I’m giving some thought to buying a Model Airways 1/16 kit. These kits are in 1/16 and feature common WWI aircraft like the Albatross D. VA, and Sopworth Camel F.1 in 1/16 scale complete with metal engines and all internal framing. The catch is they’re not cheep, Most of them run around 200 bucks. But they sure are impressive in the pictures.
However, before buying one of these babies, I’d like to get some feedback from members who may already have built one before I spend a lot of money and wind up over my head in a project that’s beyond my abilities. Can anyone enlighten me?
A few years back, I think there was an aritcle in FSM with a diorama using one of them. Here’s a mini review of one http://scalemodel.net/AlbatrosDVa.aspx, hope it helps.
I m currently building their Nieuport 28 kit, and is an exercise in patience and learning. I really havnt had alot of problems with mine. Well except the ones I caused myself due to not reading the instuctions. That is something you must do, is read them carefully and follow them to the letter.
The one thing I have noticed is there is more cleanup on their white metal parts than you get on your average plastic kit. You also have to do bentwood lamination, carving (propeller), and shaping of things like the leading edges. I have found that patience, and thinking things through go a long way with this kit.
did I forget to mention this is not a shake and bake kit. I have been working on mine since the beginning of january, and have the engine, upper wing, and half of the lower wing together. I havnt even started on rudder, elevator, or fuse yet.
On a whole I have enjoyed mine, the level of detail in the box is great, you even get a wiring diagram for the thing (not like their was much anyways). Their nieport kit is their cheapest, so its the one I started with, planning on getting the albatross next. Their customer support is great too. When I first got my kit, I went through the inventory sheet and found two missing parts, one email, and a week later I had em in the mail, no questions asked. Great company to deal with.