Orlik Delivers

[Darwin]

I finally dug out my camera so I can show the kits I recently received from Orlik. This actually represents two orders from them. In both instances, the orders were delivered in ten days from payment. The extra three days over The Orange's experience must be that the last leg of mail delivery to Idaho is by dogsled (you think I'm kidding? When I looked out the window this am, what did I see but a fresh layer of white s**t all over the ground.) The packaging was just as shown by Orange, so I won't waste bandwidth, other than the second package was further contained in one of those hi-tech burlap bags (one of those new feed bags that look like they are made out of woven Tyvek). On to the pics....



I was able to get five out of the six Ripper Works kits I wanted. The Dana was out of stock at the time of the order. My last visti to Orlik's store showed it being back in stock....along with the kits I purchased that were shown as being his last copy in stock. Based on that, I hazard a guess that Orlik maintains only a small stock on hand of kits from other publishing houses, but quickly restocks (if still available) when he sells out of a particular model....makes me feel much better about eventually being able to get my hands on kits shown as being the only one in stock. A quick comment on Ripper Works kits...they are very detailed, and the two I have built had no fit problems, and enough illustrations and instructions that there were no hitches in the build. Since tiny pieces and I do not get along, I enlarge RW kits from 1:32 to 1:24, which is an absolutely flawless process.

The YG kits are done by our group member Pavel Kohno. Again, very detailed, and kit cost (including in postage) is about the same as his electronic kits are selling for on ecardmodels. Printing quality of the YG kits is excellent and his instructions are lavishly illustrated. I now have the full set of Bell X-1 models....now for the inspiration to actually build them. And, as an OBTW, the YG Bell X-1B model is printed on gloss (clay coated) paper with a very nice metallic silver ink.

The ADW kits are, again, nicely detailed with high quality printing and well illustrated instructions. All in all, I feel that all of the models received compare well with Halinski kits.

From my viewpoint, the FALA hydroelectric plant kit is the crown jewel of the collection....but I am biased, considering my initial education was to be an electrical (power) engineer. It will make a nice companion piece for the Nuclear Power Plant kits I have gathering dust in the "someday" pile of my hoard.

The two Orlik kits were bonuses....the TKW kit came as a gift in the first order, and the PZL-130 put me out about 30 cents as a promotional kit based on size of the order.

Cost of the two shipments was reasonable. Since the other half sometimes peruses the postings here, I hesitate to give details in the interests of domestic tranquility...but total for the two was less than my neighbor spent on a single ski weekend (excluding emergency room fees). In both cases, expedited shipping cost amounted to about a fifth of the total fee. I could have significantly cut that down by opting for normal (land) shipment, but it was worth the extra for delivery in little over a week vs up to a couple of months transit time by tramp steamer. Now to fire up the scanner....too many kits to do individual reviews on them, but if someone has particular interest in more information on one of them, I will try to work it into the schedule.

[SJPONeill]

Very keen to see your builds of the Ripper Works models...

[Fishcarver]

Darwin:
Thanks for the vote of confidence in ORLIK!!
I like them too!
Jim
PS
Kartonmodelle has the DANA in stock.....
I just ordered one!
Jim