Airfix-Hornby Bristoll Blenheim Mk.IVF - Watch-out !

[madcop]

Just bought the new Blenheim Mk.IVF from Airfix.

What a surprise to discover in the box all the glazing for the Mk.I. ( No need to add that the IVF one was missing !)

Another surprise was the instructions booklet . While the paintschemes were for the Blenheim IV , the building instructions were for the 1/48 Folland Gnat !

Actually all the boxes in the shop had the wrong clear parts, and some of them had the same problem with the booklets.

Looks like there is a very serious problem with Airfix-India quality control. If these guys can't make the difference between a 1/48 Gnat and a 1/72 Blenheim I

wonder why Airfix is still trusting them. Please bring all back to U.K.

I'll take contact with Airfix spare parts department that is far better than their quality control department.

If this should happen again I promise myself not to buy whatever item issued from a first production run .

The parts are still OK and very crisp.

Madcop

Edited February 1, 2015 by madcop

[raguk]

Yeah suffered my self with the turret missing in a sealed bag for the new Defiant,

No spares either when enquired with Airfix, Retailer then approached and said they forwarded my email back to Airfix!

Vicious circle, just glad it was not an expensive kit, ended up buying another.

First time ever parts missing and first time ever Airfix have not been able to supply a spare.

Rick who is now going to check the Blenheim kit!

[Dave Fleming]

If you kit is not as it should be, your contract is with the retailler and you are entitled to your money back. End of. No other situation. It's the law.

[Graham Boak]

madcop: Rights aside, if you have the glazing for the MkI, you can do one. There's enough provided in the kit for a range of versions, bar the glazing. Yeah, you want to do the Mk.IV....I wonder if the Falcon canopy would fit?

raguk: Buying another kit is wrong - the retailer should have replaced it. lacking that, you could get a Falcon canopy or perhaps spare Type A top from Revell? Or tell Freightdog that yes you do want to do the prototype. Or the one with forward-firing guns. Is this a problem or an opportunity?

[gingerbob]

Or just wait a bit and I'll bet Airfix will have spares- it is a brand new kit, so they probably haven't yet set some aside for that.

bob

[Seahawk]

Maybe you should congratulate youself on having the first ever Airfix Blenheim IF boxing: Blenheim I airframe and the shallower of the gun pack plus the blast shield. Though you're on your own for appropriate transfers - for the moment.

[madcop]

Maybe you should congratulate youself on having the first ever Airfix Blenheim IF boxing: Blenheim I airframe and the shallower of the gun pack plus the blast shield. Though you're on your own for appropriate transfers - for the moment.

That's sounds like a good idea but I'd like to build an Mk.IV.

Maybe one day Rob Tarus will have a canopy and a front glazing for her... I suppose that the Falcon one was for the old Airfix...

Thanks guys

Madcop

[Seahawk]

Seriously, I imagine a call to Airfix spare parts will sort this out in a jiffy. And in any case you are entitled to return the model to the person you bought it from for replacement or refund as it is defective in that you are not able to complete with the parts provided a model of the type of aircraft described on the packaging.

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

If you kit is not as it should be, your contract is with the retailler and you are entitled to your money back. End of. No other situation. It's the law.

Whilst this is entirely true, sometimes it's quicker and easier to approach the manufacturer first. Usually this would be the case for Airfix, as they normally carry spares and are good at replacing missing or defective parts. Also, if you buy an Eduard product that's faulty in any way, contact Eduard first, they always replace damaged/missing parts for you, even if the box is damaged in the post, they'll replace it for you!

As a retailer it is a pain and very annoying when manufacturers make errors like this as we get it in the neck from customers over something that isn't our fault. If you do contact the retailer you bought it from, please give them a chance to sort it out before you demand to return the item for a refund, it's not their fault the manufacturer didn't get it right. If customers contact us and it's not an Airfix or Eduard product, we always contact the UK importer and see if it's possible to get a replacement part(s) and so far 99% of the time it has been.

thanks

Mike

[brewerjerry]

Hi

The key phrases to use are :-

'unfit for purpose' and ' of unmerchantable quality'

both mentioned in the sale of goods act

the point of sale is responsible for a refund,

if you accept a replacement you cannot get a refund later.

I had to use it a few times when i was in the uk

now the north american customer service is totally different

they instantly offer refund or replacement, and they sort out the problem.

cheers

Jerry

[Paul J]

How bizarre! I have bought a number of the new releases by Airfix, Blenheim 1 and IV, Defiant, Lightning etc but not one have I had issues with . And they were all from the first batches! Am I lucky or are you guys just unlucky!!??/

[Truro Model Builder]

I've not had any items from any of the recent Airfix releases returned to the shop, and second Mike's comments.

It is the responsibility of the seller to ensure that the item sold is not defective, though I do agree that it may be easier to contact Airfix. It would help tremendously if all firms did not seal the boxes as it allows for visual inspection of the contents when delivered to the shop -to say nothing of browsers breaking the seals and damaging the boxes because they want to look inside .

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I've not had any items from any of the recent Airfix releases returned to the shop, and second Mike's comments.

It is the responsibility of the seller to ensure that the item sold is not defective, though I do agree that it may be easier to contact Airfix. It would help tremendously if all firms did not seal the boxes as it allows for visual inspection of the contents when delivered to the shop -to say nothing of browsers breaking the seals and damaging the boxes because they want to look inside .

In addition, it would take ages to check the contents of every box to make sure they were spot on! If we did that, we'd not have time to post anything and process orders and deliveries!

thanks

Mike

[rbeach84]

Hmm, interesting situation. I had noticed my new 1/48 Gnat was 'Made in India' with some surprise given previous tooling work was done in China (may still be, with the actual molding operation being shipped off - so two layers of overseas production vendors instead of just one!) All was well with my purchase, so nothing to add on that point. Often, kits are shipped from the country of production in a 'broken down' state, with folded boxes (if provided) in one box, bags of parts in another, etc. Then the kits are "assembled" (often by ad hoc crews of temporary employees) for retail at the importing country. More efficient for surface shipping since the packing density is much higher. Obviously, where ever the kits were finally packaged, the folks in charge should have caught the problem right away since it is so evident, regardless of the cause(s) of the mixup. Modern packaging operations use precise weighing mechanisms on the "line" to ensure there are no missing (or additioal) parts included - and on every box. So, 100% checking is not only possible but the norm.

So, puzzling how this could happen but I'm certain it has been sorted in short order, being as it "ain't rocket science". The head on a pike in front of headquarters should provide confirmation... ;^P

Regards, Robert

[Tempestwulf]

Worst I've come across was a Hasegawa P1Y1 where it wasn't molded right and half the glazing wasn't even there. Like they'd run out of clear plastic for the part. Still haven't got around to that one.