A model kit, censored.

[stevehnz]

I can maybe understand the censoring of the SS rune & deathshead markings but I'm at a loss to see why they've blobbed out No. 24, which appears to be a unit marking but not of a particularly sinister type, at least as far as I recognise.  I can understand the frustration with this.

Steve. 

[Ade H]

24 looks like an Odal Rune and that's included in the legislation as well. Had to look that one up, admittedly!

 

More info: looks like one or two SS divisions used it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odal_rune#Germany

Edited September 11, 2017 by Ade H

[Ade H]

Steve, on further perusing of your linked image of the decals, isn't it odd that 3 and 4 make a split SS marking but 7 isn't split? Same oversight with 5/6 and 8, which I think is another of those prohibited icons.

[stevehnz]

Thanks Ade, SS symbology/mythology is not something I know much about but having looked at your Wiki link I can see how that would arouse similar reactions to the SS rune & Deathshead emblem. As you say, slitting the affected decals would have solved the problem.

Steve.

[Ade H]

No, not something which I've read much about either. I'm not at all keen on modelling German WW2 machinery, to be honest, and the iconography is liable to induce a bit of a cold shudder. I know that the SS especially went in for Norse mythology, which seems to be from where most of their symbols originate. Although at least mythological misappropriation is not as unpleasant as some of their other stocks-in-trade.

[stevehnz]

I agree with you sentiments their Ade. I took the time to read up some about the subject of Nazi mythology & it doesn't make nice reading, though maybe the gentler of their many perversions. I might model Wehrmacht armoutr but would draw the line at Waffen-SS unless it had a Typhoon slotting a rocket up its jacksee.

Steve.

[Sairou]

3 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I agree with you sentiments their Ade. I took the time to read up some about the subject of Nazi mythology & it doesn't make nice reading, though maybe the gentler of their many perversions. I might model Wehrmacht armoutr but would draw the line at Waffen-SS unless it had a Typhoon slotting a rocket up its jacksee.

Steve.

I'm not a fan of modelling SS subjects particularly, but in this case, since the car was used as a police vehicle, the SS marks were the most relevant and 'interesting'. However, I may just settle for the alternative, or maybe even paint on the markings myself.

I only need the Death's Head and SS symbol. I could possibly paint a death's head, but not the SS markings. Locating the right decals for this has so far been tricky. My appetite to make this model has been somewhat dulled by this incident, so I suppose I'll keep it in the stash until I can enjoy it again.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Sairou

[stevehnz]

I can understand wanting to build a kit of this, operators not withstanding, its a really weird interesting looking vehicle, not one I've seen before.

Steve.

[Sairou]

'I am sorry but we are not able to get them sent through showing the symbol, they do get stopped by customs.'

 

Well, this is a response from CreativeModels. I am fairly sure that the UK has no such legislation, unless it's recent. So am I being lied to here?

[Ade H]

None as far as I know.

 

I don't like to think in bad faith about a shop which, thus far, has been OK (then again, I've never needed to test its customer service), but I can only agree with you that it seems to be fobbing you off for some reason. Either that or someone there is very misinformed, surely?

 

Have a browse around its website for decals with similar markings and I would be quite surprised if you couldn't find any.

[Sairou]

1 hour ago, Ade H said:

None as far as I know.

 

I don't like to think in bad faith about a shop which, thus far, has been OK (then again, I've never needed to test its customer service), but I can only agree with you that it seems to be fobbing you off for some reason. Either that or someone there is very misinformed, surely?

 

Have a browse around its website for decals with similar markings and I would be quite surprised if you couldn't find any.

 

Funny you should say that...

[Ade H]

Hmm, so my hunch was right. If I were you, my next contact with Creative would be asking in no uncertain terms for my consumer rights to be met. Of course, if you want to keep the kit and add AM decals, you might have to push them towards supplying some as good will if they really 100% can't get any replacements from HB by one route or another and all of these kits are the same. But I can hardly believe that all of these kits are hobbled by HB like that. HB has done some odd things, but that's a good one!

 

I'd expect any retailer to, without fuss, either get the replacement decals from the manufacturer/distributor, provide a new kit in exchange for the duff one, or offer a refund. Because, whatever the truth behind it, you didn't get what you paid for.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Ade H

[Sairou]

 

Very worrying indeed.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

My if i may. I believe hobbyboss prints out the whole sheet and then blacks out the swastika's or restricted markings. because there is no problem selling them in kit's to america.

     Eduard has the better idea print a half swastika for sale to restricted countries and a full swastika to america. Then just cut away the full ones on kits going to the restricted markets.  

Edited September 13, 2017 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Ade H]

That's really poor service because it's very politely telling you to lump it. Someone at Creative needs ASAP to look up consumer law, and maybe book a place on "customer relations 101"... I assume that the kit's description didn't mention that you can't build it with correct markings out-of-box, in which case you do have rights here. Descriptions must be truthful and mention important facts such as restrictions. It could be interesting to contact another retailer of HB kits to ask whether theirs are hobbled in the same way...

[Sgt.Squarehead]

If it's any help I have the ACE 1/72 kit of that vehicle, happy to scan decals & placement guide, optionally Henk of Holland has them on his site here:   http://henk.fox3000.com/Ace-ww2.htm  (Scroll to kit #72263).

 

Just spotted what they did to the decals.    That's appalling! 

[Sairou]

11 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

If it's any help I have the ACE 1/72 kit of that vehicle, happy to scan decals & placement guide, optionally Henk of Holland has them on his site here:   http://henk.fox3000.com/Ace-ww2.htm  (Scroll to kit #72263).

 

Just spotted what they did to the decals.    That's appalling! 

Thanks for the offer, however, the link you provided is all the help I need. 

 

I think my solution will be to get a sheet of German decals (I have found one on hannants). 

 

On the other hand, I could possibly just leave off one of the SS symbols (not shown on the Ace kit) and paint the skull myself. Either way, thank you. 

 

 

(In fact, having looked at the kit, it would appear that the 'cut in half' markings which have survived, intended to go on the front vents of the vehicle ((which I will probably have open)) could instead just go on the back, where the decals had been censored.)

Edited September 14, 2017 by Sairou

[Sairou]

On the other hand there are a wide range of other schemes I could do. The main one of interest for me is this one:

however, I did finish my Wespe in whitewash, so I'm unsure whether or not I want to do this scheme. Maybe when I get around to the project, I will.

 

Also of interest.

[spruecutter96]

Hold on a minute.....

 

If the offending markings are obscured before they leave the Chinese factory, why are people blaming Creative Models for the issue? The responsibility lies with the manufactuer, not the distributor. At the most, Creative Models could be brought to task for not mentioning the censorship on their website (but - let's face it - everyone knows that they will sell fewer kits if they did. It's a real Catch 22 situation). As has been pointed out, Swastika markings are readily available on aftermarket decal sheets (but the more obscure markings may be a tad harder to source). 

 

Cheers.

 

Chris.  

Edited September 14, 2017 by spruecutter96
Correcting two typos.

[Ade H]

56 minutes ago, spruecutter96 said:

The responsibility lies with the manufactuer, not the distributor

No, it does not. Read up about consumer law.

[Sairou]

4 hours ago, spruecutter96 said:

Hold on a minute.....

 

If the offending markings are obscured before they leave the Chinese factory, why are people blaming Creative Models for the issue? The responsibility lies with the manufactuer, not the distributor. At the most, Creative Models could be brought to task for not mentioning the censorship on their website (but - let's face it - everyone knows that they will sell fewer kits if they did. It's a real Ctach 22 situation). As has been pointed out, Swastika markings are readily available on aftermarket decal sheets (but the more obscure markings may be a tad harder to source). 

 

Cheers.

 

Chris.  

I personally do not blame creativemodelsltd, as if they're telling the truth, it's not their fault.

I also hold no animosity towards the model shop who sold me the kit.

 

In regards to the markings, it's surprisingly hard to find suitable ones.

[Sairou]

I would also like to note that I'm sure that the model shop who sold me the kit would happily offer a full refund. Creativemodels only came into this as I wished to get a fresh decal sheet, and they are the ones to ask in the UK for that.

Hobbyboss are to blame for the censorship, but if they can't get the kits past customs, who can blame them? In that case, our Customs are at fault.

Unless CreativeModels are not telling the truth, which I doubt, because they have a good reputation here.

Then, maybe HobbyBoss are lying. Cynically, the first thing that came to mind when Creative told me HobbyBoss did it was that this was simply a move for their own convenience, so all kits could be sold anywhere within the EU.

 

Either way, the fact I do not want a refund is key here. My choice as a customer is somewhat hampering the help that the model shop could have given me.

 

I would be interested to see if any other UK modellers have had this problem with HB recently.

 

[Ade H]

I understood that you had purchased it from Creative.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Ade H

[Mick4350]

On ‎12‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 4:17 AM, Sairou said:

Honestly, as a business decision, it's poor. I will be very sceptical of hobbyboss kits in the future.

 

then again, maybe they'll deliver on the decal sheet, if I go through their customer service. If not, can anyone recommend a good decal set?

 

You could try and chase down a Bison Decals  sheet #35211 Polizei #2 , German Police Units in WWII, Steyr ADGZ. Creative Models Australia has at least one or two in stock.

[Ade H]

I was under the impression that you were contacting Creative because you bought the kit there, but as you didn't, that may explain its lack of cooperation. Have you asked the seller what it could do to help you?

 

Regarding the Bison, decals: That's a good suggestion but I can find no UK stock and it's not listed on Bison's site. Halifax Modeller's World would have been the best bet.