Matchbox HondaJet HA-420




Now it's not often that you see me doing airplane reviews on this blog, but in this case this was an exception.  Out of all the wacky planes and helicopters that Matchbox has been bringing into their Skybusters line comes a nice and a first for an automaker airplane from Honda, the HondaJet HA-420.





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This project took Honda two decades and a decade just to get the certification to go into production.  The plane finally was available to customers in 2015.  Built in Greensboro, North Carolina the plane was designed after countless years of testing after Honda research the popularity of private jets in the late 1980's.  With years of testing with universities and Boeing the plane was ready to fly in 2003, but then it had to go through countless FAA certifications before the planes can be delivered to customers.  Well that took quite a long time but the plane is now here.  The fuselage is composite with an aluminum rear wing, while two General Electric Honda Aero Engines are mounted on top of the wings.  The location of the engine's saves interior space while creating a more compact and aerodynamic package aided by a reshaped nose and wings.  The combination provides 20% better fuel efficiency than similar competitors.  The two engines produce 2,050 lbf. of thrust for each engine and uses twin stage compressor, twin-stage turbine, and a single fan.  Max speed is 486 mph with 423 the ideal cruise speed with a range of 1,388 miles.  Inside the aircraft has seating for four passengers with plush seats, cargo room in the rear section of the plane, and a cockpit where all of those analog controls and most switches are replaced with three large touch screens.





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This Matchbox casting starts out as a nice privat jet design with a metal nose, wrap-around windshield, six side slot windows, door access on the left-side, and a tail with the red Honda Logo and the name of the plane as numbers on the upper end of the tail; it's these last items that help separate this casting from any other private jet in the Matchbox line.  If that's not enough they also added "HondaJet" to the sides of the plane as well.  The plastic base also has the wings with upper wing tip ends for better aerodynamics and those two GE motors.  The wheels on the bottom look real but seem a bit less sturdy than they are.  There is no interior which is common among the Skybusters, and really nothing much else aside from looking great in any Honda collection.  Who knows what automaker will be next to sell private jets, but at least Honda is the first and also gives us car collectors an entry into aviation.




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Comments

  1. I had the exact experience with this model- sent me into aviation freak out, found the Matchbox Gee bee after this, I had no knowledge of this aircraft efore- it looked like a cartoon plane on the peg, but getting closer saw 1932 Geebee, More aircraft matchbox!

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