I bought the Revell Monogram P-61 Black Widow kit on a whim. I just read a few reviews and one mentioned that there is a good chance I may have a kit with messed up clear parts. What’s a guy to do in that situation? I’m new, can you tell? 
Contact Revell-Monogram. They’re good a replacing parts.
I would not worry about it unless you actually discover such a problem. As stated above, R/M has first rate customer service. At least on the few occasions that I have had to use it. But on those occasions where that option is out, you can look at After Market vacuform clear parts, or in some cases you can make a replacement window simply.
Ha! I knew which kit you were talking about as soon as I read your topic heading. Its common with the later P-61 releases because the molds for the clear parts have apparent shrank over the 40 years the kit has been produced. Unfortunately contacting them will only get you another set of short-shot windows. I suggest you either make due or find an “old vintage release” of the kit on E-bay. They’re reasonable in price and still plentiful. The molds were new then and the parts fit much better. You can tell by the box which is white with a built model on the top, not an artist’s rendering. Here it is:
Joe
If the window is small enough, you can “make” one using any of several brands of window material, which is also used for gluing in windows and canopies. If the opening is too big to fill with the material, then it is often possible to use the same stuff to fill in any gaps or bad areas, like big cracks from too small a window. Micro products has one of these in bottles, Testors also makes one. It is very similar to white glue, but seems to work a little better.
Just a clarification, but a “shrunken molding” is different than a “short shot”. A shrunken mold (which I personally have never encountered in hundreds of builds, but am not going to say it does not hppen) is just that, the size has decreased over time. I do know that solid objects expand and contract with heat and cold, so not being in that field can not say more. A “Short shot” is when not enough plastic is injected into the mold, and the part is not completely formed, shrunken or full sized. I have run into that on a few kits of mine, and when one considers the numbers of any given kit made, I suspect that is a fairly regular occurance.
Just ordered a pilot door for my AH-64 Apache from Revell last night. I had to order a part from them for a misformed part on the Super Hornet a few years ago. Great customer service.
Beery, I agree with others when they speak of Revell-Monogram’s phenomenal customer service. I’ve had to utilize their web site a few times where you can order extra parts. As I look back on it, I think all of the parts I needed replacing were all due to my own goof-ups, not theirs. In spite of that, they sent me the needed parts in about a week and free of charge.
I hope this link works. It’s for their parts replacement page:
http://www.revell.com/support/parts-request-2.php
Best wishes,
Eric
PS. I’m not sure who made it but I do know that there’s an after-market vacuform canopy for the P-61. I’ve never used it but I’ve heard it’s suppoed to be very good. Might be something to check out.
PPS. I found this on the 'net but I don’t know if it’s still available and it also seems quite pricy.
http://www.ipmshawaii.0catch.com/review_neal_izumi_p-61_black_widow_canopy_1-48_scale_vector.html
That is very helpful info there Eric. I have always wondered why Squadron has not done a vac canopy set for this kit.
I’m not sure if the issue is a window or the canopy. If it’s just a window or a flat part with minimal to no molding for rivets or framework, grab a piece of clear plastic and cut to size. I’m referring to the clear plastic boxes that bakery goods from the grocery store usually come in, small electronics are packages in, etc. I use these as the panes of glass for HUDs on model airplanes and they are nice and thin, easy to cut, and the plastic is cheap and plentiful in case you cut too much.
Groot