GYMEEE

The Fed Ex truck just dropped off my Dragon Wings TWA/American MD 83 and Gemini Jets TWA/American 757-200.

They are 2 very fine models. Its my Christmas gift to myself!

egonzinc

Glad to hear that they are finally trickling in!
Looking forward to their arrival.
E

egonzinc

Mine arrived today!
Very very nice and as it was mentioned here before the TWA/AA hologram is a nice touch on the 757.
Keep 'em coming!
E

justplaneobsessed

GYMEEE, Eduardo, could you look up the date when it was sent so that we can figure out when ours would get here?

Thanks,
Edwin

BillTse

Got mine today, and they are a beautiful. Looking at the box, it was mailed on 11/15, and arrived here in California on 11/21.

kwip

Yup... my MD-80 and 757 showed up today also... and they are really spiffy

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WestPac could'a been a contend'uh if they'd stayed in COS

smoothjazz

I recieved them yesterday...
What a fine looking planes...

Enjoy them guys!!!

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BENJAMIN

MY COLLECTION
http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/...tion-1179.html

ltu1542hvy

Yup, just received mine this morning, about 10 minutes ago. Funny how the C.R. Smith Museum shop bashed everybody else and themselves took so long to ship their models. They are spiffy models, but I won't be ordering from them again.

- Bill

EastCoast

GeminiJets, I hope you read these forums, because please don't let us have to purchase from this retailer ever again.

The customer service really SUCKS! Cannot get anyone on the phone and when you leave a message they don't call back.

Dumbs down!

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Ken (EastCoast)

FLYFRONTIER

I got mine the other day as well and it is quite nice. I e-mailed them the day before I received my model and they replied within 2 days. Not my regular retailer but not any slower than some of the other retailers I've purchased from. All in all, no complaints about there service.

CAL 757-300

Got mine this week too. The 757 is beautiful, though I haven't seen the real one at the airport yet. Great job as usual by GJ. As for the MD-83, I got that one too. It's my first non-GJ model, and it isn't bad. I'll stick with GJ and the metal wings though.

I couldn't believe how slow the CR Smith Museum was in getting these out in the mail. No use beating a dead horse since everyone else had the same problem. I'm going back to my normal supplier.

AlphaSigOU

Guys, don't write them off just yet...

Be aware that the C.R. Smith Aviation Museum until recently only sold through their museum store and not by mail order nor online. The museum only has a couple of full-time staff positions - the remainder is filled with volunteer workers (usually AA retirees and aviation buffs) who man the museum shop and act as tour guides. And believe me, some aren't really that knowledgeable about aviation, especially the subtle nuances (or glaring mistakes, depending on your point of view) of die-cast models.

Their monumental gaffe knocking the competition is already well known, and they've appeared to have learned from their mistakes so far. I've been to their museum shop over the Thanksgiving holidays (and Dr. Chicken can vouch me on this) -- the museum is VERY well stocked with 1/400 and 1/500 diecasts from Herpa, StarJets, GeminiJets and Dragon Wings, as well as a couple of AeroClassics. (And from different airlines, some who are in direct competition with that nAAmeless AAirline! ) There are a few high-demand models in stock that have long been exhausted from other suppliers.

And if I understood them correctly from their website, they are planning to sell a model only available to members of the museum in the near future. (Besides, as a supporting member you get a 10% discount in the gift shop anyway.) So when it does come out, and people start griping over the supposed unavailability of this model to the general collecting community, I really don't want to hear it. If you are true collectors, you'll find ways to improvise, adapt and overcome any obstacle to getting a model of your desires.

Anyway, my two cents' worth -- before taxes take most of them away!

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Chuck Corway (AlphaSigOU)

Causa latet vis est notissima -- the cause is hidden, the results are well known.

James Bond: "I'll take the full odds on the ten, two hundred on the hard way, the limit on all the numbers, two hundred and fifty on the eleven, thank you very much."

Plenty O'Toole: "Hey! You've played this game before!"

James Bond: "Just once."

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!! REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR!!! REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11!!!!

ContinentalCrew

Chuck;

Screw the gift shop...what does the museum look like? From the pictures in the flyer that was sent along with the model it looks pretty large, and the attractions look kind of neat too.

So, what do you say? Is it worth a visit the next time I'm in Dallas?

Marc

Travis Campbell

I received mine as well, though I got the MD-83 from my regular retailer. (Wanted the tractor) I do have one complaint on the 757 though. The finish is extremely dull and their is a huge scratch on the top of the fuselage infront of the stabilizer. Other than that, they are both very nice models. BTW, I can't keep myself away from the Lufthansa 737-200, it's such a cute little mould!

GYMEEE

Eduardo.. Mine was shipped Nov. 19th vis Fed Ex 2 Day. I received it on the 21st.

GYMEEE

AlphaSigOU

It's not bad, even though the museum is centric to a certain AAirline based in Fort Worth. On display inside is a DC-3, Flagship Knoxville -- you can go inside and see the original furnishings of a classic airliner.

They also have the forward cockpit section of an F100, as well as other interactive displays, along with a display about TWA and Trans Caribbean ('La Tranca'). For 747 lounge nostalgia buffs, they also have one of the few remaining Wurlitzer lounge pianos once installed on American's 747 fleet. (Under glass, of course.)

How to get there: If you've got a long (2+ hour layover in DFW, it can easily be reached by cab. Take International Drive (the toll road that goes thru DFW south to 183 West, and get on the ramp to 360 South. (If you look carefully on the right as you go on the ramp, you can see the remains of the old runways of Greater Southwest International Airport (the old FTW before Meacham Field adopted the designation) Get off at FAA Road - you'll see American's headquarters and flight academy. Turn right on FAA Road, the museum is the first building on the right.

You can go thru the museum in about an hour to an hour and a half, including the movie presentation in the theatre (the seats are from old AA first class sections). The gift shop is very well stocked with American Airlines and other items, including a very well stocked selection of die-cast models from the major manufacturers.

Also recommend the Frontiers of Flight museum at DAL as well.

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Chuck Corway (AlphaSigOU)

Causa latet vis est notissima -- the cause is hidden, the results are well known.

James Bond: "I'll take the full odds on the ten, two hundred on the hard way, the limit on all the numbers, two hundred and fifty on the eleven, thank you very much."

Plenty O'Toole: "Hey! You've played this game before!"

James Bond: "Just once."

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!! REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR!!! REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11!!!!

EastCoast

Chuck -

Do these people know how to read an email or return a phone call, because it's been almost a week with no reply. I sent a email and left a voice mail regarding my damaged model and still have received NO reply.

I'm not impressed with there customer service, after having 240 models on hand from my standard retailer, I purchase from them only once and get a damaged product.

Live and learn!

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Ken (EastCoast)

ContinentalCrew

EC;

I'm really sorry to hear about your troubles. After the "garage retailers" posting I really thought CR was going to get it together, and felt that the step-up shipping was a nice touch, especially when the delays getting the 757s out to us wasn't due to issues on their end.

I suspect it's going to be real tough for C.R. to win any of us over considering the goings on of late.

Good Luck, I'm certain you'll get satisfaction and a new model shortly.

Marc

ContinentalCrew

Chuck;

Thanks for the report. I'm supposed to be traveling through DFW in about a month or so (CO shuttle from Houston), maybe I can go over and take a peek.

Regards,

Marc

me737

Everybody except for me is getting their 757 and md80's

__________________
Instant message me if you want. If you don't then okay, it doesn't hurt me. AOL& MSN handle Jetsetter737.

I want more planes.
No, more than that.
I still want more.

Chansen

Leave messages and many emails without profanities then they will be very helpful!

Stanman

I just received my AA/TWA MD-83's and 757's. The MD-83's are beautiful and so are the 757's but the metal finish on one of the 757's looks tarnished. Doesn't really shine at all compared to the other 757. Has anybody else encountered this problem and does anybody know a fix for it? Otherwise I'll just try to exchange it later.

EastCoast

Stan -

That's the way it is, a weathered look to the aircraft. I hate the RealMetal technique used, but others enjoy it. Sometime others appear better than others.

Good luck!

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Ken (EastCoast)

Michael Magdaleno

I should be recieving mine any day now!I got my Email comfirmation on 11-28-01 ,does Fed Ex deliver on Saturday?

bobcoppk

For Michael on Saturday Delivery on FedX....Yes, but Only If You Pay For It....

My Order with CR Smith was 191 of over 1800 that they have shipped as of 11-30-01....only trouble is I Didn't Recieve!!

As stated before, the poor comments of some Individual with a Marketing Degree from Wal Mart does not change what the Museum and this Forum is all about....Aviation!!

Yeah, some bad comments and an influx of Interest and Orders that overwhelmed just like what happens to ANY Business, but does that make the Orginization Bad??.....NO!!

Should I cancel my Order because of a Typo or because FedX screwed Up??.....NO!!

Does this mean I Will Not Fly AA or Ship via FedX??....NO!!

A "Museum" survives by Donations and Income derived from Admissions and Sales!! ... Does anyone really think that They Or ANYBODY ELSE Screws Up On Purpose?? ....NO!!!

When in DFW, check out The Museum and The Favorite Topic Of Many....Aviation; along with those who work there and who they represent, and then Tell Me It's All Bad.....how does it go??...To Err Is Human??

ContinentalCrew

I'm not sure what many of you are going through, but my dealings with C.R. and the store's manager, Craig, have been nothing short of stellar.

While C.R. did make a few tactical errors regarding the launch of this new service and these models they did try to make things right across the board.

In fact, I emailed Craig directly last evening just to say "thank-you" and to wish him some words of encouragement, and he's already called me at home to thank me for my note.

Guys, the National Air and Space Museum has about 9 1:400 scale models out on display, all of which are in terrible condition. This is, to my knowledge, the first major aviation museum that is trying to support our hobby for what it is, while trying to give the products the respect they deserve.

Have they made one or two bad calls on the P.R. side of things...well, yes they have. But they're only going to get better...and if they do we will all gain as a result.

On a personal note I think it would be helpful if Craig joined Dac and get involved in the "fray." He will, for the most part, gain from his involvement here and will hopefully learn a thing or two that will help the hobby.

Who knows...we might even get one or two of those special releases we've been asking for...I know I for one would be all over a 1:400 CV-990 'astrojet' if it was made available by C.R.

I suspect, many of you would be right there with me.

Regards,

Marc

FLYFRONTIER

I also got the feeling that C.R. Smith were trying to put things right. I got a phone call from Craig who was wanting to ensure that I got my model. The wait was something none of us wanted but I have ordered twice from one of the most "popular" retailers who also specializes in exclusive releases and both times have had to wait for weeks longer than if I had ordered elsewhere (and I never got a phone call from their manager either). But I still order from this business, I just don't expect to see the model any time soon. Maybe that will be the way C.R. Smith will be and maybe they will be very fast on the order next time. Anyhow, I agree with CO Crew that it is pretty neat to have a major aviation museum sponsoring models. Their could be a lot of future releases that will never see the light of day if C.R. Smith decides they don't want to deal with the 1:400 world.

I usually don't say much, and I monitored this board for a year before actually posting. We as a group need to relax and