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Airfix 1/48 Meteor short shot parts issues


Thomas from ARC

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Hello all,

 

do you also have short shot tail planes in your kit? This issue is not easy to discover, therefore may be this is the reason it slips through quality control. Even my replacement parts are short shot. I own two FR.9 kits and the issues are in both kits.

I emailed Airfix with a summary of my findings, but they haven´t answered after four weeks and a reminder.

 

The pictures are from my email to Airfix.

 

imag0742f8ibk.jpg

 

 

Thomas

Edited by Thomas from ARC
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I had that, one side, on the first issue F.8 boxing. Okay, shouldn't have happened, but fixed with a dab of filler and sanding, less than a minutes work plus drying time. But only on the one half of one part. With both halves short shot as yours are, if Airfix don't get back to you, a sliver of plastic card and some filler will save the day. Must say, I was inclined to cut Airfix much slack because I was dual building the Airfix with a Classic Airframes kit.

 

Paul.

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I've had a couple with similar problems in that area. Given Airfix's less than stellar performance on dealing with complaints, I called up some 10 thou card and Milliput, sanded everything down when set and moved on - I wasn't prepared to engage in a long-range battle with them over it (and at least one of the kits with the problem came direct from Airfix, in the good old days when you could still get free freight without having to spend the national deficit ...).

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Bad PR on Airfix's part if they don't at least respond. I had a short shot fuselage on an ICM Spitfire. One email later, not only did the fuselage show up free of charge but the entire tree as well. I lost the clear parts for a Tamiya Ki-43. Tamiya quickly responded with a price quote....fair is fair I would say as I lost the tree and nice to get a fast responce

Edited by fubar57
freakin' negative typos man
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5 minutes ago, Starfighter said:

Now you can see why I steer clear of Airfix kits.  😑

Hardly a "fatal flaw" ,is it ? , nothing a sliver of plastic sheet and a smear of filler can't cure

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I’m building the F.8 ATM same issue. 

 

Basically it boils down to two schools of thought.

 

1. Short shots are part of modelling so dealing with them is BAU when they occur. 

 

2. A modern tooled kit should not really have issues like this  if the QC process is correct. 

 

They both are correct really. 

 

The issue is how often do issues occur with a particular brand and what that is indicative of.

 

Personally I think that  F8 tailplane issue is not insurmountable. Filler card CA will fix it. 

 

But while other manufacturers do have issues from time to time My experience is that Airfix have ongoing issues with QC.

 

I generally wait now to let the market assess what the issues are before I commit to a purchase of a NT Airfix kit. More so as returning a kit to the retailer for recompense if there is an issue ( which is Airfix’s preferred option) is difficult if you’re  buying overseas. 

 

Although this  tactic is not flawless as The Seafury I just got has the whole of sprue frame E missing from the box..

 

HTH

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On 12/27/2018 at 7:35 AM, Plasto said:

 

But while other manufacturers do have issues from time to time My experience is that Airfix have ongoing issues with QC.

 

I generally wait now to let the market assess what the issues are before I commit to a purchase of a NT Airfix kit. More so as returning a kit to the retailer for recompense if there is an issue ( which is Airfix’s preferred option) is difficult if you’re  buying overseas. 

 

Although this  tactic is not flawless as The Seafury I just got has the whole of sprue frame E missing from the box..

 

HTH

Agree with the QC comment. There have been far too many complaints about things like short shots and missing/damaged parts, involving too many different kits, for there not to be a problem. Add to this a somewhat cavalier attitude to dealing with it and the result is less than pleasing. Hornby may be teetering on the financial brink, but this sort of carry-on isn't going to bring the punters back with their wallets open!

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I see this as definitely a QC and customer service issue.

Regardless of how easy it is to fix, it shouldn't need to be done.

This being a recent, new mould kit it should largely be a shake and bake assembly, seems to be poor form on Airfix's part not to provide communication, replacement parts(fit for purpose) and to rectify what is obviously a known issue, either better QC or mould design/usage.

Not bashing Airfix but it seems like a lost brand and customer service opportunity.

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                      hi ALL ,

 

                                       I recently built (2) ea of the PLATZ  1/144  F-106A Delta Dart and AV8A Harrier II Kits

                                       .......... absolutely perfect mouldin'.

                                        The Fin and Wing Tips on the Dart were so fine that they warped while handlin'  hhhhhhhrrrrr !

                                         and snapped one of the Outrigger Legs on the Harrier.

                                        One of the Engineerin' efforts I really liked on these Kits was that there are Tabs on the Canopies

                                        that hold the Part in place....no glooin',no mess, no cutting the part to display the Cockpit

 

                                                                                                      GO FIGURE

 

                                                                                                                               Geoff

                                                                                                                               F.T.G. 3156

 

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