The 2023 Cranky Network Awards is over, and judging by how late everyone was hanging out in the bar after, it was a roaring success. If you missed it, this year’s event was audio/visual problem-free (after the slightly delayed start). You can see and hear it all at this replay link.
But before we close the book completely on this year’s event, we need to auction off some super cool Boeing airplane models. Boeing again provided models for us to use as centerpieces on the tables this year, and most were given to attendees. But I held four back to auction off here. Like last year, the winning bids will go to supporting pilot training.
If you’d like to support pilot training and get a deal on some models you likely can’t find on your own, then keep reading.
Like last year, these are not plastic models you find the airport gift shop. These are beautifully-crafted, 1:100 scale models that will make your friends drool (or your non-avgeek friends say “I don’t get it” while you angrily try to explain what they are missing.
The four models available this year are (with a small orange next to them for scale):
Allegiant MD-80 (made by Daron – retail value $219.95)
Do we call this a Boeing airplane? Technically, yes. Of course, this is the pride of Long Beach, and unlike the other models, this one comes with the gear down.
Delta 717 (made by PacMin)
We had one of these last year as well. It’s another Long Beach-built bird which won’t be in the Delta fleet for long.
United 737-9 MAX (made by PacMin)
This MAX is in the old colors, or the interim design that had the swoopy cheatline. It’s in an action pose, showing the airplane in a bank, and unlike the rest which are attached to the stand with a screw, this one uses magnets.
Boeing House Colors 737-7 MAX (made by PacMin – retail value $495)
Once this airplane is certified, you’ll get to see a whole lot of these in Southwest colors. But for now, it’s a rare bird indeed. Note that the Boeing House Colors have a flecked sparkle in the paint which make this look very cool.
After shipping costs, the winning bids will be donated to the Phoenix Chapter of the Ninety-Nines June Bonesteel Memorial Flight Training Scholarship, so win a model and do good for the industry. Here are the details.
- Bids can be submitted below through Friday, March 3 at 5pm Pacific Time.
- Minimum bid is $50 per model.
- The winning bid will include shipping to an address in the US or Canada. If you are outside these countries, you will need to pay extra for shipping.
- If you want to bid on multiple units, you can submit multiple bids for as many as you’d like.
- The winner will be contacted after the auction closes with a link to submit payment and a request for shipping address.
Thank you very much to Boeing for providing these models at the event!
5 comments on “Bid to Win a 1:100 Scale Model From Boeing and Help Train Pilots”
Is that an orange in the photos for scale, instead of a banana? ;-) Good choice.
Seriously, though, these are some really pretty models; I’m not a huge airplane model guy, but these have me salivating.
I especially like the “action pose” of the United plane. I assume that someone, somewhere sells stands for airplane models with a few locking joints, so that a model can be positioned with custom bank & climb angles as desired… I may have to look into that.
Wish I could post a pic of the 1:100 777-300 model I won, which is now proudly displayed on my (entire) desk! Thanks, Brett and Boeing!
Good to see that PacMin is still alive and well. As a Fullerton native I remember as a kid doing a field trip there to see the model factory.
This makes me want to figure out the scale of my USAir 727…
Although it’s on a NASA 747 stand…
The post preview image (at least when viewed from the main Cranky Flier site, on desktop Chrome) shows the 2022 Cranky Network Awards logo.
Not a huge deal, just thought you might like to know.