Hi to all,
I recieved the Trumpeter 1/32 P-51B Mustang for my BD yesterday. Upon inspection of part sprues, I noticed the canopy (front windscreen) had split in half. I contacted Stevens International and was told this part sprue was out of stock and would likely take 4-6 months for them to obtain, which to me sounds absurd. My question is :
Does anyone have a spare canopy or know where I could get an aftermarket replacement?
Thanks,
emo07
You might try contacting Trumpeter directly. Stevens has to acquire the parts from them themselves in order to help you. It may be that the mfr doesn’t currently have any in stock either.
Is it repairable? You might try. If you can’t you can at least use it as a master to vac a new one or pour one from clear resin. Got a picture of the damage?
I haven’t searched myself, but there is probably an AM vacu-form replacement out there somewhere in 1/32. Try the Greatmodels sight and work from there.
Good luck getting it from Steven’s. The local Hobbytown manager has been having a hard time getting anything from them.
Thanks guys,
I have checked Greatmodels, Squadron, and Internet Hobbies with no luck. Plenty of 1/72 and 1/48 scale, but no 1/32.
emo07
Still no replacement canopy after four months. Contacted Trumpeter directly by email in mid December and still no reply from them. Stevens International is no help whatsoever. They say it may take another four months !! I could have swam from China in four months!! There are no aftermarket replacements available at this time. Sorry guys, I just had to vent. Thanks,
emo07
Check out the “Red, White and you” group build. Supressionfire just vacformed a “D” model canopy for the Trumpeter kit, I would imagine the front piece would be the same for both. Contact him, he may be able to help you out. (check the top of page 8)
D and B windscreens are not interchangeble… Not even on the 1/1 scale…
Yeah, but does Trumpeter know that??? We all know how perfect they are!!!
I was meaning some tips on a homemade vacformer.
I tried to buy parts from them for a kit that I bought at a LHS scratch and dent section. Got the run around from Stevens regarding the months and months that it takes to get parts, then they turned it around and tried to make it sound like I was trying to pull something on them like tryign to get the parts for free - not a good company in my opinion. I tried contacting Trumpeter as well and never got a response.
Tell y’ what, Emo… I have Mattel Vac-U-Form that I use to vac replacement canopies and windscreens all the time… If you don’t get what you need from Trumpedupeter in a timely manner, drop me a PM with your particulars and I’ll vac one for you, if you still have the original part…
Does anyone have a spare canopy or know where I could get an aftermarket replacement
emo07 I melted mine by accident and am making a master to vacume form the front windscreen on that kit! I am also vacume forming the rear bubble canopy, currently on #7 looking for perfection. Not includeing the frame work as I will capture it and the rivets in the foil. ADD me to friends list and I can send you each ok? PM me your mailing information and I will vacume up a set for ya!
The windscreen will be just that, you will have to scratch a shroud to fill the bottom half and mate up to the windscreen. I can even sent the first version of that to help.
I corrected the bubble shape and added the lower frame work to the rear, lowered it by aprox 2 mm as the injected plastic bubble sat to high with a ‘hump’ that I sanded off.
Mine is the Trumpeter P-51 D in 1/32 scale. One of us should be able to fix ya’ up with either my vacume formed part or send it to a member who can make a replacement from your broken part. Untill they keep building the kit and don’t worry as a replacement will get to you!
Squadron has a vacuformed canopy for the D in 1/32, it’s stated that the canopy was designed for the Hasegawa kit, but I see no reason why it couldn’t be modifed to work on the Trumpeter B kit.
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=SQ9401
If you want a Dallas built Stang:
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=SQ9402
I have the same problem with my Airfix 1/24 P-51D, the front windshield broke in three pieces. Trying to find a replacement.
P-51A/B/C windscreens have different framing than D/K Ponies…
I knew that! Can’t believe I didn’t remember that earlier [bnghead]
To quote Homer Simpson: “D’oh!”
Ahh my master windscreen won’t have framing included! Just the correct shape as the frame was to be added with alunimum foil. Still in business if ya’ want buddy! besides many contest judges may not even notice something like that.[8-)]
SF, a D-model windscreen won’t work, framing or no… The A/B/C windscreens are curved across the top while the D/Ks are flat…
One might be able to pull off a switcheroo if you have a Malcom Hood mated up with it and pose it open, but it’ll never mate up closed with either the Malcom or standard hinged canopy…
I’m waiting over a year for a part for one Trump kit…so this is more the rule than the exception with Stevens. I have had an e-tailer open a Trumpeter kit in his stock and take the part in question out and send it to me in less than a week. Now THAT is GREAT customer service.
Trumpeter needs to jerk the rug out from under Stevens…
Another source for Trumpeter which is closer to Trumpeter is Lucky Models. Maybe they will help, I’ve bought from them and had a good experience.