I know that some of you have a low tolerance for discussing this but others have been keen to have a centralised resource with a list of impacted models. As painful as it is zinc rot is an important part of the history of 400 scale so I have pulled together the information available across old threads to create a central repository discussing what it is, how it works and what models are impacted. Although mainly a contagion from the Jinbo factory in 2002-2004 there have been other outbreaks - most recently in 2012.
I have used photos from various collectors so I hope you are ok with usage of your images, which I have accredited.
Add the Sky400 models to the list. Specifically the 3 Qantas 747-400 Wunalas. Wunala 1, All Red, and Wunala 2. All 3 were made from the same batch and all are zinc rotting.
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JAG
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Add the Sky400 models to the list. Specifically the 3 Qantas 747-400 Wunalas. Wunala 1, All Red, and Wunala 2. All 3 were made from the same batch and all are zinc rotting.
My all red VH-OEJ seems to be fine, the wings are flexing a bit but no cracking whatsoever, 2008 release too.
My all red VH-OEJ seems to be fine, the wings are flexing a bit but no cracking whatsoever, 2008 release too.
I had my hands on all 3 at one point. They were all released in the same batch if I'm not mistaken. Granted the All Red survived the horror the other 2 had, it will have the same fate. If you go far back in my posts, I did post some photos. Wunala 2 had the most severe wing flex I've ever seen before with no cracks just yet, and Wunala 1 was bubbling all over the fuselage and forming some early cracks in the wings.
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JAG
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I had my hands on all 3 at one point. They were all released in the same batch if I'm not mistaken. Granted the All Red survived the horror the other 2 had, it will have the same fate. If you go far back in my posts, I did post some photos. Wunala 2 had the most severe wing flex I've ever seen before with no cracks just yet, and Wunala 1 was bubbling all over the fuselage and forming some early cracks in the wings.
Thanks for the heads up, luckily VH-EBU was in a different batch? That's one of my favorites. I had to settle for the Tucano Line VH-OJB Wunala, which ended up being a good choice I guess.
Thanks for the heads up, luckily VH-EBU was in a different batch? That's one of my favorites. I had to settle for the Tucano Line VH-OJB Wunala, which ended up being a good choice I guess.
Yes thankfully VH-EBU was a different batch and I still own mine too. I ended up getting the Dragon OJB, and Phoenix OEJ and BigBird OEJ (All Red)
A well organized, inclusive and practical review regarding a problem every collector has encountered, especially when purchasing second-hand models that shouldn't have gone up for resale. Sometimes the seller makes complete disclosure and prices the model accordingly. Not always. The worst offenders are eBay sellers who overlook an obvious zinc rot situation and term a model's condition as 'normal wear for it's age'. Doug
May need to add the 1:400 GJ US Airways 767-200 in new colors to the list. My example's wing and tail pieces are clearly affected by something, as they have continued to show more and more cracking in the paint over the last few years. Wasn't very detectable about 4 years ago, but is very obvious now. Warping is very minor thus far.
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A worrying long list of affected Aeroclassics, some of which I was not aware of, so need to check mine.
A few missing Rich, including the Aeroclassics Air Tanzania Boeing 707-331 and Air India 707-436. My Air Tanzania 707 is cracked all over and my Air India 707 has warped wings.
Kudos to Andrew for reissuing some of these as moulds are brought back into use. As the Boeing 737-200 mould is curently in use, I hope he will consider reissuing the Olympic Airways one in the 'rainbow scheme', as mine has cracks in the wings.
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DC-8s still needed to be done in 1/400: Air Ceylon, Air Spain, Seaboard World (-63CF)
Comets still missing- Dan Air (4 & 4C), United Arab Airlines/Misrair/Egyptair, Kuwait AW, Sudan AW, East African AW, Saudi Royal Flt.
Caravelles still not made: Luxair, Air Algerie,SABENA (final scheme), Libyan Arab Airlines, SAS ( SCANDINAVIAN titles scheme)
Ilyushin IL-18s still not made: Tarom (billboard,) Malev (1st scheme),Cubana, Balkan/ Tabso-Bulgarian Air Transport,
Suggest to the moderators this thread be a sticky one listed near the top so we don't get new (and old I guess) members starting new threads asking what Z.R. is for the zillionth time.
Great article and list of models.
Harvey
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A worrying long list of affected Aeroclassics, some of which I was not aware of, so need to check mine.
A few missing Rich, including the Aeroclassics Air Tanzania Boeing 707-331 and Air India 707-436. My Air Tanzania 707 is cracked all over and my Air India 707 has warped wings.
Kudos to Andrew for reissuing some of these as moulds are brought back into use. As the Boeing 737-200 mould is curently in use, I hope he will consider reissuing the Olympic Airways one in the 'rainbow scheme', as mine has cracks in the wings.
I mentioned the missing Air Tanzania B.707 in another thread about this a while back - I have one too in exactly the same condition, cracked all over etc. The only Zinc Pest infected model I have, thankfully. It was an unwise ebay purchase from late last year, should have known better but the money went to charity (British Heart Foundation) so that was a saving grace at least.
I have a Balkan Tu-154 that is slowly crumbling away. I also lost the original KLM B737-200 release a few years ago, but fortunately Aeroclassics re-released this one and I was able to replace it.
My Dan Air B737-200 main gear has also crumbled, although I am not sure whether this is zinc rot. It looks the same though. With no spares around it pretty much renders the model a gonner, sadly.
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I also lost the original KLM B737-200 release a few years ago, but fortunately Aeroclassics re-released this one and I was able to replace it.
AeroClassics also re-released the United Airlines Mainliner 737-200 - much appreciated. You enjoy this hobby and live long enuf, everything works out. Doug
I mentioned the missing Air Tanzania B.707 in another thread about this a while back - I have one too in exactly the same condition, cracked all over etc. The only Zinc Pest infected model I have, thankfully. It was an unwise ebay purchase from late last year, should have known better but the money went to charity (British Heart Foundation) so that was a saving grace at least.
Another one is the first Royal Air Maroc Boeing 707. Andrew reissued this with a nice polished belly. However I have been unable to find this replacement as I left it too late, not believing my original one would later disintegrate. No Richard, I don't have photos of it, just believe me! I don't take photos of 'deceased models'!
Suggest to the moderators this thread be a sticky one listed near the top so we don't get new (and old I guess) members starting new threads asking what Z.R. is for the zillionth time.
Great article and list of models.
Harvey
I would second this motion. I also think this thread could be a singular and effective place for proper diagnosis of Zinc Rot. The question comes up at least once every few months on this forum, "is this zinc rot?" Having one thread for diagnosing and chronicling affected models would help the collectorate at large become more knowledgeable about what is actually zinc rot and which models exactly are prone to deterioration. I've always wanted something like this. Thanks you Richard for working towards organizing this article and thread.
Another one is the first Royal Air Maroc Boeing 707. Andrew reissued this with a nice polished belly. However I have been unable to find this replacement as I left it too late, not believing my original one would later disintegrate. No Richard, I don't have photos of it, just believe me! I don't take photos of 'deceased models'!
Well, I knew I had 7 models with Zinc Rot, yesterday I started looking and the count went up too 10, then you posted about Royal Air Maroc and now I'm up too 15.
The models that have it bad stick out like a sore thumb, the models with engine issues you don't really notice until you go looking for it. Will add more models to the list when I have time.
Group photo before I reliazed I had 5 more.
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Capitol International Airways: DC-8-30 series, DC-8-50 series, DC-8-61, DC-8-62, DC-8-63.
Curtiss C-46. Lockheed L-749 Constellation. Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
UltraAir 727 , Airline of the Americas 727 , Independent Air 707
Last edited by N907CL; 08-16-2020 at 01:15 PM.
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These are already on the zinc rot list, just check my Pan Am 707-320's N725PA AND N757PA and yup they are showing signs of zinc rot, now I have 5 total that are affected.
Last edited by Michael Magdaleno; 08-16-2020 at 01:17 PM.
Well, I knew I had 7 models with Zinc Rot, yesterday I started looking and the count went up too 10, then you posted about Royal Air Maroc and now I'm up too 15.
The models that have it bad stick out like a sore thumb, the models with engine issues you don't really notice until you go looking for it. Will add more models to the list when I have time.
Group photo before I reliazed I had 5 more.
Holy **** those varig 707s look absolutely ridiculous lol
What is really galling is that, although Andrew has reissued some of the models affected, many of them are Boeing 707-436 series models with Rolls-Royce Conway engines, whose mould no longer exists, so we may never see replacements for these!
What is really galling is that, although Andrew has reissued some of the models affected, many of them are Boeing 707-436 series models with Rolls-Royce Conway engines, whose mould no longer exists, so we may never see replacements for these!
Well, I knew I had 7 models with Zinc Rot, yesterday I started looking and the count went up too 10, then you posted about Royal Air Maroc and now I'm up too 15.
The models that have it bad stick out like a sore thumb, the models with engine issues you don't really notice until you go looking for it. Will add more models to the list when I have time.
Group photo before I reliazed I had 5 more.
Holy smokes those Varigs! That's some intense wing loading!
I have added the Air Tanzania and 2 Air India 707s to the list. The Olympic 737 was already on the list.
For models that are not part of the Jinbo factory 2002-2004 period I am reluctant to update the lists without photo evidence.
Paint bubbling is not zinc rot. I'm not saying that other models don't have rot but I'd appreciate photographic proof.
So that covers the mentioned Delta 717, US Airways 767-200 (which I actually own), Sky400s 747s.
Here is a pic of my GJ US Airways 767-200. The model looked fine when I purchased it back in 2007, but the paint cracking in the wings became just barely visible about 5 years ago, and has continued to worsen since then. Again, not sure if it's zinc rot, but it certainly is something.
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Here is a pic of my GJ US Airways 767-200. The model looked fine when I purchased it back in 2007, but the paint cracking in the wings became just barely visible about 5 years ago, and has continued to worsen since then. Again, not sure if it's zinc rot, but it certainly is something.
Ouch that does look like zinc rot to me. There seem to be quite a few later Geminis with this issue.
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Richard
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Another one is the first Royal Air Maroc Boeing 707. Andrew reissued this with a nice polished belly. However I have been unable to find this replacement as I left it too late, not believing my original one would later disintegrate. No Richard, I don't have photos of it, just believe me! I don't take photos of 'deceased models'!
Yes that has been duly noted as I did have that one on my wishlist for quite some time! I'm on the hunt for that later polished variant (on the -300 mould) as well - there might be some competition going on at the next LGW/LHR fairs!
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That US Air 762 has zinc rot, hopefully it has stabilised, as I'm in the same boat with my GJ VH-ZXB. Based on the bigbird 747's with severe zinc rot, it should take some 7 years before the model disintegrates (based on a 2002 release) for photos taken in 2010 on W900.
I can corroborate that the Gemini 767-2 is indeed a rotter. Mine isn't as bad as the one posted, but it's on its way. I'd say add it to the list. I know it looks like a lot of bubbling, but the cracking is there.
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I can corroborate that the Gemini 767-2 is indeed a rotter. Mine isn't as bad as the one posted, but it's on its way. I'd say add it to the list. I know it looks like a lot of bubbling, but the cracking is there.
Shame, kills my confidence in buying Gemini Jets new/recent releases. (Unless I have too/no other option).
And their customer service is horrible regarding the issue, they just ignore complaints and shrug it off.
Given your model was released in 2006, it shouldn't get any worse (I have been monitoring my 2006 release VH-ZXB and the cracks have not worsened/no new cracks).
GJ's very first 1:400 Delta 737-900 release also had zinc rot that showed up very quickly on the tail fin with my example. This was when James was still working at GJ and posting here, and I was able to contact him and get an exchange very quickly and hassle-free. I believe the Delta 739 issue came up here in the forum too, but I'm too lazy to go searching for it right now...lol.
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Couple of more with zinc rot on the engines.
AeroClassics American Airlines N7504A 707-123 DiMA 3875
AeroClassics American Airlines N7509A 707-123 DiMA 3876, engine fell off getting ready for the picture.
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Capitol International Airways: DC-8-30 series, DC-8-50 series, DC-8-61, DC-8-62, DC-8-63.
Curtiss C-46. Lockheed L-749 Constellation. Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
UltraAir 727 , Airline of the Americas 727 , Independent Air 707
Thanks everyone. This has been really useful. I have added the following models to the list with images:
AC RAM 707
AC 2x AA 707s
GJ US Airways 767-200
GJ Delta 737-900
...and the list goes on! I am scared to look at half my collection for what I might discover. Looks like there is a market for anyone producing replacement engines in white metal, resin or 3-D printed? Collectors are losing thousands of $$$ as their models distinegrate before their eyes.
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Adrian
DC-8s still needed to be done in 1/400: Air Ceylon, Air Spain, Seaboard World (-63CF)
Comets still missing- Dan Air (4 & 4C), United Arab Airlines/Misrair/Egyptair, Kuwait AW, Sudan AW, East African AW, Saudi Royal Flt.
Caravelles still not made: Luxair, Air Algerie,SABENA (final scheme), Libyan Arab Airlines, SAS ( SCANDINAVIAN titles scheme)
Ilyushin IL-18s still not made: Tarom (billboard,) Malev (1st scheme),Cubana, Balkan/ Tabso-Bulgarian Air Transport,
Some disturbing news from two collectors is that their Aeroflot IL-62 made in 2013 by Gemini has zinc rot. This has been confirmed with photos and I've updated the list and added the pictures to the page.
This makes it the latest model known of with rot. Considering Gemini has made no statement on this and the list of their impacted models is getting longer (that's 8 now) I am not impressed. The same user's FAA CV-580 is a mess too but not sure it is rot.
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Richard
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Gemini Jets evidently are beset with zinc rot, a quality control problem that could negatively effect their reputation and sales. Maybe an admission and explanation of the problem might help, or have I missed something? Doug
Last edited by doug seeley; 08-25-2020 at 08:40 AM.
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Zinc Rot Explained
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