A fantasy design from Matchbox, the Hypersonic Jet can fly at Mach 5 or higher (the Concorde could only manage Mach 2). The model is actually very similar to a Concorde, with just a few changes. The wings on the real Concorde curve downwards slightly, on the Hypersonic Jet the tips are angled upwards.
The biggest changes are around the tail. Instead of a single fin, there are twin fins, which are canted outwards; with a board, flat rear fuselage. The four engines are mounted on the underside of the wing, just as on Concorde.
Only the white upper fuselage, including the nose tip, small canards, and twin fins, are metal. The lower fuselage and wings are orange plastic. These are held together with four rivets. The undercarriage is black plastic. The wheels do not rotate. Length 118mm; wingspan 63mm.
The colour scheme is orange and white, with black, white, yellow, and orange printing. Matchbox World Airlines. M Airlines appears on the fins, with the number SB70 on the wings. The model has previously been released in a number of other colour schemes, but this is probably the nicest, and most realistic looking.
Moulded in to the underside is the usual collection of names and dates. The Matchbox name is half hidden by the port main undercarriage. The copyright date is 2015, Mattel. SB134 just ahead of the nosewheel. Made in THAILAND appears beneath the starboard wing.
The model comes in a clear plastic bubble, glued to a backing card. The model is shown flying low over a city filled with skyscrapers. Copyright date on the back of the card is 2021, number 16 of 31 models in the 2021 Sky-Busters range.
This is a very nice model, and would have been right at home in Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlet. What do you think?
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Nice and, as you say, perfect for Captain Scarlet. They wisely designed Concorde not to go that fast because they knew the frictional heat generated would melt it!
ReplyDeleteNice and, as you say, perfect for Captain Scarlet. They wisely designed Concorde not to go that fast because they knew the frictional heat generated would melt it!
ReplyDeleteDon't know why that published twice?
ReplyDeleteA beautiful bird, and yes, I can picture those Elevator Cars zooming down the runway!
ReplyDeleteI used pliers to take the wheels off mine.
ReplyDeleteI have this one and the earlier version that is is silver. The markings on the silver one on the underside are different. The wheels also roll on the earlier one.
ReplyDeleteSeems that many of the models have had their landing gear changed with different releases. My guess is mainly as a cost cutting measure with a bit of a choking hazard reduction as a side result. Early gear used more materials and steps in production. You'd have the strut, 2 wheels and a metal axle for the main and a strut, axle and wheel for the nose gear. The axle would have to have the ends squashed to hold the wheels on after being inserted into the strut. You'd need a bin of nose struts, a bin of rear struts, a bin of nose axles, a bin of rear axles, a bin of nose wheels, a bin of rear wheels and a machine to mushroom the ends.
The next version of the gear dropped the metal axle and the strut was redesigned to have posts for the wheels to snap onto reducing the materials cost and speeding up the assembly. You'd need a bin of rear struts, a bin of nose struts a bin of wheels as they now work for the nose and main gear.
The cast all in one piece gear mainly reduces cost by having no assembly time for the gear and reduces parts lost/broken while trying to cobble together tiny little bits. Side effect of no tiny "loose" parts to be a choking hazard plus after many landings, wheels will be worn down and child will need to buy another. You'd need a bin of rear gear, a bin of nose gear.