OB and I were at the Seattle Museum of Flight recently and we stopped at the store on the way out per standard operating procedure that I mentioned three posts back. For me I might as well just set in my mind that when we're done looking at all the aircraft and exhibits in the galleries and main floor, that I'm going to buy something at the store. ...even if I don't know what it is until I see it. As we walked in, the new die cast 1:400 and 1:200 aircraft were displayed within immediate view thanks to great marketing and product placement. Shiny new things? Ok - let's stop and look! After scanning the lot, I saw what I expect will be a collector's item so I picked this up;
This is Gemini Jets' 1:400 scale Boeing 737-800 Alaska Airlines 'Salmon People.' As a long time flyer of Alaska Airlines, I appreciate the quality of their in-flight service, schedule timeliness (hardly delayed - at least in the 10+ years I've been flying with them), they fly to all the destinations I like to travel to non-stop, and finally I even have their credit card that offers an annual companion rate fare that ML and I take advantage of every year. So how could I not buy it? That, and coincidentally ML is on an Alaska cruise right now with her cousins so this is an appropriate purchase. At least I think so.
There are some interesting articles on this particular aircraft and the livery painted in tribute to the native people of Alaska. From the significance of the salmon livery to how 'Salmon People' is spelled in the Alaskan Tlinguit language to what went on in the design of the livery. Just interesting stuff to an AvGeek.
This was one of two I picked up that day. Next post will feature the second one I purchased. 😊 ~
