Corgi is coming out with a polished limited edition 1:144 scale model of the TWA 049 Constellation in Feb. 2003. This is part of their limited 100th Anniversary of Flight series which also includes a DC-3, DH-Comet 4, and a B-707 (in various airline colors). All have a polished (nearly chrome) finish along with rubber tires and a heavy metal display stand. Wingspan is approximately 10in. (257mm). I've heard that they're only making 5000 of these and each comes with a numbered card. The price hasn't been set yet, but the USAF MATS Connie version sold for around $60 to $80. You might recall that Corgi made a painted version of this model several years ago that is now sold out. Used ones are fetching as much as $200 already after only being sold out for about two years.

If any of you are interested in pre-ordering one of these, let me know. I'm going to try and get a special order of these to benefit the Airline History Museum (pending their approval) and want to gauge the interest. I know I want one!

Contact me directly by email if interested.

Thanks,
Greg Vaughn
webmaster@propliners.com

This is interesting. I've got the MATS Connie model, plus Connies in polished metal USAF finish as "Columbine"-an absolute beauty-and in Air India, Braniff and BOAC colours, as well as about thirty-five other Corgi Propliner models.

Here in the UK, Corgi have just released an Air France L749 model in part polished metal finish. I'm buying one as soon as we get our extension built next year-no room for even more models at the moment.

It's nice to know these models are becoming worth something: I've always told my wife, as the house has gradually filled up with models, that when I'm dead and gone, she'll be able to sell my model collection for a tidy sum of money.