In response to:
To: charlie s charlie
There are some die cast models that are quite good and contain good detail. Corgi an English firm makes some very good helicopter models and they are reasonably priced, (60-80 USD you make the conversion to GBP or Euros). On models like the Bell 47 as good as Corgi is they can’t get the tubular structure in scale. This is true for many die cast models. From ten feet away they look good. But up close the purist can detect the flaws. I have a Corgi USN Seaking and it is really nice.
I have on order a P-51 that is die cast. It costs about $180 USD. It has removable cowling showing the Merlin engine and access panels that open to show the ammunition feeding the 50 Cal. machine guns. The canopy slides back to show a fully detailed interior down to the gunsight. This type of model is one of a limited edition of 5000 and is a collector’s item. Some companies take the time and effort to put out a good product.
Regarding wood v resin models. The resin models are cast from a mold, which reflects a master model. Resin models can be truer to scale relative to thickness of the wing at various stations as well as the empenage. Depending on the production run they are usually made one at a time. Wood models depending on the size of the company use machinery to shape the fuselage and wings/tails. They are finish sanded using metal templates. Smaller companies and custom builder make their models from scratch by hand usually using kiln-dried mahogany.
Regarding Bader models they have been overpriced from the very beginning. Once a model is made and fully painted you can not tell the difference between a resin and a wood model. Toys and Models make models of resin, wood and injection molded plastic depending on the projected production run.
To; Heliport
The "place near Heathrow" is located at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, which is very near Heathrow. I don't know if he is still involved in the operation of what used to be called Executive Display Models but Brian Austria-Tomkins offered the very best custom made models. His small civil aircraft and helicopters had fully furnished interiors, Full instrument panels; controls and the interiors matched the original aircraft. I have seen their catalog and it seems that they no longer offer this service. There is another English company that provides models to the airlines and airframe manufacturers and they are extremely well made. Their name is Space Models. I'm sorry but I do not know where they are located.
To answer your other question there are two firms that offer custom building of aircraft. In order of quality there is Micro West
Their address is 955 North Eckhoff, Orange, California 92667.
Their prices are getting higher but you get what you pay for. The other is Griffin Aerospace. They bought out Anderson Fine Scale Replicas. They discarded all of the assets of Anderson and in doing so they eliminated the competition. In absorbing Anderson they also discarded Anderson quality so Griffin Models are not the equal of the former Anderson. (My opinion). There is a third firm that is not worth mentioning.
If you go on the internet under scale models most of the companies say that they make the models but in most cases they sell Toys and Models products or use the custom building capabilities of Micro West, Griffin Aerospace or some free lance outfits from Indonesia or the Philippines.
There is a recent start-up here in Quebec that sells Mahogany models that have resin inserts for all the transparencies and the models are finished with a clear coat of polyurethane. They are beautiful. I have four of them and when friends see them they are more impressed with them that most of my other models.
Then there is Jerry Hall. His models are exquisite and finished to the smallest detail. When he can get to it he will be making a 1:24 scale HO3S-1G for me in Coast Guard colors.