This post originally started out as a complaint against Nitroplanes.com and Raidentech.com. I've purchased one plane from Raidentech, my order was processed and shipped very quickly, and my shipping charges were around $8. I got what I paid for and I was happy with the service.

As for Tower Hobbies, they are the gold standard for mail order/online hobby companies. God bless Tower Hobbies, they make all of us expect more from everyone else in the hobby industry.

As far as Nitroplanes.com, they actually work through RC Universe to provide customer service via the ARF forum. There is a subcategory under ARFs for Nitroplanes.com in particular where Nitroplanes.com reps try to answer questions and help with customer service issues.

If you wish to bash Tower Hobbies because an ARF that Hobbico didn't manufacture had its covering work loose while it was on a ship for a couple of months while travelling here from Vietnam or China, that is your preroggative.

If you want perfect covering every time, deal only with kits.

Nitroplanes.com and Raidentech are simply trying to carve out their own niche in this market. Tower Hobbies is simply trying to provide the widest selection of high quality and affordable hobby products to as many shoppers as they can, and RC Universe is simply providing an intellectual marketplace for hobby enthusiasts to exchange thoughts, opinions, and ideas.

Do business with whom you choose; but you should not be so quick to criticize others when you have no idea what kind of hard work and effort they're putting forth, nor what challenges or obstacles they are trying to overcome.