These guys are just discount retailers for toy Chinese model airplanes. They have nothing to do with the development aside from maybe asking the producer to equip the models a certain way to save $$. As far as I have been told, "Pete" is a public face poster kid for the business. The owner is a Chinese business man. He may have an ownership stake in the business... I suspect it's a minor one if at all.

Very recently Banana Hobbies has made a big move to edge Nitroplanes out of the "higher end" foamie market by selling some of the better FMS wabirds. BH used to mostly peddle a high percentage of it's inventory made up of junk stuff but now they are trying to go up scale in the foamie marker (if there is an upscale, it's just starting now but it's making head way) Some of those are really nice actually, though all foamies have their issues and must be looked over very carefully. Screws tightened, some reinforcements made, etc. Some of these foamies can turn out to be really nice actually. The size of these types are growing and they are coming up to speed rapidly. Though this has nothing to do with Banana Hobbies. They are just a snake oil vendor.

The real manufacturers (most located in mainland China) have a lot of hobbiests regularly emailing them about how to improve these things. Go over to RCG and you will see hoards of thread all about the nicer models like the 67" P-51/P-47, the 64" Su-35, 90mm F-86, etc. Some of these are very nice now but it's the efforts of the modelers that make it that way - you pull them out of the box and it looks like a RTF airplane - BUT the detail work begins just like any other model airplane you aren't finished when you cover it/paint it. You just started the detail work with the installation. Same thing - except these have some "de-installation and re-installation" required. If you want to know who is actually making these foamies work it's the every day hobbiest. These guys are making it happen and sending feedback to the manufacturers direct. BH will say they were part of the development of a product but as soon as the product blows up in their face they have nothing to do with the ownership of the liability. That tells you how honest they are being with their customers and with themselves. Nothing new here, this is old school human experience stuff that goes well beyond the scope of a hobby board.

As far as the response that BH gives to customers, that is a separate issue. Quality control management is squarely on their shoulders for what they agree to sell - and you can judge them for that. But don't judge them for the state of the art foamie market being sub hobby grade. It is what it is, buyer beware while sifting for the gems among the turds.