Preview: Meng's 1/70th scale PLAN Type 001 Aircraft Carrier Liaoning

Coming into port in February, Meng's latest kit is the Aircraft Carrier "Liaoning" in 1/700th scale, pre-coloured plastic. An easy follow-up for them, you would think; we have details in our preview...

Preview: Meng's 1/70th scale PLAN Type 001 Aircraft Carrier Liaoning

PLAN Type 001 Aircraft Carrier Liaoning

From Meng Models

1/700th scale

Available in: February 2025

Kit No. #PS-010

Meng website

The Subject:

Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, was originally built in the 1980s in a Ukrainian shipyard as part of the Soviet project 1143.6. After the USSR's dissolution, construction stalled due to a lack of funding, and Russia ultimately decided not to complete the vessel in 1995. The aircraft carrier was sold to China at a significantly reduced price, and a Chinese company initially intended to convert it into a floating casino. However, it was eventually handed over to the Chinese Navy, which completed and modified the original design.

PLAN Type 001 Aircraft Carrier Liaoning fact sheet

Liaoning measures 306 metres in length and displaces approximately 75,000 metric tonnes. Its air wing consists of 34 to 50 aircraft and helicopters, including the J-15, a naval fighter that is an unlicensed copy of the Russian Su-33. The aircraft carrier has become a vital knowledge base for the Chinese industry, enabling it to gain expertise in aircraft carrier construction.

Sailors transfer a J-15 fighter jet into the hangar bay during a training exercise 

The Chinese Navy has continued to develop its aircraft carrier capabilities, with the Shandong, a Chinese-built vessel based on the project 1143.6 design, and the Fujian, a ship designed and built from scratch by the Chinese industry, representing the next steps in the country's aircraft carrier development.

The Liaoning (centre) took part in a drill in the Pacific Ocean in April last year. The aircraft carrier and other Chinese vessels sailed through the Miyako Strait.

The kit:

In February 2025, Meng's latest kit, no. PS-010, will be released. The subject is the aircraft carrier "Liaoning." In this case, a 1/700 scale plastic pre-coloured kit. The assembled size is approximately 437.2mm in length, 104.7mm in width, and 92.3mm in height (excluding the base). The kit is easy to assemble, with no adhesive required and a pre-coloured design.

The kit includes a stand in the box.

The kit comes with high-definition sign decals for the helideck and aircraft carriers.

The aircraft elevator can be posed in different positions

The hangar door can be opened or closed, and the internal structure of the hangar is included.

The ship's weapons and crane can rotate and move.

The kit includes the same-scale aircraft, including the J-15, J-35, Z-18, and Z-20.

Faithfully reproduces the appearance of the Liaoning after its overhaul in 2024.

The kit is easy to assemble with no glue required and a pre-coloured design.

The flame shields come with two replacement parts, which you can choose from to create in the up or down position.

This new kit from Meng is still in development so keep an eye out here or on Meng's website for more info on this new model