Collectaire experiences?

I've just built their Northrop HL-10. As resin kits go i've seen better but, i've seen a whole lot worse!
My kit had loads of air bubbles and some of the smaller resin items were unusable. The white metal parts were ok but the cockpit was very sparse.
The instructions were ok. They concentrated on some areas more than others and, considering the amount of work needed in the very visible cockpit, the references were spartan.

In all I enjoyed as a modelling project rather than just building a kit.

Thanks -- have been building models off/on for ca. 40 years now , including use of resin parts to mod kits and am looking to make the full resin kit plunge. My main concern was Collectaire's record for "getting it right" in terms of right form/scale for their subjects. The E-2 is a very difficult a/c to model properly, especially the forward section. Having spent my fair share of the last 25 years flying these beasts, I've yet to come across a faithful representation that hasn't required a good bit of work to get it right. I have been impressed with what I've seen on Collectaire's website, but as we all know, the pictures are only part of the story. Probably will start out with something strightforward like the X-15 before jumping to the E-2. May also try the Whale, having spent some time in that as well...

Will Dossel
Last of the Steeljaws (VAW-122)

Ok, I'll look like a newbie. I've been building models for almost 20 years and I've never built a resin kit. What's the difference?

I like em already. They're coming out with a C-20 Gulfstream IV in 2004. :D

I've done 2 of their kits,Savage and Banshee,and they require a lot of work to prepare them for finishing,and cockpit detail leaves a lot to be desired.But taking into consideration their limited run kits,and they seem to do the ones you won't see done by the major mfgrs if you REALLY want a model of a particular airplane I say go for it!I agree with John P,their for advanced modelers with experiance working with resins and aftermarket parts.

I have three of their kits, all of which I have yet to actually work on.

The quality is generally pretty good, though you're not going to be able to slap them together like a plastic kit, without a lot of filing and parts fitting. I'd really suggest them for advanced modelers only. I had one major problem in their XP-55 Ascender. The kit is very good, really, but the mold for the fuselage halves was on its last legs and the parts were covered with resin blobs and pits. Sadly I didn't notice right away (I rarely build anything right after I get it) and the kit is now OOP, so I can't get replacement parts.

I've been putting off building them 'cause they sure look like a lot of work. But a good modeler shouldn't have too much trouble.