Wingnut Wings

[keefr22]

For ANYBODY ordering from overseas, the quote below is from our own, inimitable, Edgar.

"There is NO import duty on model kits into the U.K., but the sender needs to write the "commodity code" 9503003000 on the Customs label on the outside of the parcel. Google that number, and you'll find that, as of this date, duty is still 0%. VAT is a different matter entirely, but that depends on how the inspector feels when confronted by your parcel."

Warris, SWMBO may be SLIGHTLY happier??!!!

Paul

Thank you Edgar.

Yes, but that's duty. If the parcel gets picked up you still have to pay the 20% VAT & the thieving barstewards 'collection charge' levied by the Royal Mail (or Parcel Force, I can't remember which) that seems to vary between £7 & £12 odd - I guess depending on how they feel on the day...??!!

Edit - I've just had a look at the aforementioned Snipe on WNW's site. At the moment it's listed at 69.99 NZ dollars. As they still offer free shipping, even with the 20% VAT & worst case £12 collection charge, it would come in at £53 (rounded up) at todays exchange rate. So, if you don't mind waiting for delivery, its now a better buy than Hannants where it's £69.99 + postage! Guess I was lucky with the Tripe...!!

K

[andym]

Er you sure that aint U.S.$69? Which is a different story.

[keefr22]

Er you sure that aint U.S.$69? Which is a different story.

Ooops, you're right! Perhaps I actually noticed that when I bought the Triplane...!!

K

[Stashaholic Steve]

Yes, but that's duty. If the parcel gets picked up you still have to pay the 20% VAT & the thieving barstewards 'collection charge' levied by the Royal Mail (or Parcel Force, I can't remember which) that seems to vary between £7 & £12 odd - I guess depending on how they feel on the day...??!!

Edit - I've just had a look at the aforementioned Snipe on WNW's site. At the moment it's listed at 69.99 NZ dollars. As they still offer free shipping, even with the 20% VAT & worst case £12 collection charge, it would come in at £53 (rounded up) at todays exchange rate. So, if you don't mind waiting for delivery, its now a better buy than Hannants where it's £69.99 + postage! Guess I was lucky with the Tripe...!!

K

As the other chap said correctly, they charge in US$.

However, at current/recent exchange rates a single $69 kit ordered direct from WNW still costs around a fiver less than buying it from Hannants, even if you get caught for VAT and the rip-off 'handling fee'. If your parcel manages to escape being held to ransom, then the saving is much more significant.

Whatever WNW charge, Hannants basically take the same number and just replace the $ sign with a £ sign. Hannants charge top dollar for pretty much everything, and are only ever a an absolute last resort for me. Come to think of it I've only ever ordered anything from them once, and I would never by WNW kits off them.

[seadog]

Wow, this is all fascinating stuff. Does seem to be in the lap of the god of imports, how badly you get stung! I thought somebody had once taken the RM on about the collection charge as post, even international what you pay at the sending P.O. is supposed to be door to door....he wailed naively.

[keefr22]

As the other chap said correctly, they charge in US$.

Which I already acknowledged...

... and I would never by WNW kits off them.

To save a fiver? I'd go to Hannants any day if that was the difference....!!

K

[gcn]

As has already been noted what you are paying is the VAT plus the processing fee.

WNW helpfully state the price in NZD which has a more favourable rate than the USD at the moment, but you also pay VAT on the delivery. Although it is free unless a cost is stated they (HMRC) will estimate a figure.

The answer to all this is to get WNW to post DDP, but I'm sure they won't do that or it'll be more expensive than it already is.

Buying individual kits it's almost worth just going to Hannants, but once you buy more than one they become less attractive.

I've never got anything free of tax from NZ

[Stashaholic Steve]

To save a fiver? I'd go to Hannants any day if that was the difference....!!

For a one-off purchase of a £69 Snipe or D.VII I'd probably agree with you. But if you're buying more, those fivers soon add up.

I've currently got 20 WNW kits in the stash (with another order in transit) which very conservatively works out at £100 saved, although it's actually quite a bit more because (1) a couple of orders got through without being stopped and (2) some of the kits are the more expensive ones on which the saving is greater.

"Acorns & oak trees" and all that!

Also I forgot earlier to factor in however much it is that Hannats charge for postage on top of their £69 kit price - so the difference per kit is actually more than a fiver once you take that into account.

Makes sense to buy direct from WNW every time in my view - provided you don't mind waiting 2 or 3 weeks for your kits as opposed to 2 or 3 days. And personally I'm never in that much of a rush.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Stashaholic Steve

[MikeC]

Of course, if you pre-order your WNW kit from Hannants to pick up at a show* you get 10% discount and don't pay postage, which changes the balance somewhat.

*to which you're probably going anyway, so no fuel cost over and above what you would have paid anyway.

[PDH]

Of course, if you pre-order your WNW kit from Hannants to pick up at a show* you get 10% discount and don't pay postage, which changes the balance somewhat.

*to which you're probably going anyway, so no fuel cost over and above what you would have paid anyway.

Hannants used to exclude WNW kits specifically from their collect and get 10% off offer. Has this now changed?

P

[MikeC]

Hannants used to exclude WNW kits specifically from their collect and get 10% off offer. Has this now changed?

P

I'd never heard this, but setting up an order for a WNW kit to collect from the shop just now deducted the 10%. I just wish I could have followed through on it atm (sorry Mr H) - perhaps one day ...

Edited February 9, 2015 by MikeC

[PDH]

I'd never heard this, but setting up an order for a WNW kit to collect from the shop just now deducted the 10%. I just wish I could have followed through on it atm (sorry Mr H) - perhaps one day ...

Thanks Mike. Looks as if Hannants have changed their policy. May take advantage come SMW time.

Peter

[Dave Batt]

Wow, this is all fascinating stuff. Does seem to be in the lap of the god of imports, how badly you get stung! I thought somebody had once taken the RM on about the collection charge as post, even international what you pay at the sending P.O. is supposed to be door to door....he wailed naively.

The tax you're stuck with (if you get picked up on it) but the 'handling charge' cannot be legally enforced. I've got the letters (and had a cheque in compensation) to prove it. The big point is though that everyone has to challenge it to make local M.P.s and the Board of the Post Office cheesed off with the situation, otherwise it just keeps on happening.

[Stashaholic Steve]

The tax you're stuck with (if you get picked up on it) but the 'handling charge' cannot be legally enforced. I've got the letters (and had a cheque in compensation) to prove it. The big point is though that everyone has to challenge it to make local M.P.s and the Board of the Post Office cheesed off with the situation, otherwise it just keeps on happening.

You are dead right about the 'handling charge' Dave but with possession being 9/10 of the law, I think most people (myself included I must admit) just take the less-hassle route and pony up, rather than take on the systen and risk having their kits "returned to sender" if ParcelFarce haven't received their money within the specified two weeks.

[Chris B]

"the 'handling charge' cannot be legally enforced"

I'm not sure that this is correct. I researched the handling charge on one of the consumer advice websites some years ago when I bought the LVG CVI and the then position was as follows.

1 The P.O. send out a single invoice demanding payment of the VAT and Handling Charge.

2 You ask them to bill you separately for the VAT element and the Handling Charge.

3 You pay the VAT

4 The P.O. can only legally delay delivery until the VAT is paid so deliver the kit and send you an invoice for the Handling Charge

5 You ignore the Handling Charge invoice - recovery of which is a Civil action and not cost effective. I can't recall if I had a reminder but I didn't pay and that's been the end of it.

[D1fuN0]

Yeah... I know, my name isnt normally associated with folks in these parts.

But these two came up and I couldnt say no...

They scare me

Steve

[vince14]

"the 'handling charge' cannot be legally enforced"

I'm not sure that this is correct. I researched the handling charge on one of the consumer advice websites some years ago when I bought the LVG CVI and the then position was as follows.

1 The P.O. send out a single invoice demanding payment of the VAT and Handling Charge.

2 You ask them to bill you separately for the VAT element and the Handling Charge.

3 You pay the VAT

4 The P.O. can only legally delay delivery until the VAT is paid so deliver the kit and send you an invoice for the Handling Charge

5 You ignore the Handling Charge invoice - recovery of which is a Civil action and not cost effective. I can't recall if I had a reminder but I didn't pay and that's been the end of it.

The danger with that approach is that the 'Handling Charge' is you paying for Parcel Force to submit all the relevant paperwork to HMRC - by not paying it, Parcel Force would be under no obligation to submit it. Probably not an issue if you do it once or twice, but if you're seen as a repeat offender (or if you're a business) then you could face a couple of problems;

- HMRC coming after you for their outstanding paperwork (plus associated fines for not submitting on time).

- Parcel Force could, in theory, decline your 'VAT Only' payment and withhold delivery until you prove that you have paid HMRC directly and submitted the appropriate paperwork.

I'm not sure why people object to paying the Handling Charge - having a relative who works in imports, I can tell you that £8 is a bargain compared to the hassle of dealing with it yourself. And in any case, you know you're going to be paying it in advance, so you factor that into how much you want to pay for a particular kit. As others have mentioned, buying from WNW direct and paying the VAT and Handling Charge is still cheaper than buying from Hannants.

Edited February 15, 2015 by vince14

[Chris B]

Vince

This was the first and so far only time I've bought from WNW and as this was some years ago I've no idea if the legislation has since been amended.

Being retired (and ex HMRC !!) I had the time and interest to find out if the PO could indeed legally delay delivery until I'd paid both the VAT and the handling charge.

Having researched the then Post Office Act and having been given much incorrect and contradictory advice by the PO staff as to the correct legal position it became a point of principle to at least get those PO employees I dealt with to understand that the Act only allowed them to delay delivery until the VAT was paid. This was eventually conceded after I had a conversation with someone in their legal dept.

I didn't pay the subsequent handling charge invoice, taking the view that my (uncharged) 'fee' for my time spent giving legal advice to sundry PO staff would exceed the £8.

[Folkbox1]

I've bought a few kits from wnw and here's my experience.

Ordering two or more kits of the same price the customes note showed the price per kit in bigger bolder font than the total price an the po seem to use that figure (and assume it is NZD) when working out the vat in my experience I've never paid more than 10% vat on any kit. In general it seems the more kits you buy at one go the less accurate the vat charged is

[keflin2612]

I've built the RE8, Bristol Fighter, Sopwith Pup, Rumpler C. IV, Roland D.VI and 3 Albatrosses. No problems with any, apart from finding it neccessary to use wire rigging to prevent the undercarriage wobbling on a couple of them. Maybe I was lucky.

Paul.

Hey Paul, do you mind me asking what wire you used for rigging your undercarriage and where you got it from please.

Cheers.

Kev.

[Paul Thompson]

Hey Paul, do you mind me asking what wire you used for rigging your undercarriage and where you got it from please.

Cheers.

Kev.

Kev,

Can't help with a source because I bought the stuff more than 10 years ago from the Luchtvaart Hobby Shop in the Netherlands - it was 0.3 mm steel wire. I'd suspect you could get domething similar from Albion Alloys, but haven't tried it so don't know if its stiff enough. A bit more involved, but if you use invisible thread and superglue it into place under tension it should work just as well. (Some people say it can go slack over time, but I've found you can tighten it the same way you do stretched sprue, by holding a flat metal blade close to it straight after heating it in a candle flame).

There's one other alternative that I've found very resilient and that's ceramic wire (Wonder Wire, sold by a small firm in America, no website so very hard to get at). Works just as well as steel wire except it's coloured black and cuts very easily by rolling a curved blade over it on a hard surface.

HTH.

Paul.