Wow! You guys sure have left me a LOT to catch up on! Now, where to start.....
Darren (TANGO 1), welcome back buddy! This place really missed you being around! Glad things are turning around for ya, and that your son is all mended and back to his happy and healthy self again!
Welcome (too many names to mention, so I'm gonna say....) everyone who's joined our group since Thursday evening!! It's great to see so many willing to take the plunge into the wonderful world of WWI aircraft! This is going to be a blast!
Frank, nice pickup on the DML kit, my friend! Excellent choice for this GB!
Darren (darson), all the kits you listed are great builds right from the box. The Ni-16 Max kit is awesome! A very colorful Nieuport with lot's of extra styrene parts not present in the Ni-17 weekender. The Albatros kits build up real nice too, but there is considerably more rigging involved than on either of the Nieuport kits, and the decals could be more comprehensive if there's lozenge patterns to consider. PE sets are available for the -17, the D.III, and the D.V, but I'm not sure about for the -16. I hope I was able to provide some insight and help you towards your decision. If you have any other questions, I'll do my best to answer them for you.
Now....about Finescale Models. Gentlemen, that has got to be the absolute finest hobby shop I have ever seen in my life. If Martin doesn't have it, it probably doesn't exist. I was in there for 6 hours on Friday and still didn't come close to seeing everything he has! He is the most helpful salesperson I've ever run into. He's a modeler too, and a very good one, and understands what modelers need and want. It was the most pleasant of experiences (even got to meet DrewH there! Great guy! We had a blast! ) and I can't wait until our next trip down to Vancouver, when I bring A LOT more money and a much bigger suitcase!
Picked up some neat stuff....a few Tamiya kits (aircraft 1/72 Corsair & P-47), the Pollyscale paints I need to finish up the Russian Spit, some Pollyscale WWI colors, some Pollyscale flat, some cool 0.5mm brass hollow tubing (ideal for gun barrels and for WWI rigging turnbuckles), and a nice Eagle Strike decal sheet for some very colorful Fokker D.VII's (so with your permission, Frank, I'd like to add a 1/48 Eduard Fokker D.VII to my Airco DH.2 contribution for this GB, buddy! ).
...and finally, it's great to be home again!