21st's botched quality control procedures

King O' Fools · Post by **King O' Fools** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:47 am

Heh, I was putting together my Seemann, and the first thing that caught my eye as soon as I took it out of the box was this horrible touch-up paint job on the starboard side of the fuselage, right next to the white tailband (which, of course, can't be seen through the window). Not to mention the fact that the camo in mine doesn’t look at all like the one promo pics.

Good riddance, 21st!

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:56 am

I hear ya. I wish they would not try to "touch up" the models. It is really bad when they are dealing with the color white. The brush strokes can be thick and really seen. I wish they would let me touch up my own plane........

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:16 am

Well this will not solve the QC problems but if you tape as close to the paint blob as possible and use 000 steel wool you can bring it down a little.

EASY DOES IT !!!!

exether_mega · Post by **exether_mega** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:16 am

the lack of a good quality control seems to be 21st Century's weakest point.

I had problem with my first M16, almost all SDKFZ have driving mirror inversed and my first 88 is a real mess.

phil

King O' Fools · Post by **King O' Fools** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:18 am

In this instance, it was gray, but, alas, of a different shade than the background color.

BTW, they did the same thing to the nightfighter canopy windshield—FUBAR the whole thing with their touch-ups… and they even glued it into place for the same price, aren’t they considerate?

21st Century Toys—Screwin' Up Your Model, So You Don't Have To.

King O' Fools · Post by **King O' Fools** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:29 am

Thanks for the tip, Pickelhaube.

Btw, anyone else noticed the promotional picture of the M-16 has the correct side armor and closed radiator grill louvers (with a star on it)? I wonder if this was another mock-up, like the Tamiya model they used for the Phantom promo pics.

Funny thing is the 88 packaging (IIRC) shows the M-16 alongside the King Tiger. Maybe another mock-up too?

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:38 am

Yes, one hinge on my ME262 Nightfighter was glued shut. But, the paint work is fantastic!

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:43 am

I hear your pain brothers....but could this just be the nature of the beast. When does a Mcdonalds Big Mac ever look the same as on the order board? (Come to think of it, my bbi zero has some sort of glue smear on it)

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:01 pm

Last year when my local TRUs had a few "Seeman" Bf-109s, I recall a lot of them having little QC defects - very much like the one KOF described. Such paint errors were almost endemic with 21c and it was really a shame. I'm sure it contributed to lost sales. BBI on the other hand does not seem to have as much of a problem and I usually have more confidence ordering their products blindly

King O' Fools · Post by **King O' Fools** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:15 pm

I had to take a break while I was putting my Seemann together for fear that I might end up smashing it against the wall.

Well, it gets worse (or better, depending on how twisted your sense of humor is). As it turns out the camo on the port wing doesn’t even match the fuselage and the little jerks didn’t paint the wheels either. At all. Not a dab of paint. Nothing.

Great way to treat your customer base, 21st! (As if they gave a damn.)

I can’t believe these people actually run a business selling collectible aircraft/armor in 1:18 scale. How do they hope to attract any customers with this kind of business practices? Who will buy their models online at higher prices when they don’t bother to fix any of these issues?

These people are shameless crooks.

Anyway, I hope the creditors really sue their asses off.

hotrodrock · Post by **hotrodrock** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:31 pm

Seems that complaining about 21st QC now is kind of beating the crap out of a dead horse. Don't see the need in it any more. There is apparently no longer any QC to improve on.

digger · Post by **digger** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:41 pm

even at 50% off it is still worth whining. They deserve the piling on. There was never anything redeeming about their product anyway. Now, what else in on sale at MD...

flyboy_fx · Post by **flyboy_fx** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:43 pm

ya
i one time bought a 1/32 spitfire a wallmart and it came with a glue finger print on the cockpit, 3 paint smudges and a partly rubbed of decal. OMG

i took i back for another spit. and that one was bad also, third time i finally got a PERFECT one. not a single mark.

King O' Fools · Post by **King O' Fools** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:50 pm

hotrodrock wrote:Seems that complaining about 21st QC now is kind of beating the crap out of a dead horse. Don't see the need in it any more. There is apparently no longer any QC to improve on.

Well, I was thinking of getting some more of their Messerschmitts, as their paint schemes are very tempting (the BBI version seems dull in comparison), but not anymore.

normandy · Post by **normandy** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:11 pm

Well I opened my Mig-15 (Chinese) today.... Cool aircraft and my first modern 1:18th. Everything looks mint! Ah so Why am I telling you this? cause the front landing gear snapped off half way up. No wheel!

probably sitting on the floor of factory #3 in China.

I think this is the problem 21st has had all along, The Paint master or finished piece looks great everyone flys back to the US and factory #3 starts banging out Migs or Me-109's or whatever. If you don't have your own people (21st's in this case) in the factory there is no Quality Control. I've seen this with many other products coming out of that country, But that's off topic.
In this particular case its not the end of the world, I got this AC for a Custom.
Had I payed full price and wanted this plane I'd be POed!

usmcchet9296 · Post by **usmcchet9296** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:44 pm

I know Im new here but Ive been collecting 1/6th since the 90's and most of that was 21c at the time. 21c has never been run well and its sad. They always had potential but never could get it 100% right. I think the rumors are true and 21c is heading out of business and that will leave a hole that probably wont be filled especially in 1/18th scale. I could be wrong though since people have written off 21c many times in the past but one way of another these QC issues are bad.

AMERICAN_GRENADIER · Post by **AMERICAN_GRENADIER** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:50 pm

I once recieved a xd P-38 that had gobs of paint and glue on the nose guns. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
good thing my dealer sent me a replacement. i couldnt believe they would let that go out.

flyboy_fx · Post by **flyboy_fx** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:57 pm

MAN we should send this to 21st. maybe tko will hook us up. show the there are still XD lovers

krieglok · Post by **krieglok** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:10 am

Remember: "Made In China". Someday we will buying food from these people. A grim prospect in my mind...

GooglyDoogly · Post by **GooglyDoogly** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:50 pm

flyboy_fx wrote:...show the there are still XD lovers

...No thanks. My toys and I are completely platonic.

Small Scale Military Headquarters

21st's botched quality control procedures

21st's botched quality control procedures

qc