Missing sprues, what should I do?

Last Saturday, I purchased an Airifx 1/48 scale Curtiss Tomahawk Mk. II (2018 box). Last night, when admiring the sprues of my new kit (as we all like to do), I noticed something strange – there aren’t any clear sprues in the sealed bag containing them. I checked Scalemates, and clear sprues are supposed to be included. I’ll try to attach a video of the sprues. I checked the receipt and I am still probably able to return the kit for a refund. I would like some other eyes and opinions before I take any action.

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Some other eyes? I dont understand the question,if you recieved an incomplete item,then you either return it for refund,excange it for another or try to get a replacement sprue ftom the manufacturer

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I shortened the phrase “another set of eyes”, because maybe I just didn’t see it, but some other people can.

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Make sure you thoroughly check the box! On two separate occasions I’ve thought I was missing parts when I wasn’t.

  1. the tamiya Nashorn has the kit barrel on its own sprue, which they staple to the inside of the bottom part of the box for safe keeping. I put the lid in the bottom upside down and for the life of me couldn’t find the barrel… until I took the boxes apart

  2. on a hasegawa kit I thought I had lots the engine exhaust but later found the bag caught up in another bag

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I’ve looked everywhere in the box, and through the bag, but couldn’t see anything. I’m not going to open the bag, so that I can return it to the store.

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Darn, that’s frustrating. I would return it. Hopefully they have another of the same kit.

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I might go for another kit I saw that interested me, I wasn’t necessarily dead set on the tomahawk, I picked it up because it looked neat. That other kit would grant me a chance at exploring ship models, and the fact that it is a 2018 tool should make it fairly easy to assemble.

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Return it to the retailer for exchange or refund.

I would also email Airfix about the missing sprues with photos of the kit and receipt. Doubtful they will actually do anything to help you, but they need to be aware of the slip up in quality control.

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E-mailing Airfix is alsoa good idea.

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I 've dealt with Airfix a few years ago , and they are pretty good with replacement parts. In one instance I bought a Boeing 727 and it was missing one of the tailplanes, they sent me a whole kit. Hope the retailer exchanges it , if not, try Airfix. Hope this helps, have a great/safe week.

See, there’s your problem right there, you purchased an Airfix kit.

I ran into similar problem few years back. Only problem was I did not look into the box when I purchased the kit. And when I did I could no longer find help as the kit was no longer in production. So I made a habit of opening ever kit I purchase to see if all the parts are there and not broken. Especially, if you purchased the kit on eBay. Check it right away.

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This might seem a go-around, but I do most of my 1/35 shopping with Hobby Link Japan…who have always replaced missing/warped/short shot parts, about a half dozen times over the years. I consider dealing with them as one-stop shopping with remarkable return policy, no matter the manufacturer of the kit. Just take a photo of the discrepancy. Doing this, I don’t have to have multiple emails hanging around waiting for answers, for days or weeks. Then you are subjected to the answer you don’t want. With HLJ, they replaced the defected piece/sprue, on their dime…each and every time. Just my 2 cents.

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What’s inherently wrong with Airfix?

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Depending on the vintage, there was a period where air fix wasn’t great, but the newer kits and the older ones are just fine!

That kit was a 2017 tool, so it would have likely been pretty good. I ended switching it out for a new revell PT-109 and Tamiya Pak-35/36 kit.

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Why is buying an Airfix kit a bad idea! Their new stuff is brilliant.

Airfix is very good at replacing parts. I was building this kit and I lost the seat and assembly! My fault and I admitted it and they still sent me the parts that I needed free of charge. I just had to pay the postage.

But. They can only supply parts for kits that are in production as they cannot hold vast supplies of out of production kits. This is the same for any model company.

However, as you are in the US that is probably not a viable option (I have real problems when posting to the US as everything seems to go missing unless I send it tracked and signed for which makes it prohibitive! So, as has been said return to your supplier for an exchange. I say exchange as it is a very nice kit.

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In times gone by, Airfix had almost cornered the market when it came to plastic kits (and i’m talking 70’s and early 80’s here).

But, Airfix have been around for a long, long time. The problem was, they didn’t really move with the times, they were still selling kits developed in the early days in a more modern era. The quality was poor (by contemporary standards) and the accuracy was poor.

They went out of business - competition became fierce and they were a country mile behind the opposition in terms of quality and accuracy. Maybe they didn’t go out of business, maybe they were just really struggling… anyway, they were eventually bought out by Hornby in the UK and it seems Hornby have been slowly turning Airfix around.

For me, I associate Airfix with a time gone by, a ‘pocket money’ budget for beginners with accuracy and quality to match. I personally wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole, there’s just too much competition producing better, more accurate kits, albeit perhaps not for the same budget.

You obviously have not seen their newer kits then. I build both the 1:24 Tiffy and Hellcat and they turned out to be great kits!!! Nowhere else to be found in this scale!


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