That looks really intricate, very well detailed. I have only built one metal kit, a Star Wars AT-AT, was nothing like that. Look forward to seeing that finished.

Thanks Bish, they have been around for awhile, but this is the new larger ones.  I built the USS Arizona a year ago.

Those are quite nice!  I used to think the military ones looked like caricatures, but the Arizona looks terrific!

Thanks RG!

I did manage to finish the Capitol!

Wow that looks awesome!!! Bending the PE to fit the round surface on the rotunda would have driven me the rest of the way insane!

And the Arizona looks friggin' awesome too! 

My wife gave the the Metal Earth Wright Flyer for Christmas a couple of years ago. I've just been too intimidated to try to assemble it. I should have another look at it I think.

What do you use for bending PE?  Looks very cool BTW.  Lot's of detail.  How big is the finished project?

These kits look outstanding. I picked up the dragonfly as a fairly easy one to try out. Set aside for now as I search out the best thing to use to bend these teeny tabs.

Attention!!!

 All you folks who are thinking of doing these. They look intimidating, don't they? They really aren't. Now as for tools here's what I use.

One Pair of Stamp Collectors tweezers.

One pair of Good Quality flat straight jawed pliars,( Smooth Jawed)

 One Untility Knife blade (or Two) 

One very good P.E.Bending Tool ( if You feel you really need it)

 One very Good Light .

One very good Quality Magnifier

 A Will to create. Good Luck.

 Metal-Earth Models will teach you a lot about bending metal. It will help you get comfortable with the tools. and It will help you develop techniques for the bending, folding and shaping process sometimes needed with these.This will also give you chances to experiment with The shapes, for instance the panels on the Capitol Dome. You could curve them with a spoon and make them actually rounded.Ask me more if you like . T.B.

Awesome work.!! Very well done. 

I've built one of these kits, the Dragon, which is labeled as one of the more complex kits and it took me about 10 hours to build. It was much easier than you would think and the metal is thicker than PE so it's kinda forgiving. I only used my hands, PE pliers and a few brush handles to make it. Don't be afraid of these, they are very much worth building. You will need a magnifier if your eyes aren't perfect also.

BK

Keavdog, thanks for the comment.  I used needle nose pliers with smooth jaws and assorted drillbits for bending curves.  The Arizona is about 4 inches and the Capitol is close to 6 inches.  Metal Earth and clones have really taken off and there are many to choose from.  They make great weekend or break from paint and glue models.

Thanks TB and Brandon for the advice. I guess I should try one of these. They're not that expensive so it's worth a shot...