I too have visited several ARF factories in China and will be visiting some more in November.

My supplier's factory produces in batches of between 300 and 600 of one model and there is one guy on the CNC laser cutting machine, may be 8 guys making the fuselages, 8 making the wings, 10 - 12 girls covering. Then there are people making tail feathers, trim sets, hardware sets, U/C etc etc. They have a separate factory unit making all the fibreglass parts. In all about 60 people over 2 factories.

I agree with Aussiesteve that the quality varies quite a bit. I spent hundreds and hundreds of pounds getting samples before I found a good producer. I now have a good relationship with them and they will modify models to my requirements and particularly if I see ways to improve the model. For example the first batch of Electric Pitts I received only had 2 ailerons on the lower wing and a couple of my customers commented that they were a bit sluggish in roll rate. One guy even cut additional ailerons in the top wing and told me it was fantastic. I told the factory owner and the next batch had 4 ailerons. Needless to say, the guy who suggested it was chuffed to bits when I told him how he had mad a difference to the model.

Many of these models are copies of someone elses. Some factories copy CMPro, and I know CMPro copy others so the quality will vary from factory to factory. All I know is that all the models from my supplier's factory fly beautifully as any of my customers will testify.

I have attached a couple of photos of the jigs used in the factory so you guys can see just how they are made. I saw no evidence of the sweatshops that we are led to believe these models are made in. Maybe my supplier is different from most, but I doubt it.

Pete