The Douglas DC-8 was developed in the 1950s as the Dougal Company’s first jet airliner. A total of 556 were manufactured, but it was in direct competition with the Boeing 707 and was never as popular or sold as well at the Boeing.

The DC-8 was the Douglas Company’s first jet transport after producing a line of very successful piston engined airliners.

Douglas delayed before committing to production of the DC-8 which allowed Boeing to dominate the early jet airliner market so the DC-8 was always in the shadow of the Boeing 707 and only 556 were manufactured.

The first DC-8 made its initial flight on 30 May 1958 and they began entering service in 1959.

The -50 series DC-8s were direct competitors to the Boeing 707-320 series and, after it, production switched to a stretched version..

This model represents a DC-8-52, ZK-NZE flying with Air New Zealand in the late 1960s.

Minicraft 1/144 kit with Contrails engines and Vintage Flyer decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in September 2018.