You must be buying real old VMAR kits top experience the "stinky" wood syndrome. They stopped using that old oily "cottonwood" many moons ago and switched to balsa starting with the the Jodel and RAV4. Same with the shelf paper covering.

I have had 4 VMAR's, the 1st an old "Stiletto" (circa 1996) which I thumbed in.

The 2nd was their Chipmunk. Had the same wing as the Stiletto (had to be flown the same way as well, landed "Hot") but the main gear braces in the wing couldn't handle the load and I had to reglue the lot. I junked it after 12 months when a servo failed and it landed "nose 1st!"

The 3rd was a PC-9. The covering faded over time (2 years) but the model flew well. It finally bit the dust when some other clown turned his Tx on when I was flying low and inverted.

The last was a "Ramrod" I bought in 1998. Still have it and it flies just great. Nice rolls and great spins. It has lasted longer than a couple of other models from supposedly "superior" manufacturer's, that I have owned in the past. The covering is wrinkled, but so is the "Oracover" (Profilm) covering I have on a kit "Stik" made about the same time.

After a few years break from buying a VMAR, I have just taken delivery of a new VMAR Cessna L-19 Bird Dog (electric powered) and it is made from balsa. Probably not the greatest quality balsa around, but a big step up from the "Cottonwood" used previously.

A friend recently bought a Topflite Sea Fury and has had to replace a lot of the balsa in that kit because it was, in his opinion- rubbish. SO VMAR are not the only ones guilty of supplying not so good balsa.

As for the VMAR Bird Dog. It's quite good for the price. I've had worse (and at a greater price) and certainly have never had a VMAR do the same thing as tiANci's Worlds Models Super Sports 40 did--(Have the entire front bulkhead and firewall come out on landing, because the assembly had absolutely NO glue on it.)

I also have an ESM F1 "Trainer". it has absolutely NO balsa in it anywhere. I'm not sure what wood it is (but it's sure tough) but as someone else said..I don't really care what it is made of. As long as it flies right.

As for the hardware. I normally don't use any of the harware supplied in any ARF kit. Hinges included if they are not already glued. I prefer to substitute with stuff I know is quality stuff. After all, it's my expensive radio gear and engine flying around up there. I call the extra cost "Insurance."

And it's still cheaper than buying a kit, where you also have to supply most of this hardware anyway, as well as covering material.

So what about VMAR. Well, its as good and as bad, as any other of the Asian manufacturers offerings. If you pay attention to detail and carefully inspect, re-inforce and measure the obvious, even adjust if neccesary, you will come out with a model that flies quite well and that's what the name of the game is all about.

Have a read of some of the threads down in the Warbirds section and see the mods some of those guys do on the more expensive ARF kits from ESM and CM-PRO/GSP, to get a strong and nicely detailed and flying model. Suddenly the extra bucks you spent on a different set of wheels /clevises etc for a VMAR (or Blackhorse, Phoenix or a World Models kit) looks quite cheap.