Bad QC in a whole new level....

[tpa05]

Double-sided velcro might work. What I mean is use it to store the tube in the bomb bay. Hmmmm. Potential money making idea! How to fit a working tube of crazy glue into the torpedo. I'll get back with ya.

[Rowsdower]

I don't know if any of you Watch the Red Green show, but I'm sure a roll of duct-tape would be coming into play if he bought some of these planes.

[VMF115]

I don't know if any of you Watch the Red Green show, but I'm sure a roll of duct-tape would be coming into play if he bought some of these planes.

hahahahahahahah
I wacth that evry night at 10 pm

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. Red Green"

[Flytiger]

Somehow my Tuskegee P-51 lost an inch off one prop blade but there were no loose pieces in the box, which means it probably left the factory in that condition. From examining these things closely, changing out a prop is not a minor process especially if you don't find all the screws in the fuselage, so I'm debating what to do. Shipping it back would be an expensive proposition, too.

[sarge]

Somehow my Tuskegee P-51 lost an inch off one prop blade but there were no loose pieces in the box, which means it probably left the factory in that condition. From examining these things closely, changing out a prop is not a minor process especially if you don't find all the screws in the fuselage, so I'm debating what to do. Shipping it back would be an expensive proposition, too.

You can TRY emailing 21C customer service. I'll give them credit even though they didn't answer me they sent me the correct hand for the pilot(UPS no less). Good luck it wont hurt to try. Sarge

[scbvideoboy]

Double-sided velcro might work. What I mean is use it to store the tube in the bomb bay. Hmmmm. Potential money making idea! How to fit a working tube of crazy glue into the torpedo. I'll get back with ya.

Speaking of the torpedo, where are the propellers? I don't like half assied attempts.

DH

[Sabrefan]

21st customer service sent me a pair of canopy parts for my Avenger. Mine were broken when I took the plane out of the box.

[Rowsdower]

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. Red Green"

I live by that motto!

[sarge]

Double-sided velcro might work. What I mean is use it to store the tube in the bomb bay. Hmmmm. Potential money making idea! How to fit a working tube of crazy glue into the torpedo. I'll get back with ya.

Speaking of the torpedo, where are the propellers? I don't like half assied attempts.

DH

You didn't pay for a detailed torpedo just the plane. I redid mine and now it looks like a MKXIII including the propellers. Even put a drag cover on it with a note to "TOJO". wishing him a Merry Xmas. Used the third figure as a stand alone pointing to the note. I bought one of those WM specials and seeing as it needed alot of work decieded to redo the whole thing. Turned out really nice. Better than the (perfect one?)from 21C. Have a good one. Sarge

[VMF115]

Speaking of the torpedo, where are the propellers? I don't like half assied attempts.

DH

You didn't pay for a detailed torpedo just the plane. I redid mine and now it looks like a MKXIII including the propellers. Even put a drag cover on it with a note to "TOJO". wishing him a Merry Xmas. Used the third figure as a stand alone pointing to the note. I bought one of those WM specials and seeing as it needed alot of work decieded to redo the whole thing. Turned out really nice. Better than the (perfect one?)from 21C. Have a good one. Sarge

Could you post pics of that?

[Rowsdower]

Maybe 21st should stick a disclaimer on the box. "Pre-built model for those of you who don't mind broken/loose/incorrect/missing/unpainted parts. Minor/major work needed for the rest of you."

[Big Duke 6]

Sh*t, I better start cracking open boxes and checking !!!!!

[VMF115]

Sh*t, I better start cracking open boxes and checking !!!!!

I hope you don't find any messed up ones.

[sarge]

You didn't pay for a detailed torpedo just the plane. I redid mine and now it looks like a MKXIII including the propellers. Even put a drag cover on it with a note to "TOJO". wishing him a Merry Xmas. Used the third figure as a stand alone pointing to the note. I bought one of those WM specials and seeing as it needed alot of work decieded to redo the whole thing. Turned out really nice. Better than the (perfect one?)from 21C. Have a good one. Sarge

Could you post pics of that?

I'll try I'm not to savy about putting pics on this forum but I got to figure it out sometime.

When I first started collecting 21C years ago I took them out of the box and hung them. It's nice but a pain in the a-- to dust. I went to keeping them in the box which not only eased the dusting chore up but improved on the amount of room I have. It sure makes it look nicer also. have a good one Sarge.

[sarge]

You didn't pay for a detailed torpedo just the plane. I redid mine and now it looks like a MKXIII including the propellers. Even put a drag cover on it with a note to "TOJO". wishing him a Merry Xmas. Used the third figure as a stand alone pointing to the note. I bought one of those WM specials and seeing as it needed alot of work decieded to redo the whole thing. Turned out really nice. Better than the (perfect one?)from 21C. Have a good one. Sarge

Could you post pics of that?[/quote

[/img]

see if this works. Sarge

[VMF115]

I also wrote on my torpedo to Hitler’s U-boats, I was going to say Tojo, but then released this Avenger flew in the Atlantic, Nice picture can new get a closer shot? I like what you have done, but I cant see it to well.

[sarge]

I also wrote on my torpedo to Hitler’s U-boats, I was going to say Tojo, but then released this Avenger flew in the Atlantic, Nice picture can new get a closer shot? I like what you have done, but I cant see it to well.

Now that I sort of figured it out I'll get something bigger. Thanks for the info I got so wrapped up what I was doing I forgot Hitler on east.Tojo on west. Won't take long to fix.
This is another torpedo fixed up for the Bush Avenger if it ever comes out.
It'l probably be a day or two for the pics as Ive got company coming. I can try and PM them to you. Have a good one. Sargetorpedofh9.jpg][/URL]

[Fox Tare-28]

Maybe 21st should stick a disclaimer on the box. "Pre-built model for those of you who don't mind broken/loose/incorrect/missing/unpainted parts. Minor/major work needed for the rest of you."

They'd have to put it in very fine print so as not to put off consumers from buying their products.

[King O' Fools]

After perusing this thread, I must admit that I'm sorely disappointed in 21st Century Toys and their QC standards. I haven't started collecting any of their models yet, but was quite excited by the prospect of having a little 'treasure trove' of 1:18 models amassed by years end. In fact, not only was I ready to shell out the big bucks through online US and European retailers (which are rather pricey these days) and order several models straight away, but I have also seriously considered refurbishing my place in order to make room for them.

Now I have some very serious doubts that I'll ever go to such lengths just to find their models are all a mess. I thought these were supposed to be out-of-the-box quality dispaly models for collectors requiring only minor assembly, and I certainly don't intend to pick up my modelling hobby where I left it a decade (or so) ago. So what's the point of releasing a superbly detailed model if the end product coming out of the assembly line is so darn shoddy?

[Rowsdower]

I have a large number of pieces of armor and aircraft from BBI, 21st and FOV and I'd say the majority are great with some like my 21st F-86 being immaculate. For the price you just can't be the detail and overall coolness of the offerings from these lines. Even the high priced $100 and up die-cast models have problems.

[digger]

Now I have some very serious doubts that I'll ever go to such lengths just to find their models are all a mess.

Which pieces are you talking about?

But I think Rowsdower hit it on the head - 1:18 is huge in the model world, and these pieces - for what they cost - are a steal. They are afterall toys, as much as we would like to think otherwise.

[aferguson]

it depends how particular you are i guess but i've bought loads of xd pieces over the years and have yet to get one that was so bad i felt it couldn't be displayed.

Most have tiny little paint slips, itty bitty chips, or other slight flaws, the vast majority of which are easily fixable, especially if you have been a model builder in the past.

I wouldn't let QC concerns deter you from at least getting a start in this hobby. Once you see how big and beautiful they are you'll be hooked and will be able to overlook any tiny imperfections...

I have yet to see any pre-built model, by any manufacturer, that didn't have some noticable flaws with the QC, that includes Armor, Dragon, Corgi etc. It goes with the territory...

and by the way, if you've ever seen real military aircraft up close...well, they're a mess. They are far from the pristine beauties they appear to be at a distance. Paint slops and roughness, dirt and grime abound....only airshow planes approach being perfect. Real warbirds ain't..

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Ive run into a few problems, some from the company themselves with poor QC and some from on line retailers that packaged/shipped poorly or stored them poorly. The majority of the time - they are fine.

[King O' Fools]

Now I have some very serious doubts that I'll ever go to such lengths just to find their models are all a mess.

Which pieces are you talking about?

But I think Rowsdower hit it on the head - 1:18 is huge in the model world, and these pieces - for what they cost - are a steal. They are afterall toys, as much as we would like to think otherwise.

Well, I was referring to the overall impression I get from comments such as this one by Sarge on Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:59 pm (sory, but I can't find a "permalink" to it):

I think 21C QC sucks all the way down the line. First I ordered the Tuskegee Airman P51 from Historic, what I got was junk. base coat showing through finish coat,open seams landing gear not fitting right and fingerprints all over the paintjob. Sent the plane back at added cost and received a much better one except the pilot had two right hands. Got that straightened out. I just ordered the 1/32nd Jolly Roger version F4U from Small Joes. When I received it the paint job was all scratched up, It had spots all over it and the proverbial fingerprints one of which was right over the star under the front wing. That's the main reason I don't like to order on line. I repainted the whole thing as I didn't want to add the my cost by shipping it back. What are we going to be getting in the upcoming planes? Sounds like junk to me. I'm tired of excuses for 21C they've been around long enough. Just about everything you get from them has to be touched up or sent back. You all enjoy em. Sarge

The thing is I live in Spain and can't buy these items through a real world retailer here, and I don't want to go through all the hassle of returning models on an almost constant basis (from what I have seen over at the Bad Cat website, shipping charges can be quite burdensome, even more so than the actual price tag).

Right now I have my sights set on a Spitfire, two P-47 bubbletops, a P-47 razorback, a P-51 (retooled), a Corsair (from BBI), plus BBI's coming Dauntless, Hellcat, and 21st's California Cutie, as well as the B-25 and the Bush Avenger. Possibly one of the Pearl Harbor Warhawks. I understand that these are richly-detailed toys, but I would expect no fingerprints on the paint job for that price.

[FieroDude]

I can honestly say that of all the aircraft in my collection, and there about 20 1/18 aircraft so far, none has been what I call "bad". There have been a couple where minor touch up work was needed to fix issues that may have been from manufacturing or shipping, but nothing that anyone but myself would have noticed. And I have NEVER found an issue with a bbi or Admiral piece.
Yes, there is always a bit of a gamble when buying something sight unseen and then having it shipped 5,000-8,000 km. But we have quite a few forum members here from Europe and Australia that are still collecting, so it must work well enough.