When McDonnell Douglas delivered their first MD-11 passenger plane in December 1990, a cargo version was not far behind.

The MD-11 is a long-range widebody airliner, with two engines mounted on underwing pylons and a third engine at the base of the vertical stabilizer. It is based on the DC-10, but featuring a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller tailplane, new engines and increased use of composite materials. It also features an all-digital glass cockpit that decreases the flight deck crew from the three required on the DC-10 to two by eliminating the necessity for a flight engineer.[1]

McDonnell Douglas was bought by Boeing, who now claim McDonnell Douglas' proud line of aircraft as their own.

Herpa Wooster Collection MD-11F

Herpa issues several MD-11 models in 1/200, 1/500, and 1/1000 scale. While most are Herpa's own die-cast Wings Series, this is part of Herpa's Wooster Collection. It is packed in a side-tab display front box. The model is securely sandwiched in a form-fitted plastic tray. The fuselage and tail are together, while the wings and stabilizers have to be snapped into the fuselage. A stand is provided for display. There is no landing gear.

The finish is smooth but has flaws and blemishes. There are rub marks on the rear fuselage. There are smears on the nacelles. Some parts are molded in color, with a swirl pattern in the silver plastic of the exhaust nozzles.

Though factory assembled, the nacelles, intakes, and wingroot leading edge have glaring flaws and blemishes. Ejector marks are obvious on the underside of the wings.

The fuselage appears to be a single piece. The airfoils all snap into it. The fit is tight but the fuselage to wing joints leave gaps.

Markings

Herpa does not use decals. The model is sharply decorated with tamp printing. Doors, windows, and lettering is sharp and crisp.

Summary

Wooster is known for supplying models to airlines. These display models never, in my experience, measured up to the quality of models built by modelers. The gaps, the blemishes of the paint, and the assembly flaws detract from this model in the eye of this modeler. I have not seen Herpa jet models yet so I can not authoritatively compare them with this model; the three Herpa Wings models reviewed on this site, including Herpa 's own 1/200 DC-3, do not suffer from the flaws that this model does. However, as a display model for marketing and customer relations, and for anyone who wants a nice looking MD-11, it makes a nice display.

Wooster

Wooster was a model airplane manufacturer that introduced plane model collectors to snap together plastic commercial airline models. In 2000, Wooster was bought over by another plastic plane model manufacturer, PPC Holland, and now their line of planes is known as Wooster PPC.

Wooster's plastic airliners are in the 1:200 or 1:250 scale. Wooster used to claim at one time that it was the exclusive snap fit plastic model provider for more than 200 major airlines around the world.[2]

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.

[1], [2]* Wikipedia