With the recent sighting of the J-36 on eBay, it got me thinking that Air Force 1 was also likely building and selling a replica of the Avic White Emperor. Well, close. I did come across a 1:50 scale example of the futuristic-looking space plane that is produced by KDW (Guangdong Kaidiwei Culture Co), although my knowledge of Mandarin is nil so I have no idea if they are affiliated with Air Force 1. According to the listing, the build comes with adjustable engine nozzles and is available in 1:50 scale, so sitting them side-by-side with the smaller J-50 and J-36 models Air Force 1 is peddling may be problematic if you’re intent on showing their size difference within the same overal regime. Still, its refreshing to see that at least one company has already picked up the mantlet and has available a nice-looking take on the third sixth-generation aircraft that recently made the news.
Update: While surfing eBay, I came across several 1:72 scale examples of the White Emperor that are also produced by KDW. Curiously, they’re priced like the 1:50 scale version, but come bundled with a slick-looking display stand that resembles a runway launching pad. So, there seems to be no shortage of sixth-generation models to choose from this holiday season.
Whether they’ll be available for North American collectors is a different matter, largely dependent upon current trade talks between the US and the PRC and our ability to bring in new merchandise during the hectic third and fourth quarters when big box retailers are doing their utmost to import key product lines and maintain a strong in-stock position.