FLIGHT BRIEF:  ATLANTIS MODELS RESURRECTS A LONG-LOST CLASSIC MODEL KIT.  EASY TO BUILD WITH ONLY 17 PARTS.  COMPATIBLE WITH 1/400 DIECAST AIRLINERS.  BOEING PROTOTYPE DECALS INCLUDED ALONG WITH BONUS PAN AM MARKINGS!  YOU'LL WANT TWO KITS TO DO BOTH SPECTACULAR SCHEMES!

9.5 INCHES IN LENGTH -- 5.25-INCH WINGSPAN -- 2023 MSRP $19.99 -- MODEL CEMENT FOR STYRENE PLASTIC REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY --  PAINT AND GLUE NOT INCLUDED -- RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 14 AND UP -- MADE IN USA

BY BILL ENGAR

The Boeing 2707 was a cancelled supersonic transport (SST) aircraft.  If finished, it would have been the American answer to the British/French Concorde.  After the phenomenal success of the jet-powered Boeing 707, it was assumed that the next frontier of air travel would be supersonic flight.  It was predicted that all long-distance airliners would eventually be supersonic.

Atlantis' Boeing SST features all-new box art.

This was originally a Monogram kit, first released in 1968 as the Boeing 2707 SST was in development.  After the program was cancelled, Monogram continued to sell the kit for a couple more years.  It has not been available since 1973.

The kit has 17 parts; nearly half are engine parts.  It does not include landing gear but the desktop model is displayed on a very cool stand.

The kit looks like it will be very simple to build, certainly an evening or weekend project since there is no interior or landing gear.  Recommended age for assembly without assistance is 14 years of age but a younger modeler who has used a tube of glue should have no trouble putting this together.

The model has recessed lines for control surfaces and landing gear doors and a few ejector pin marks and minor sinkholes that will only give contest modelers an excuse to break out a tube of seam filler.  There is some minimal flash, less than one would expect for a kit of this vintage.  In actuality, the engineering seems better than average for a 1960s model kit. 

A surprise bonus is inclusion of Pan Am markings!

The forward canard on that top fuselage half means this is the -300 variant of the 2707.

The model could be built without paint if desired, but applying paint as recommended will result in a striking model.  Options for beginning modelers include paintbrushes or spray cans using paint specifically designed for plastic models that should be easy to find at your local hobby dealer.  Experienced modelers will use an airbrush which is essentially a mini-spray gun.  Advantages of an airbrush are the ability to apply a thin, smooth coat of paint with much better control than you can get from a spray can.

The included flight stand has Boeing SST in Boeing's famous Strato-font!

Wings have engraved flap detail.

Instructions come on a single letter-sized sheet.  They're printed on a glossy high-grade bond with color painting diagrams.

ADDITIONAL COOL ASSEMBLY TIP:  Included with the decals is a large Boeing 2707 logo that you could use on Atlantis' optional clear stand.  Or, you could cut a circle of sheet styrene plastic, about 0.040" thickness, just larger than the diameter of the decal.  Paint it the same color as the included kit base and attach to the base supports in the location of your choice!

The instructions specify paint colors with True Blue being for the Pan Am scheme and Chrome Yellow for the Boeing scheme. Both use white and natural metal.  The Pan Am scheme is hypothetical.  It was assumed that Pan Am would be the launch customer for the Boeing 2707, just as they were for for both the 707 and 747, which respectively, were the most advanced passenger aircraft available at their debut.  We'll include additional 2707 photos and history in our bonus features.

The back of the box shows a built model.

This kit is a great "what-if" hypothetical model of the almost-built Boeing 2707 SST.  With that in mind, there are plenty of opportunities to make your own fantasy version by adapting the airline decals of your choice.  Many 1/200-scale sets for other airliner models could probably be adapted.  Or better yet, DrawDecal offers a number of 1/400 hypothetical airline schemes for the model.  Check out our bonus features for details.

1/400-scale is popular for collectors of diecast airliner models.  This model will look great with your 1/400 collection if you have one.

We were very excited when Atlantis announced that they were redoing this kit!  We provided some input regarding decal schemes and were delighted with how they turned out.  As always, Atlantis Models does a great job re-releasing these vintage model kits.  In every case, they look better than they ever did before and this one is no exception.  The Modeler guys give this model a solid four thumbs up!  Your biggest problem will be deciding which of the two cool schemes to build but at Atlantis Models' crazy-low prices, be sure and buy a pair!  We'd bet this kit will become a historic collector's item as well!

We'd like to thank Atlantis Models for providing this kit to review and enjoy!  Order yours today direct from Atlantis-Models.com or find it at your local hobby shop!

BONUS FEATURES

BUILD IT!

We like using rubber bands to hold parts together securely overnight until the glue-joints have cured.

We couldn't resist building this model and so decided to do a quick-build.

Liquid cement is usually our glue-of-choice for styrene kits, but we found it was tricky to keep the glue from running into the moving wing joint.  We'd recommend using tube glue fore and aft of the wing opening.  It'll create a barrier that should prevent capillary-action of the liquid glue from running into the moving wing joint.

There are a few deep holes in the bottom of each wing near the root.  They'll show depending on how far the wings are extended; we'd recommend filling these holes before assembling the fuselage-wing assembly.

Pay attention to the engine half numbers as you glue.  The alignment of the locating pins was spot-on for all except one of the engines.  We're really impressed with the way Atlantis works to be sure that mold registration is as accurate as possible.  They put test-shots to good use to adjust the mold tooling prior to their production runs.  The result is a re-released model kit that often fits together better than the original version that came out decades earlier.

STAY TUNED AS WE FINISH THIS BUILD -- WON'T TAKE LONG!

​COOL AFTERMARKET DECAL OPTIONS FOR YOUR ATLANTIS 1/400 2707 SST FROM DRAWDECAL.COM!

Atlantis' Boeing SST was originally released ​as a Monogram kit in 1968.  It was re-released in 1973 in a new box with a photo of the completed model.  Both boxes featured the Boeing 2707 SST in a hypothetical United Airlines livery that was in use by the airline at the time.  While the Atlantis kit doesn't include these markings, you can get them from DrawDecal.com!

Atlantis' Boeing 2707 SST provides two decal options including not-mentioned-on-the-box Pan Am markings!  We know there are some of you that would love to decorate your Atlantis SST like the original Monogram version with the United 1960's livery.  Well, we've found a source where you can order these decals--and others!

These are just some of the options for the Atlantis 1/400 Boeing SST.  Click each image above to go directly to the sales link for the decal.  Be sure to order the correct scale; at time of posting, the 1/400 2707 SST decals are just $9.00.  You'll have to register an account on the Drawdecal.com website to order.  Better order a few extra Atlantis Boeing SST kits to build these and the other awesome "what-if" supersonic airliners

Greg Drawbaugh has been making first-rate quality water-slide decals for airliners and military aircraft since 1999.  Greg's decals are NOT laser-printed; he uses a state-of-the-art digital silkscreen process that allows printing of white inks--something that laser printers cannot do.  His weekly print-to-order process assures your decals are factory-fresh and always in-stock!  

BOEING 2707 SST -- THE FORGOTTEN FUTURE

The joint British-French Concorde project was announced in November of 1962, just four years after the Boeing 707 began passenger flights.  Pan American Airways expressed an interest in ordering the Concorde, angering the Kennedy Administration. 

Anticipating the Concorde being purchased in large numbers, U.S. government officials were concerned about the effect this would have on the American aviation industry.  Pan Am was urged to support a U.S. effort to build an SST and government funding was secured to help develop the aircraft.  Boeing, Lockheed, and North American began to design concepts anticipating an FAA estimate that 500 SST aircraft could be purchased by 1990.  Another motivation to proceed was provided thanks to the Soviet Union making plans to develop an SST of their own.  Like the Space Race, building an American SST became another component of Cold War competition between East and West.

Many technical challenges were overcome during the 1960's as Concorde was developed.  Announced in 1962, a prototype didn't fly until 1969.  It didn't enter revenue service until 1976!

Pan Am wasn't the only U.S. airline with initial interest in Concorde.  TWA was also announced intentions to purchase the aircraft.  This rendering remained only a flight of fancy.

All in the Family:  Boeing's marketing in the late 1960s and '70s emphasized its ability to provide any aircraft a big airline might need.  It was anticipated that at least one supersonic airliner would join this list in the 1970s and beyond.

By 1970, it was apparent that Boeing had an insurmountable lead as the supplier of jet airliners to the world.  A complete product line ranging from the short-range, regional 737 to the new “Jumbo Jet” 747 demonstrated Boeing’s status as the leading passenger jet planemaker.  Boeing added to its iconic 7-7 model format by giving their new SST the 2707 designation with the “2” signifying entry into the new realm of passenger supersonic flight.

Technical challenges and fuel efficiency issues dogged the protracted development of the various  SST’s. Rising costs of fuel and concerns about sonic booms clouded the prospect that widespread supersonic passenger air travel was even possible.  The fledgeling environmental movement convinced many that SST flights would strip the ozone layer.  After considerable development and prototype aircraft in process, US government funding was withdrawn with a program cancellation announcement on May 20, 1971.  Boeing cancelled the 2707 project.

Concorde’s development was lengthy and expensive.  Less than 20 aircraft were completed, six of which were used exclusively for testing.  British Airways and Air France each took delivery of only seven aircraft each. 

While the Concorde program was not profitable immediately,  BA and Air France benefited from the prestige of providing supersonic transatlantic flights and the small fleet recouped some of its development costs thanks to a lengthy period in revenue service.  Concorde became known as the preferred method of “crossing the pond” by the wealthy in spite of very cramped seating accommodations.  Ongoing costs to keep them flying after decades of use increased and Concorde was finally retired for good in 2003.

Concurrent to the SST, Boeing developed the famous 747 Jumbo Jet.  Boeing saw it as a risky venture since it was presumed that demand for the 747 would plummet once the SST’s became available.  The failure of the SST to gain even a modest market share cemented the 747’s success and over 1500 were built during a half-century of production, many times Boeing’s initial estimate for the viability of potential 747 sales.

The American SST was planned to be bigger, faster, and would carry more passengers than the Concorde.  Swing-wings would have provided acceptable low-speed handling for approaches and departures in standard commercial airspace.  About 275 passengers would be carried, over twice what Concorde could board in a high-density layout.  Speed was expected to be Mach 2.7, about 25% faster than Concorde.  This Revell kit included two models of the 2707-100 SST, one in "clean" supersonic mode and one "dirty" with landing gear, flaps, and droop-nose hanging, and wings extended for landing.  It was 1/200-scale.  Last released by Revell of Germany in 2006, the tooling to this kit still resides there.

The Soviet Union’s Tu-144 beat Concorde into the air which was utilized as a propaganda victory for the USSR.  Two crashes, one at the Paris Air Show in 1973 and another five years later during a test flight doomed the reputation of the aircraft after it had flown only 55 scheduled passenger flights.  Cabin noise in the “Concordski” Tu-144 was noted by passengers as being painfully loud.

The Boeing 2707 evolved as time went on.  Early versions of the plane had swing-wings.  The 2707-100 was depicted in a 1/200 Revell model kit that first appeared in 1967.  The -200 variant added a forward canard, which helped low-speed handling.  This is the version depicted in the Atlantis kit, which was originally tooled by Monogram Models in 1968.  Kit Conversion Alert:  you can make your Atlantis SST into your own -100 version by carefully cutting off the canards!
 
The swing-wing mechanism turned out to be too heavy.  Implementing it would have cut into the aircraft’s needed range and a fixed-wing configuration was eventually adopted for the 2707-300.  As the 1960’s progressed, the cost of fuel became a growing concern for the airlines.  Perhaps the biggest casualty of this development was Convair’s commercial aircraft program.  The Convair 990 was an airliner hotrod with a top speed pushing the transonic range.  Airlines flying it could boast that their scheduled arrivals were earlier than competitors with the same flight.  However, the Convair’s speed came at the expense of fuel economy and the airlines rejected this inefficiency.  The writing was already on the wall for the termination of America's SST.

The final version of the Boeing 2707 was the -300 with a fixed wing.

The Boeing 2707-300 dwarfs the Russian Tu-144.

As of time-of-posting in 2023, several companies including new Boom Technology and legacy aerospace contractor Lockheed-Martin are working on all-new SST concepts.  However, with loudly proclaimed political concerns about “carbon emissions” and their attendant environmental effects, an actual passenger supersonic aircraft debuting that uses conventional hydrocarbon fuels seems rather unlikely.  Chances are, development of a "new" supersonic passenger jet will be met with the same sorts of environmentalist protests that dogged the Concorde.

​For the near future at least, our prospects to book a supersonic passenger flight must remain in our imaginations.  The closest we can come is by building models of once-future aircraft like Atlantis Models’ Boeing 2707.  Atlantis Models resurrects a largely forgotten chapter of American commercial aviation history with release of their Boeing SST.  It's just one of Atlantis' awesome airliner historic kits, all made in the USA, available from atlantis-models.com!  Why not collect them all!
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CHECK OUT OUR OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT ATLANTIS MODELS' GREAT AIRLINER KITS!

CONVAIR 990 (1/135)

BOEING 707 (1/139)