Some models are plastic and the others are die cast.

Just go to their website HERPA Miniaturmodelle GmbH - Online and you will have the answer to your questions.

BAe-146 or Avro RJ 85 are metal.

Welcome to this hobby and to the forum ...

Jean Pierre.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

This should probably be a sticky. I know Herpa Saab 340 is diecast. 707 as well, I presume. But a proper list is a great idea, op!

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Fokker 50, 70 & 100 - metal
Q400 - metal
Saab 340 - metal
Dornier 328 - metal
BAE/RJ - metal
Most smaller single aisles and regionals are metal except for the ERJ-170/190

A319/20/21 and larger are plastic except for some of the LH 747s on the JC/Gemini mould.

The Herpa website is pretty good - it will say if the model is metal or plastic.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

ATR42/72, AN-24 and Yak-40 are metal too.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

727's are metal as well. I think most of their props are metal. DC-3, DC-6, Convairs, Viscounts, Connie's etc.

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AN-2 and Mil MI 8´s are metal too :-)

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Herpa's Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is one hell of a heavy metal!

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

[QUOTE=. My question is which ones are plastic and which ones aren't? also why don't they just do one material?[/QUOTE]

I wish Herpa would make it easier to see which are metal and which are plastic. You have to look at each model one by one to see the material

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

The 747's you can identify with the price. Some of their plastic models are nice as well. I love their A320 family.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

727-100 was metal (mould is gone) and the 727-200 was plastic, but in the Lufthansa Modell Colection and Preimum range of products and is still in my opinion the best aircraft model built until now in 1:200 worldwide.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Herpa models. All the bigger aircraft (wide body) are plastic except some Lufthansa models B747 there are die-cast model.

All smaller aircraft especially the the propeller type are die-cast.

Plastic models
A319,A320, A321, A300, A330, A340, A350, A380, B747, B777, B787, B767, B757, B737, DC-10, AN-12, AN-225.

Die-cast models
All B707 are die-cast and a few selected Lufthansa B747.

Smaller aircraft in die-cast
AN-2, AN-24, ATR 42/72, Catalina, Convair, Dash 8, DC-6, DC-8, Fokker , Saab 340, TU-144 and Vickers Viscount.

I may have miss out some of the models.

Happy New Year guys.

Raymond :)

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

B 727-200, B 737-300, B 747-400 and A300-600: Plastic with transparent windows, all as high end Herpa / Lufthansa Modell Edition and Herpa Premium models.

Raymond, you missed the metal B 727-100 and the Caravelle. ;)

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Hi Horai,
The Herpa Premium Edition which start of from the Lufthansa models in the 90's.

Raymond :)

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Dc8, constellation and starliner are metal too. A new starliner (TWA) is announced for march. For the plastic collectors; new toolings for the A330,350,380 and 747-8 are made with the additions of antennas on the fuselage. They are getting better now.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

I know a lot of collectors out there are "diecast" or nothing in their thinking. I only have five plastic/resin models in my collection too, and three of four 1:200 scale are Herpa (the other is Hogan). They are outstanding. I would not ever hesitate purchasing a plastic Herpa. (I'm considering another one presently.) Plus, if you play with your models from time to time like I do, you will feel more secure holding a lighter model as it makes it's approach. My plastic Herpas as thus:

Czech Airlines 80th Anniversary B-737-500
Kulula (Comair) "Flying 101" B-737-800
Southwest "Shamu" B-737-700

My Hogan Air Tran 737-700 is of comparable quality and one other plastic (resin) model is a 1:100 SkyMarks Premium Southwest "Colorado One" 737-700.

One last comment on plastic: I love my Hogan C-17 and feels it stacks up against the Gemini Metal versions just fine.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

I bought the Herpa lufthansa A350 last week and it is a super fine model. Here in Europe the price difference between the Herpa and the gemini was 55 euros and between the Herpa and inflight one even 65 euros, for me that is a big difference!

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

That aero space line super guppy looks awesome! I just look up old pics from flying mule

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Do plastic models actually look good?

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Dai Kong thanks for the list! I appreciate that

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Are Herpa helicopters die cast? I like pics I've seem of their chinooks

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Herpa metal model:

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps5uq84ap1.jpg

And two plastic ones:

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/p...psxoims5x7.jpg

and

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/p...psdqhitojh.jpg

Ok, these are Premiums, which are better than normal Herpa models. But yes, as most Herpa models are painted you can't tell which are made of metal and which of plastic unless you hold them in your hand.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

[QUOTE=TonyBDL;2200441]Are Herpa helicopters die cast? I like pics I've seem of their chinooks[/QUOTE

Hi Tony,
Yes the Heli are die-cast and same goes to all the 1:200 fighter jets.

Raymond :)

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Thanks HoRad, Those are some nice looking models! Also nice pics! I'm just starting to collect 1/200 models so if the plastic ones look just as good as the metal ones. I guess I'll be more open to buying some. Now the question is who's better hogan or herpa?

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Yes. Top is Herpa plastic, bottom is Inflight200 metal. Some of the standard(I mean non premium) Herpas do lack the antennas. The BA 747-8 cargo does have the antenna. I do like how the gear hangs.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

I thought about collecting 1/200 fighters but I decided to stick to cargo airlines in the 1/200 scale, I really like the TNT BAe-146 from Herpa can't wait to buy it. I am thinking about getting two 1/200 fighter a F-16 Thunderbird & a F-18 Blue Angel and also I would like to get a Chinook. Thanks Raymond

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

There are some great options for cargo planes in 1:200. I have 60 of them now with most of them being 747s. Mostly metal, just a couple of plastics because there is no metal option. Recently Gemini and JC Wings have released some great models. Hope they keep coming. This Etihad is really nice.

http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/...0f-landed.html

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Kelso49, Yea that Etihad 747 is a nice looking model that livery is unique. Sounds like your a fan of the 747 the queen of the sky, Long live the queen!

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Imo, LH modell edition B727 is still has best out there

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Same applies in my opinion to the LH Modell Edition / Premium B 747-400 and A 300-600. Only the B 737-300 has some flaws (its nose is not perfectly reproduced).

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Some pics of recently released herpa models wich are imho very nice! With the addition of antennas they keep getting better and better!

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Nice pics! Baerke, I like you ramp area and the gse. If you had to choose a plastic model which is better herpa wings, Hogan or skymark?

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As everyone else has said here...when it comes to plastic, Herpa is the best. Hogan models sometime have the wing flex for in flight display, and lack the antennas all around. Whereas some Herpa models actually have the antennas built in. Skymarks, in my opinion, are okay. They have great details, but some just look very "plastic." The Herpa metal models are fantastic!! Great Herpa detail with all the benefits of it being diecast metal.

I personally will only buy Herpa models in 1:200 if they have the antennas, otherwise it's a no-go for me. I really wish though they would start incorporating jewel lights on the models. That would just add the finishing touch to their models.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Herpa is investing quite a lot in their molds lately, they keep getting better and I hope they will get even better in the future..Looking at their new A330 and A350 and B748 they are getting there...As for the dreamliner 787, there is still some work to do for herpa...

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

Yup! I'm really liking their 748's and will likely get quite a few of them. In particular the Cargolux 748 classic livery, as well as their fleet of Lufty's!!

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The new cargolux will be nice too with al the drawings on it! :)

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Yes, I LOVE this livery!! I have it on JCW already, but am really interested in seeing the Herpa version, as they do a fantastic job with their printings :)

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The JC is great too, stunning mold!

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Hmm so if its going to be plastic, Herpa wings is the way to go, Excellent. What is everyone's opinion when it comes to Inflight200? I keep seeing remarks about the paint being terrible on their models and that the prices seem high.

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

I've been building and collecting models a long time. Nothing beats the quality, precision, and attention to detail of the Herpa Premiums.

I wish all 1/200 scale models were made of plastic, and to the quality standards of the HP's. I have some beautiful 1/200 L-1011's, but I'm afraid to put them on the glass shelves of my curio because they weigh 30 pounds each! I've always found panel lines are much crisper on plastic models as well.

MANY out there say plastic feels and looks cheap. I guarantee they've never seen the HP AA A300 in person. It is a work of art. It is hard to argue against the HP AA A300 being the best production, albeit limited, 1/200 model out there. Even the Delta 733 and 722 Interims are top notch (too bad they weren't widgets!). If A/C or Gemini Jets would produce a line of detailed 1/200 models (even ex-Starjets quality), I think it would be welcomed MANY MANY collectors, myself included!

Re: Herpa 1/200 diecast or plastic
 

I'll back up everything you've just said. Also it's a shame Gemini cancelled their Plastic line after only one model. It seemed to me to be a promising line and the cost was comparable to hogan with a more starjet200 quality. I'm still hopeful that one manufacturer will pick up on this neglected section of model airliner market.

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It is indeed a pitty that gemini stopped the plastic line...wonder why, the delta 737 sold out very quickly...

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Plastic models would also make it easier for manufacturers to include lighting, nav/strobes/position, if they ever decided to.

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Herpa did that 30 years ago. The models did have transparent clear, orange and red lights.

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With the micro LED's available on the market now, integrating working lights on a 1/200 plastic airliner model shouldn't be a major engineering feat. You can pick up a micro drone at TJMaxx with small gauge wiring to multiple LED's and motors for $10, granted the production numbers are much larger.

However, and I think I would get some support here from fellow collectors, if a manufacturer made, even a starjets quality - for example - 1/200 plastic Delta widget 727-200 with working nav/position/stobe lights and the MSRP was $100-I'd order 2!