Revell are s£$T@

[Pjclarke2008]

I bought a Type XXI U-boat model kit the other week. One part was broken and some other parts didnt fit. Wrote to Revell in the UK requesting replacements. Told me the kit had been deleted and they no longer did replacement parts and said sorry for the inconvienience and hope it didnt ruin my experience with other revell products. GRRR. What the hell am i supposed to do with a kit i cant finish?. Cant take the kit back to the shop unless i fancy a 300 mile trip back to the shop. Revell are crap, not the first experience i have had with there dodgy workmanship and they have told me to get stuffed. Bought an Academy kit, had a broken part had a replacement in a week!!!. Revell are total trash!!!!.

DONT BUY REVELL, SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY ON A DECENT KIT!!!.

[Paul Bradley]

Which parts in particular? Are you able to repair the broken bit? Which bits don't fit - perhaps someone here with experience of the kit can help with suggesitions.

While I understand that you are frustrated, especially given the price of the kit, a few moments quiet thought might get you some fixes.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Paul Bradley

[chadders]

Oh you have to love Revell. We had 40 1:32nd Hunters delivered to my work and half of them didn't have fusalage halves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then we had Nashorns with Tiger 1 parts in the box, B-1's with no clear sprue.................the list is endless. I'm beginning the think that they may have a bit of a QC problem

Mark

Edited April 13, 2009 by chadders

[Dereknf]

I had a similar problem with Revell using the same excuse. I bought a 1/144 Emirates A380 from Modelzone. The fuselage halves were missing and after many weeks of ignored e-mails, I eventually got a response and an address to send proof of puchase, a bit of the box and a cheque. Revell wrote back saying that kit was out of production and they wouldn't send any bits. WHAT!

So does anyone want some A380 wings?

[PHREAK]

Sounds like these products were not 'fit for the purpose' and so your recourse is from the shop where you bought it/them who should replace the kit or refund your money.

What can Revell do if they don't have the parts?

[Iain Ogilvie]

We had 40 1:32nd Hunters delivered to my work and half of them didn't have fusalage halves!

Read this and shot up to the stash cave...

Holy styrene Batman - all my fuselages are there

Phewwww....

Erm - I have a 'few' Hunters in the pile - topped up from some recent ModelZone acquisitions - but they were un-opened - bought and converted to instant insulation - so, for a minute there I thought I might have acquired some duffers!

Now - where did I put that pile of Sea Venoms that are still sealed?

Iain

Edited April 13, 2009 by 32SIG

[Julien]

In the UK if parts are missing/broken etc then you can take back to the retailler, of course if its been a while and you have no proof of purchase then you are out of luck.

I am surprised people dont check kits for missing/broken parts when they buy them, I always do.

Good to see from Chadders that they are checking these things. Good for the modeller as they dont buy crap, also good work practice as they can dump them back to Revell. Sounds like responsible retailling to me.

Julien

[Mike]

I'm beginning the think that they may have a bit of a QC problem

I agree... Dan would have been left with a Transall with half its tail missing if I'd not spotted it, and some people have had issues with the new Ju 88, and the C-17 too... things need to change Revell, if you're looking!

I am surprised people dont check kits for missing/broken parts when they buy them, I always do.

Got a Hobbycrap bf109B last week from Kingkit... one wing half short shot. After much waiting (he's not the quickest or friendliest), the replacement arrived. Makes me glad I can't wait to look in the boxes of kits I buy

[Dereknf]

I am surprised people dont check kits for missing/broken parts when they buy them, I always do.

Julien

Do you break seals and open cellophane then? - conversely I wouldn't buy a kit where the seal had been broken.

Returning the items to where you bought them from isn't always easy and I for one was disappointed with Revell's attitude - it was very much a tough s**t mate attitude - not great.

[zero]

Sadly no company is perfect, and we can all learn from this. (I tend to do a visual scan of my kits now to check it all there now, been bitten to many times, specially via evilbay)

However, I opened a Airfix Rotodyne Yesterday, been sealed in my loft for about 10 years now. (boxed sealed bag) yep you guessed it got a part missing. Kit no longer in production, so I'll just get a HA, HA from Airfix, certainly due the age. so my only resolves where to break open the second kit in my stash, or make the bit myself.

some stickyback plastic, and a fairey liquid bottle later (okay plasticard, glue and a file) and 1/2 an hour of a Blue Peter moment, I built the bit from card, and even managed to add the rivet detail, with the new trumpeter rivet tool I bought last week, (but didn't Expect to have to use so soon!)

Left scratch built, right original kit.

Dave

Edited April 14, 2009 by zero

[Bazza]

i hate to say this,but i actually had a successful "Revell" replacement part sent....!!

The kit in question,was the original-release,1/72 Horten/Gotha 229 (Flying-Wing)

i'd had a complete Sprue so warped,i couldn't use it....!!,

Wrote to Revell,& they even sent the replacement sprue,FOC !!

Mind you....That happened over 10 years back,so how i'd fare now??.....no idea!!

Cheers.Bazza

i too insist on checking Models BEFORE i buy them,(subject to PVC sealing!!) i saves a LOT of grief!!

Edited April 14, 2009 by Bazza

[Paul A H]

About 10 years ago I bought one of the little Revell Fokker D.VII biplanes only to find that the entire kit was missing from the box! Instructions - check. Decals - check. Safety notice - check. Kit - err... Took it back to the shop (Dominoes in Leicester) and they exchanged it no probs.

Only time I've ever had to order a replacement part was from Airfix. My 1/48 Lightning had the canopy sprue missing so I wrote to them and they sorted it out for me.

[Pat C]

I did manage to get a replacement part out of Revell and as recently as January - had a badly moulded clear sprue for the 1/72 Tornado GR1 and at first got the "kit no longer in production" brush-off. After I observed that the sprue would be identical to at least two other Tornado kits currently in their catalogue they did send me a new one. They didn't ask me for a reciept or anything which was lucky as it had been long binned.

Pat

Edited April 14, 2009 by Pat C

[cmatthewbacon]

No problem when I tried a couple of years back.. all the railings on my 1/72 U-boat were broken in the box. Quick call to the UK address on the instructions, sent bar code from box and marked up copy of instructions showing broken bits, had new railings back, well-packaged up a week or so later. Got a replacement F-105D canopy for OOP kit about five years ago from R-M in the US, they turned it round to Yorkshire about two weeks from ordering it on the web site... YMMV, obviously, but I've had no issues with them. It's not Rita (who once sent me a full contraprop from the 1/48 Seafire 47 for my Aeroclub Mk21 just for the asking), but then who is? ;-)

bestest,

M.

[Heraldcoupe]

Revell quality control has declined since the moulding went to Poland. I've not tried getting replacement parts out of them yet, but I am psyching myself up to get properly moulded clear parts for one of my Lancasters - wish me luck!

Has anyone noticed how the current Revell plastic sometimes delaminates when sanded? I've encountered this on a couple of their recent kits, but no-one else seems to have mentioned it,

Cheers,

Bill.

[timraven1992]

I had no problem last year, I bought their Harrier GR7/9 off ebay, and the clear parts arrived snapped!

I emailed their UK branch, and got a reply saying they would send a request to Germany for the parts and I should get them in a few weeks.

I received them soon after, no proof of purchase or anything needed, just like Airfix pretty much.

It may depend on who is processing your request.

Cheers

Tim

[dylan the rabbit]

No problem when I tried a couple of years back.. all the railings on my 1/72 U-boat were broken in the box. Quick call to the UK address on the instructions, sent bar code from box and marked up copy of instructions showing broken bits, had new railings back, well-packaged up a week or so later. Got a replacement F-105D canopy for OOP kit about five years ago from R-M in the US, they turned it round to Yorkshire about two weeks from ordering it on the web site... YMMV, obviously, but I've had no issues with them. It's not Rita (who once sent me a full contraprop from the 1/48 Seafire 47 for my Aeroclub Mk21 just for the asking), but then who is? ;-)

bestest,

M.

I was given a Revell X-Wing from my brother, and the lower half of the fuselage is missing. I've written to them, and they have replied, asking for more details, and I'm waiting to hear back. The jury's out at the moment.

I do have to agree with Matt saying Aeroclub are the bees knees. I asked them if they had spare parts for a second hand RE8 I bough off Busdriver, and could I buy them if they did. They sent them ASAP, and gratis. I can't rate them high enough for customer service..

Nick

[Julien]

Do you break seals and open cellophane then? - conversely I wouldn't buy a kit where the seal had been broken.

Returning the items to where you bought them from isn't always easy and I for one was disappointed with Revell's attitude - it was very much a tough s**t mate attitude - not great.

I always ask in the shop for a kit to opened and have never been refused yet, I always like to see what I am getting, even If I have seen a review.

Unfortuantly in UK the law the problem of replacement parts lies with the retailer not the supplier.

I do fully support what you say about Revell and thier attitude though. I have never had a problem with replacement parts from Airfix or hasegawas importer. Even Eduard are good at sending replacement parts all the way from the Czech Republic.

Julien

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Being on the other side of 2 rather large ponds I have used Revell's website to get parts (on the contacts us page). First was a replacement decal sheet for my A300 Beluga, I got no reply from them when I made the request but about a month later the decal sheet arrived in the mail. Just recently I lost a pitot probe from a HAP tiger kit and sent another request. This time they replied, apparently I had left out my post code on the online form. I supplied the details in an email to 'departmentX' of all places and they told my it would be 4-6 weeks for deilvery.

So all in all good experiences, pehaps you should bypass the UK distributor and go straight to Revell(G)?

[Hypnobear]

Revell are total trash!!!!.

DONT BUY REVELL, SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY ON A DECENT KIT!!!.

Hi

Although I have bought a Revell Kit (a Ju 290 Seeadler) with a whole propellor missing, and no replies for a replacement , I would'nt go as far as saying Revell are rubbish. About 1/3 of my models are Revell, and they are pretty good moldings for a Beginner like me. If it wasn't for Revell, I wouldn't have some of my favourite Japanese Models!!

[Lightningboy2000]

I bought an Academy Helldiver to find that there wasn't a sprue for the canopy. I phoned them up and a nice girl at their distribution centre told me (this was about September last year) that all there stock was out of that sprue set. So she took my details and the sprue no and said that they would have to wait until the Christmas consignment from Japan/korea or wherever they are made and packaged. Academy sent out a little boxed package that must have sat within some massive hold of a container ship with my name on it, and just like that girl said, it arrived about two weeks into January this year. Perfect service from a company that in my experience has always released superb kits every time.

Unless Revell are re-boxing a Japanese kit (highly unlikely as they usually re-box ancient matchbox farmers trench lined kits) then I will never buy another Revell kit again. The only Revell kits I own (awaiting the great build process) are the TF104G Starfighter highly detailed and very sure it is the Hasegawa mould, and the Avro Shackleton as there are no other injection moulded options in 1/72.

Revell keep re-releasing old bangers in tarted up boxes saying they are classics with bloody great medallions on. Apart from this Rotodyne release avoid them at all costs unless you know for certain no-one else have released it and that the panel lines haven't been plowed by farmer Giles!

[Mr_Sworld]

Well I like Revell!

They are cheap, available on the high street and, as a beginner, it doesn't mater too much if I fluff the £4-5 kit.

Some of there stuff is pretty good for the price mind you. The F-15E Eagle they sell is a lot of kit for the money!

[Iain Ogilvie]

Well I like Revell!

They are cheap, available on the high street and, as a beginner, it doesn't mater too much if I fluff the £4-5 kit.

Some of there stuff is pretty good for the price mind you. The F-15E Eagle they sell is a lot of kit for the money!

What Mr Sworld said...

From the perspective of my favourite scale (there's a clue in my login name ) - for many years they were almost the only source of material - and some of the stuff they've tooled in the last 10/12 years - well - wow! And a 1:32 Ju 88 (and of such stunning quality) for under £30 - amazing.

In fact the largest single manufacturer represented in my loft is probably Revell - including about 8 Hunters, 6 Tornados, 6 Sea Venoms, 4 Mirage - and a host of others...

And don't get me going on subjects - they're the one's that came up with the 1:72 U-Boat - completely out of left field - and got me to re-widen my modelling scope and enjoyment.

Iain

[Julien]

Well I like Revell!

They are cheap, available on the high street and, as a beginner, it doesn't mater too much if I fluff the £4-5 kit.

Some of there stuff is pretty good for the price mind you.

Eactly why I like them as well. So they re-release some old stuff in new boxes.

Hello! hasegawa do this all the time and charge extra for the privilage of "limited edition" decals. I mean their old F-8 about £8 and then released at £12 or so with "new" decals.

Revell are OK in my book.

Julien

[Wez]

Unless Revell are re-boxing a Japanese kit (highly unlikely as they usually re-box ancient matchbox farmers trench lined kits) then I will never buy another Revell kit again. The only Revell kits I own (awaiting the great build process) are the TF104G Starfighter highly detailed and very sure it is the Hasegawa mould, and the Avro Shackleton as there are no other injection moulded options in 1/72.

Revell keep re-releasing old bangers in tarted up boxes saying they are classics with bloody great medallions on. Apart from this Rotodyne release avoid them at all costs unless you know for certain no-one else have released it and that the panel lines haven't been plowed by farmer Giles!

I have to disagree with Lighningboy2000, I think Revell represent exceptional value - particularly when they re-pop some of Hasegawa's vastly price inflated products which they do on a regular basis.

I think with that any of their stuff it pays to be wary though, they have such a vast back catelogue there's some old duffers in there. Helps if you're old enough to remember the kits in their earlier incarnation - like me (although I'm only 44)!

Wez

Edited May 9, 2009 by Wez