88mm Joke?

[Threetoughtrucks]

In WM this morning, scouting, and on the shelf where a few days ago there were 2 JT's and 2 KT's there are now two Shermans and a 88mm.

I picked up the Sherman and it's not the same Sherman I bought 18 months ago. Is this a new Sherman?

Then I picked up the 88mm and the gun is kind of cheesy, rather like a GI Joe than a 21c product. In the box also is a guy that looks modern desert, with Kelvar helmet. Attached to the gun base is an M-16 and next to the gun is a wall with three really cheesy machine guns mounted to the top of the wall. Not realistic. Twist ties were intact and everything sure looked factory fresh.

I examined the box to see if somebody switched product but the box is factory sealed.

What gives guys?? I this what 21c is doing in 1/32 now?

I saw the JT & KT last week and my son gave me them for Father's Day and I'm happy with them both.

I'm a 1/18 and 1/6 guy with only a handful of 1/32. I'm thinking of expanding into the "dark side" but not if this 88mm is a sample of what 21c has out in 1/32.

TTT

[Threetoughtrucks]

I just checked eBay and the 88mm's for sale and the picture of the box shows an 88mm, not what I saw in WM.

But the box in WM was labled "88mm Flak 36/37 WWII German Gun".

Something is rotten in Denmark.

TTT

[lightning2000]

Maybe its from Denmark

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.bigstep.com

[aferguson]

Probably someone switched it out for something else and took it back for a refund. This is not an uncommon scam and was recently discussed in another thread on this board.

21c's 'factory sealing' is just wide scotch tape......it's pretty easy to slice thru replace product and re-tape.

Petty thieves abound..

[cruizin2000]

Hey TTT,

I saw the same Sherman and made a post about it a couple of weeks ago. I don't think anyone responded to it.

It looks like the first issue Cold Steel with less crap on the front. I like'em with less crap.

Yea, the 88 is bogus. It's a nice model...if you can find one.

C2000

[Threetoughtrucks]

This really stinks. I just spend Sunday at a partyestablishing a small network of "civilians" willing to recon WM's around the tri-state area. Some of these people actually like Wallyworld.

The 88 was one of the things to watch for. I would have really been ticked off if one of them had bought this piece of drep for me.

I guess the best laid plans.............well guys watch out in North Jersey WM's. Boy nobody does this in 1/18 or 1/6

TTT

[cruizin2000]

Hey TTT,

I think that we'll just have to do a #6.

What do you think?

C2000

[corpbob]

Finally found a rogue Flak 88 in North Alabama. The two included figures are mediocre (one lining up a range-finder, the other loading), but the 88 is a work of art.

It sounds to me like the one TTT saw was a swap someone did by pulling the entire base out of the box with everything still factory tied down. All that has to be done then is to replace the scotch tape on the ends...

[Threetoughtrucks]

The thing that bothers me the most guys, is that I closely examined the entire box. No changed bottoms, no replaced tape, figure and gun had the same plastic string that 21c uses. Product in box fit exactly in place.

OK, so other Chincon toys use that same type of packing also, but this box looked so natural, so correct.

I am not saying this was a real 21c product, just that it was a super con job done by somebody who really wanted an 88mm and spent alot of time fixing up their con for a what, a $15 toy??.

I don't mind screwing WM, even 21c for that matter , it just bothers me that this con artist was willing to screw a fellow collector. I draw the line at that point. Maybe I'm old fashioned.

TTT

[mperdu]

I was the guy that started the other thread about punks who are switching out tanks at Walmart and I agree that this is probably what happened in the instance you are talking about.
And wouldn't you know...I was in Simi Valley Walmart this morning and someone had replaced a 1/18th scale Panzer IV with something that looked like a Bradley or something I'm not familair with. I just had to shake my head and laugh a little this time.
No manager or employee in sight to say something to. I ended up waiting quite a while to finally get the guy from sporting goods to open up the spray paint cage so I could get a couple of cans of their "house brand" Red Oxide Primer. Probably a very close match to WWII panzer primer if anyone is into repainting their tanks.
Mike