Iv’e had a few days off work and thought i would have a look in the little stash and have a bit of time at the bench saying it has been a while[:$]. I decided on Trumpeter’s Panzerjager 39(H) Marder 1 as it’s a kit I have had for ages, all sealed and intact…or so I thought [8o|]. I’m happily working through while listening to some classic Rock when low and behold I discover an entire sprue is missing, to say I am gutted is an understatment[:'(].
Has this ever happened to anybody before, I never thought to check the contents when i got the kit[:$].
Not a whole sprue but I’m working on a Trumpeter M1117 Guardian and apparently while someone was wrapping protective foam around the delicate parts they knocked a piece off.
Fortunately i found photos to make a more accurate replacement out of brass and stretched sprue.
I had a set of track missing from an Academy kit once. I had to send them the bar code from the side of the box, but they sent me a replacement set no problem. Try contacting Trumpeter and see what they say.
It happens, but my experience with various brands has been good so far.
The V sprue was/is missing in Cyber-Hobbies (Dragons) Tiger I Fehrmann Gruppe when I was about to cannibalize it and use the V-shaped air duct for my S33 build.
I guess they just could not get the sprue into the box, it´s totally jammed with parts.
Dragon Care have promised to send the missing parts, in reality that is only the track repair box and 2 brackets for the jack.
Contact their support as Rob already suggested, I have had drawings and decal sheets replaced by them before.
Had it happen with Tasca’s M4A3E2, the sprue with most of the E2 parts, F, was missing. Contacted Pacific Coast Models by Email and they shipped it out and had it before I needed the parts in construction. IMHO that’s great service!
Yes I had that happen with a Bronco Humber Scout Car kit. I always inspect a new kit upon getting it home “just in case”. In that case, the online vendor I purchased the kit from had excellent customer service and provided a replacement of the missing sprue.
A few years ago I purchased from Lucky Model online shop LWS from Bronco. And there was one of the sprues missing. I contacted the shop, and after something about one month I received that missing sprue. Without any problems and extra charging.
In the days before bagging was standard (back when plastic models were commonly $.49, not $49), it wasn’t unusual to come up short or (more likely) damaged. I remember feeling put upon when one figure of several (rather like the Han Christian Andersen’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier, circa 1907!) had insufficient material and was missing one limb (an arm, not a leg).
There was a time when customized model cars were big (really they were 1/25th scale, but you get the idea), and AMT started charging for extra sprues. But that’s ancient history.
I’d try e-mail first, then if necessary, a letter with a self-addressed, stamped envelope (and a little patience) to get a replacement. Best if you can identify the sprue by number.
