Liquid Metal, Whale Sharks, and a Round-the-World 747: The New SQ Wings 1:200 Releases

Pre-orders are now open on one of the most eye-catching SQ Wings 1:200 waves in a while, from STARLUX's mirror-finish A350s to the full Japan Transocean whale-shark trio.

There are pre-order waves you skim, and there are pre-order waves you stop and stare at. This one is firmly in the second camp. SQ Wings has just opened reservations on a broad run of 1:200 scale models spanning nine aircraft and some of the most talked-about liveries flying today. At 1:200, these are display pieces with real presence on the shelf (a 747 runs around 35cm nose to tail), and several of them are about as far from a plain house livery as a paint shop can get.

Here is a closer look at what is arriving, and why a few of these are worth clearing some shelf space for.

STARLUX A350-1000: Hajime Sorayama's Flying Sculptures

If you follow special liveries at all, you already know these two. STARLUX partnered with Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, famous for his hyperrealistic chrome and robot imagery, to wrap a pair of Airbus A350-1000s in a mirror-bright metallic finish the airline calls AIRSORAYAMA. The result is a liquid-metal look that took special coatings developed with Airbus and paint specialist Mankiewicz to pull off on a carbon-fibre fuselage.

There are two jets in the set, designed to be seen as a pair: AIRSORAYAMA Silver (B-58553) and AIRSORAYAMA Gold (B-58554). Both are offered in standard and Flaps Down configurations, so you can build the matched pair or pose them mid-approach. On a model, that chrome-effect finish is exactly the kind of thing 1:200 was made to show off.

Japan Transocean Air: The Complete Jinbei Whale-Shark Trio

Few liveries are as beloved as Japan Transocean Air's Jinbei jets, the whale-shark schemes the JAL subsidiary has run since 2012 in partnership with Okinawa's Churaumi Aquarium (jinbeizame is Japanese for whale shark). SQ Wings is releasing all three current 737-800s, which means you can finally line the whole family up on one shelf:

The original blue Jinbei Jet (JA05RK), the pink Sakura Jimbei (JA06RK) with its baby whale shark tucked underneath, and the newest of the set, the green Yui Jinbei (JA07RK), which only entered service in January 2026. The Yui Jinbei's emerald scheme is inspired by Okinawa's seas and the UNESCO-listed Yanbaru and Iriomote forests. Each is available in standard and Flaps Down.

Lufthansa Cargo B747-200F: A Round-the-World Classic

This one is a treat for the freighter and classic-jumbo crowd. The Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 747-200F (D-ABZF) wears the famous 'Service Revolution' scheme, the paint job that listed thirteen destinations between Cologne and Cologne to mark Lufthansa Cargo's first scheduled trip around the world. The real aircraft was delivered in 1986 and is long retired, which makes a proper 1:200 rendition the best way to put one back on display.

It comes in three flavours: standard, Flaps Down, and an Interactive Series edition with the extra moving and posable detail that line is known for.

Malaysia Airlines A380: The Superjumbo, Twice Over

The Queen of the Skies' four-engine successor is here in force. SQ Wings is releasing two Malaysia Airlines A380 registrations, 9M-MNB and 9M-MNF, each in standard and Flaps Down. At 1:200 the A380 is a genuine statement piece, and Malaysia's blue-and-red wau-kite tail looks the part.

Rounding Out the Lineup

There is plenty more in this release beyond the headliners:

• KLM A350-900 (PH-ZNA), in the airline's instantly recognisable blue, standard and Flaps Down.
• Iberia B747-300 (TF-ATI), a classic jumbo in Iberia colours carrying the Icelandic TF registration from its leased years, standard and Flaps Down.
• United Airlines A321neo (N44550), the newest narrowbody in United's blue Evo livery, standard and Flaps Down.
• Lufthansa B787-9 Dreamliner (D-ABPF), the carrier's modern long-haul flagship.
• PLA Air Force Ilyushin IL-76 (H-6670), a hefty military heavy-lifter for the transport and military collectors.

A Quick Word on Standard vs. Flaps Down

You will notice almost every model in this wave comes in two configurations. A standard model sits clean, as the aircraft looks in cruise. A Flaps Down model has the trailing-edge flaps extended, the way the jet is configured for takeoff and landing, which adds a lot of visual drama and detail to a static display. Many collectors like to own both, or pick Flaps Down for the centrepiece of a shelf. Neither is wrong; it comes down to how you like your aircraft to sit.

Pre-order release dates are set by the manufacturer and are subject to change. Product images courtesy of SQ Wings.