I recently came across an email titled "Zenith STOL CH 701, Made in China, $68.00" only to discover it was for a wooden hand made desk top model of the airplane... and not a full-size version like the one pictured below (also a STOL CH 701, made in China):

This photo dates back a few years and is of a actual STOL CH 701 being constructed in the massive Shenyang Aircraft factory complex in Shenyang, China. It's interesting to note that Shenyang Aircraft is the same company that now produces the Cessna Skycatcher 162 light sport aircraft (though I recently read that Shenyang Aircraft is building a brand new factory and airport in China specifically to build the Cessna). I like the posters on the wall to the right of the Chinese flag: BE LEAN BE HAPPY (and it's advice we could all use, so long as lean doesn't mean starvation).

This is the Zenith STOL CH 701 advertised in the email ad, being offered on eBay for $68.00 plus $28.00 international shipping:

Over the years I've seen a number of these hand-made wood models. Attention to detail is lacking on most (being modeled from photos) but they do make an attractive addition to most desktops or home office, and I've heard that they can be custom-made with your specified paint scheme. It seems that there are various sources for these models on eBay (mainly from the Philippines) but I would be very careful before sending money out of the country for one...

The above two photos on eBay are obviously of the same model, but they were advertised by different sellers at different prices.

I want to take this opportunity to remind builders to be careful when purchasing anything over the internet and when buying a used kit or airplane. Over the years we have heard from too many customers who thought they we getting a good deal only to find out that they didn't get exactly what they had hoped for. Several years ago we published a notice: Scam Alert: Buyer Beware: Tips on buying a used aircraft kit or sec... after numerous buyers were scammed... It's my experience that kit builders are especially vulnerable to scams since most builders are such honest folks (and maybe too trusting sometimes...).