Metal EarthSpirit of Saint Louis Airplane 3D Metal Model Kit Fascinations

If you like making models, it is great. But if you want it for a quick snap together display, then pass on this one. It has a few pieces, but they are small and involve miniature tabs that must be bent to and fro. The engine assembly requires some bending of the front fuselage to make it fit properly. The directions are decent. It takes about 90 minutes to build and requires *small* needle nose pliers.

Most of this model is relatively simple, though it has just enough detail to be clearly identifiable as the Spirit of St. Louis. I wouldn't say it's easy for the uninitiated, but with a little experience with metal models, this can be quite a joy. It's a favorite in my collection, partly because I love Lindberg and his accomplishment, partly because the plane is a decent replica for its scale, partly because it was a bit of a skill test to get the nose shaped just right, and because the result is tiny, but not especially delicate. It should last a long time.

This product and all of the Metal Earth items are not toys. They are an intricate model that takes patience and skill to complete. They were not FUN to put together but challenging. The result s very satisfying and the models striking. Do not give this to a child or anyone who has a short attention span or gets frustrated easily. They are fragile before you start building, during the building process and after. The metal bends very easily and care must be taken to properly shape those pieces that require shaping. The right tools are essential. You will need fine needle nose pliers, tweezers, straight edges for bending, a shear cutter to remove the pieces from the metal sheet and a good magnifying lamp. The effort will be worth it.

Product arrived bent in its original package from the USPS. Material is already very very flimsy.The left side of the fuselage broke off just folding it over, as shown to do in the provided instructions. (See attached photo) Product is rendered useless at this point because there's no way to attach the wing.If this was larger in scale and a different material, thicker aluminum or brass or copper it would add to the rigidity and ease of assembly.This is not easy to assemble and I would not recommend this product.

Purchased for my father in law who just had heart surgery. He isn't allowed to work or do much for the next couple of months. He was super excited to have something creative to 'work' on while he recovered. Even the young kids were interested in what Grandpa was making. Really cool & a nice gift that looks unique.

My dainty, kid-sized fingers turned into massive, bestial digits when working with this model. Hulk Smash! The tiny individual parts are difficult to manipulate without bending or breaking. While trying to attach the folded doors to the wing of the plane, the perforated areas indicating fold lines broke, and so did my will to continue. In the trash can, it went.With that said, I like the idea and wish it could have worked out. I would have loved to have completed a 3-D model of the Spirit of St. Louis.NB: Be careful while handling the metal parts. If you're not careful, the edges can give you a gnarly paper cut. Who has two thumbs and band-aids on both? This girl!

Smooth assembly and excellent finished model. I would like to see Metal Earth make more ww2 model aircraft available.

I really liked building Legos and doing a little bit of art, so this is right in the middle. You have to really think about it and be careful, but with a combination of tweezers and needle nose pliers it was very doable. Cool.

La plaque de métal a été tordu. Donc certaines des pièces étaient déformées,

EXCELENTE

Montato è molto carino ed è divertente assemblarlo

Réservé aux fervents de la photodécoupeMétal brillant, il faut soigner le montageUn bel objet - de petite taille - à exposer

Ras