Airfix 03174V Hawker Siddeley 121 Trident 1:144

Part of the vintage classics range of Airfix kits.  Boxes feature original paintings by an impressive range of artists.

An aircraft which was a real triumph for the British aviation industry and one which can claim to be arguably the most advanced jetliner in the world at the time of its first flight in early 1962, the Hawker Siddeley 121 Trident should have sold in vast quantities, but eventually lost out to an American built competitor, the similarly configured Boeing 727.

Originally envisaged as a longer range airliner capable of carrying a large passenger load, the project’s major customer, British European Airways, decided they actually wanted a high frequency, short haul aircraft for their domestic and European routes.  This decision resulted in a design change that would see Boeing develop their competitor design, the one which would eventually attract most operator interest.

The Trident was a revolutionary three engined ‘Tri-liner’ incorporating advanced design features, including a fully automated instrument landing system, an innovation which is now standard on many of the world’s jetliners.

Scale: 1:144

Length mm: 225

Width mm: 190

Pieces: 61

Skill Level: 2

Flying hours: 2