From another thread on the Model Airways kits:

Thanks Jim,your comments are much appreciated.I have written on this before but I understand that this thread is getting a little long to search through.
This Model Airways(Model Expo) Jenny kit is their best so far.I have no problem recommending it to anyone who has the patience to build it ,which can't be said for their other offerings.I would start with the Jenny and only tackle the other kits after gaining some experience with this type of kit.The little bit of extra money that is required to buy it is well worth it ,rather than spending a lot of time and money try to correct the others.
So far I have build the Jenny,Albatros and the Nieuport.I have the Camel on order but I can't recommend it before I see it ,but I would be careful as it looks like it could be a step backwards after the Jenny.I also have the Wright Flyer waiting to be built and after looking in the box I would caushiously recommend it.
The main problem with the earlier kits are the metal fittings which are made from a very soft and too flexible material.Example: the undercarriage cannot support the weight of the airplane over time.A lot of the fittings are poorly cast and pitted.I did a lot of scratchbuilding.
I dont want to be too hard on their products as I understand it is a difficult market.People,it seems, would rather pay less for an inferior product than pay more for quality .You get what you pay for really applies here.Bottom line ,buy the Jenny you won't be disappointed.
Plans and instructions are generally pretty good overall but here again the Jenny kit comes out of top.
Don't get me wrong the Albatros and Nieuport are buildable but are better left to the more experienced builder as a lot of mods and scratchbuilding is required to do a nice job.After building the Jenny you will know what a good kit is and by then you will be a "more experienced builder.

This is one of the storage shelves in the engine room.It is only visible from across the room and is partially hidden behind a door.It is not finished yet as I still have to put on the rear crossbraces and stock the shelves a little more.
The oil cans are the eraser ends off ordinary pencils ,I have yet to find suitable paper labels.These would also make great barrells for the smaller scales.
Speaking of barrells the 2 you see on the bottom shelf are craft store pieces.Normally I would sand off the ridges and replace them with steel bands(painted wood strips)The other wooden parts are scratch and the metal parts are left overs from other kits.Those are Jenny exhaust collectors on top of the big box that were for the JN-D version. The Canuck only had the short straight stacks.The rusty junk is gizmology.

Yes this is 1:1 Scale (as big as it gets)
From the N.Z. Aviation Heritage Center.

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Almost the end of another year so now would be a good time to review where I have been and where I am going!(dioramawise that is)Normally I would be finished this piece by now but this computer stuff takes more time than I originally thought it would.But I wouldn't want to go back to the days before the internet, when modeling was a pretty solitary experience.
In the painting above ,of the Toronto flying club in the 30's,the main hangar on the right is almost finished.I soon will be finished the engine room modules' interior and then it is on to the checkerboard sandpaper roof and battens.
Early in the new year I plan to take the whole thing apart for the last time and move it from my small,now overcrowded shop into the family room next door.(my wife doesn't know yet!)There I will set about building it up again from the main hangars' floor to completion of the first stage, which will be the Main hangar and its' modules.I will have to make a decision at this point as to phase two,the exterior,dispatch office and outbuildings and maybe even the other hangar.I could deliver phase one to the museum at this time and then continue work on phase two.Or I could take a break and finish up other projects.
I am really looking forward to the time,in the main hangar, when I can say well that part is finished and glued down for good.

It is here at the back of the main hangar that I changed things around a little.The smaller building with the checkerboard roof I actually made into an open ramp type structure, in order to get a clear unobstucted view into the main hanger and Jenny.
The smaller building out back is where I have built on the engine shop module, which looks a lot like the windowed structure that you see here.
I have no intention of building the flying club as it actually was but something that would be representative of a southern Ontario airport of the 20-30's era.

Here are a few left over parts from a dollhouse piece of furniture that I cut down to 1/16th scale by removing some parts and pieces.What was left is in the office module.With whats left here I plan to start a couple of tool cabinets.We'll see what happens.Should be fun!

Sorry about the snow! (white paint dust)
I have begun framing the popsicle stik tool cabinet.I don't plan anything too fancy for the engine shop.I want it to have the look of a amateur conversion of an old piece of furniture.Nothing special here just use your imagination,pretty much anything goes as long as you keep it in scale.Check your 1:1 furniture for reference.

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I like the scale of the drawer pulls. Many times people get the wooden part right, but then overscale the knobs and such. Nice job keeping in together.

Well things seem to be right on schedule,I wanted to have the main hangar and its modules ready by the end of this year.Within a week ,I plan to take everything apart one last time,move it to another room(thank god,no space)and begin putting things back together.
I have yet to complete the electrical wiring but I have most of the components already built.The Jennys are 95% done and awaiting final installation.If all goes well I should have phase 1 finished about mid- year,earlier if I don't build the Camel or the outside autos etc... I think!

I forgot to post this earlier!The amateur built carpenters', popsicle stik ,1920's tool cabinet is ready for finishing.I plan to use belaying pin handles and paint it Reid & Sons french blue.I made it look roughly built on purpose so it wouldn't look out of place in an engine shop.Weathering it should be fun!

Modifying Plastic Figures
Although the plastic figures described here happen to be 1/72 scale and of a different theme ,the following applies to any scale or subject matter.These type figures are available in many modes of dress and action and with a little imagination and creative re-designing can be adapted to just about any dioramic storyline.These figures happen to be Revell but there are many suppliers of figures on the internet.to be cont..............

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