Summary
- Luca Iaconi-Stewart has been working on a realistic 1:60 scale model of Boeing’s 777-300ER since 2008, using just manila folders and glue.
- His attention to detail led him to spend 10,000 hours on the project, with each Air India economy cabin seat taking 20 minutes to create.
- Iaconi-Stewart was also commissioned to create an advertisement featuring a model of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380, which gained widespread recognition in 2015.
If you thought Boeing’s current backlog was bad, try waiting over ten years for a plane. UX Designer, amateur model crafter, and aviation enthusiast Luca Iaconi-Stewart has been working on the ultimate homage to the US aircraft manufacturer’s iconic 777-300ER since 2008, utilizing just manila folders and glue.
Time and effort
Launched back in 2008 as a small hobby, Iaconi-Stewart’s design quickly spiraled into a more complex and detailed project, encompassing digital design and 3D art. Taking inspiration from Boeing and Air India’s livery, Iaconi-Stewart set out to create a realistic 1:60 scale 777, complete with movable parts and accurate details, right down to the General Electric GE90-115B engines.
The intricate and unique project quickly drew the attention of other aviation fans and media outlets captivated by the process, with Iaconi-Stewart and his 777 featured in various publications, from CNN to the Seattle Times and the Huffington Post.
Speaking to Wired in 2014, Iaconi-Stewart detailed the background of the project, powered by just Adobe, manila folders, Tacky Glue, and a Xacto knife; however, the labor of love was not without labor pains, with Iaconi-Stewart’s laser-focused attention to detail quickly taking a toll on his university studies, putting the project on hold for two years as he completed his studies at Vassar.
After resuming the project, Iaconi-Stewart began zeroing in on the details further, working on the engines, interior cabins, wheels, and functional doors. In an interview with CNN in early 2014, Iaconi-Stewart estimated that he’d spent 10,000 hours on the aircraft. The cabin appeared to be a particular point of pride, with each economy seat taking 20 minutes to create, scaling up to nearly eight hours for the first class suites.
Material focus
Despite the meticulous nature of the project, Iaconi-Stewart’s choice of construction materials was unusually arbitrary. According to The Verge, the decision to utilize manila folders came down to it simply being easily accessible material he’d previously used in his high school architecture classes, which had just stuck with him thanks to its adaptable and versatile nature. Iaconi-Stewart explained,
“Even back then I found it a really versatile material; it’s flexible enough to shape and mold, but it can be incredibly strong if you engineer it properly. I never really tried anything else.”
About 400 manila folders were sliced, folded, and glued throughout the project, which, as of 2023, remains ongoing. In October, Iaconi-Stewart unveiled two new GE90 engines to replace the initial engines “installed” in 2012, thanks to the gradual improvement of his various modeling skills through continued efforts.
Collaboration with Singapore Airlines
Boeing hasn’t been Iaconi-Stewart’s only focus. In late 2014, after widespread public recognition of his work, Iaconi-Stewart was commissioned to create an advertising campaign for Singapore Airlines in collaboration with agency Dentsu X, “No Detail Is Too Small.”
The new project saw Iaconi-Stewart spend over 1,000 hours crafting a 1:50 scale of Singapore Airlines’ flagship Airbus A380 and its seating classes with his Xacto knife. Over 100 manila folders were utilized during the project, with the paper A380 requiring over 3,000 hand-cut pieces.
Released in 2015, the advertisement was a success, racking up hundreds of thousands of interactions across social media, and Iaconi-Stewart’s model was displayed to the public in the Netherlands in late 2016.
What are your thoughts on the project? Let us know in the comments.