Boeing 737-200 Hybrid

[harrysone]

I'm going to do a 1/144 baby Boeing in the original NAC markings, however not fully satisfied with the airfix kit which has a number of inaccuracies...So I have decided to combine best attributes of the Airfix 200 with the best of the Minicraft 737-400

737 by Harry Follas, on Flickr

I took the wings and fuse of the Minicraft (shortening and re-profiling where necessary), combining with the fin and hz stabs and engines from the Airfix 200. The result is quite good, definitely an improvement on the old Airfix. The engines don't have the same thrust reversers of the Advanced 737 200, so it will make a good model in 1960's delivery livery

[harrysone]

Boeing 737 200 Model completed as ZK-NAC . In the finish the fuselage profile was exactly the same as published drawings, so pretty happy with the result

IMG_4506 by Harry Follas, on Flickr

IMG_4494 by Harry Follas, on Flickr

IMG_4536 by Harry Follas, on Flickr

IMG_4535 by Harry Follas, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

Wow, very nice!!!

[johnnyfalcon]

Classic! Q: Did National Airways ever fly beyond our coastline?

[Dave Homewood]

National Airways Friendships used to fly to Norfolk Island, John. Mum and Dad were aboard the very last flight they made in 1977, an came home on an Air New Zealand F-27 a week later, possibly the same plane.

[johnnyfalcon]

I remember you saying that on another thread Dave - I didn't put 2 and 2 together. So the 737s only flew internal routes?

[Dave Homewood]

I don't know sorry, the Boeing 737's could not land at Norfolk till well after NAC was long dead, when they extended the runway, but they may have gone to other Pacific islands. You need to ask some of the NAC experts here. It's well before my time.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

NAC flew Sunderlands to Suva and Labasa; and they flew DC3Ds to Norfolk Island, Nandi, Western Samoa, Rarotonga and Aitutaki.

Not sure off the top of my head if they also flew to Tonga without digging a book out to check.

[chinapilot]

B737-200s flew to Nadi in the early '80s in Air NZ colours.

[Mustang51]

Damn fine 737 there !