American MD-80 Liveries - C'mon Gemini surprise me!

[RStretton]

I have just received my AA Gemini MD-80 and am planning on doing a review of the mould when I get a chance however pre-release talk got me thinking about the different livery variations American has used on its MD-80 fleet - so I did abit of investigating.

I would be stunned if Gemini ever release any older coloured versions (partly because they don't have an original tailcone mould and partly because they are Gemini) but I am sure if/when AA paint any of their MD-80s in the new scheme (or is possible replacement) then gemini will be on to it.

Anyway AA's original MD-80s first arrived in 1983 and had a full siver scheme with only the tailcone painted grey. They also had Super 80 titles on the nose:





By 1987/88 the first screwdriver MD-80s had been delivered and had a grey painted tail. Older style MD-80s were also getting the grey tail by then. The Super 80 titles still remained though





Then in 1999 with the Reno Air takeover there were several hybrids:




and some white bodied MD82s, MD87s and MD90s:




With the TWA takeover their fleet wore an AA type scheme for a while prior to the full merger completion:




Then from about 2004 onwards the Super 80 titles were removed:



True to form it is this last scheme that Gemini have produced and though I'd love to see the other versions I seriously doubt we will. Now if this were Aeroclassics it'd probably be another story but it isn't.

[fleetlordatvar]

I like the info, but I do not like the bare metal liveries.

[Boracay_beach]

Bare metal = saves money for painting the birds back then, and kept the plane a little/tad lighter. Gotta save somewhere. It's an iconic livery that everybody instantly recognized, but it has now given way to some metalic silvery paint with the new A&A livery. I will miss this livery, don't know if I will go full tilt with collecting the new livery? Time and money will dictate. But then, if I have an opportunity to fly on the new AA birds = must purchase. The black nose kinda looks cool/retro; I don't know when the last MD-80s are scheduled for retirement, but those birds were loud; especially when sitting at the back of this plane. Thank you for sharing the photos.and I agree with you that Gemini should roll out a different version of the AA MD-80, so that 1/400 AA fleet builders could add to their fleet.

[FireAngelZero]

I agree with you that Gemini should roll out a different version of the AA MD-80, so that 1/400 AA fleet builders could add to their fleet.

I also agree Boracay, Geminijets should release more of American Airlines jets in diffirent versions of their iconic jets. I personally have loved and collected American Airlines since I started collecting, but its due to my own personal opinion, I've flown American, I love their jets and their service.
One thing I never quite understood about American is why they got rid of their titles on their jets. I loved the fact the MD-80 was the "Super 80" and their other jets were "Luxury Liners" it gave the impression that flying is much more than a routine. But oh well. Like the bare metal livery it has been replaced with all white or gray liveries, and nowadays most of these "Luxury Liners" are being replaced with modernized jets. I really dislike the fact American wants to replace their MD-80 fleet with the A319 and A321 (I like Airbus, but I'm a bigger Boeing fan). But oh well I guess this is the 21st century economics of flying...

[RStretton]

I really dislike the fact American wants to replace their MD-80 fleet with the A319 and A321 (I like Airbus, but I'm a bigger Boeing fan). But oh well I guess this is the 21st century economics of flying...

I think the difference between the A320 NEO and the 737 MAX are so slim as to be almost non-existent and it is probably slot availability and other factors that lead to deals nowadays. With only 2 manufacturers of large jets about they are both going to get a fair share of orders and it isn't in the interests of the airline (unless its a LCC) to depend on either Boeing or Airbus totally

[Boracay_beach]

Talk about timing. I was flicking thru the channels and they were showing Home Alone for the 50th time on AMC, and at that moment there was a scene of an AA MD-80 taking off with the black dotted nose!

[JeffinMass]

I think that the MD-80 that GJ released is an Awesome! model. It would surprise me if GJ released all of those variants. What would not surprise me
if GJ capitalized on the mold by releasing many other airlines that flew that example. They already released DL, right? I could see Aeroclassics releasing those
AA variants but only GJ has the AA authorization.