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Academy 1/35th AH-1Z is absolutely amazing.....


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On 3/28/2019 at 5:16 PM, Dave Roof said:

For what it's worth, the turned exhaust from the Zulu kit mates almost perfectly with the fuselage of the Whiskey kit.

 

Really wish there weren't so many other issues with the Academy NTS boxing.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey guys, I am looking for a review for this kit, and have yet to find one on its own thread. Anyway, I found a review from a Korean website, like nothing I have ever seen before. The review had to be translated, but the text matters not, this review has fantastic photos of the actual airframe the kit build up as. I will link it below, and give a taste with a few pictures. If you are building this kit, save this link, it is absolutely amazing!

 

Here is the link, if there is no thread dedicated, I will start one so everyone has a chance to check it.

 

https://www.themodellingnews.com/2019/04/in-boxed-135th-scale-usmc-ah-1z-shark.html?m=1

 

Aux_2_FARP_150330-M-SW506-257.jpg

1-35+USMC+AH-1Z+Viper+%25289%2529a.jpg

1-35+USMC+AH-1Z+Viper+%252810%2529.jpg

 

Seriously guys, there are close up photos of just about every part of the actual helicopter, maybe I am wrong as I am still very new, but it may be the best review/walk around combo I have ever seen. Of course I am going to check of their other reviews, see if this is common or a one off. From the text, it sounds like they have more interest/pride in Korean made products, but it might still be helpful for all the other Academy birds they make!

 

Hope this help!

 

Anthony

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On 4/28/2019 at 11:12 PM, Dave Roof said:

I picked up a couple more........

Hey Dave, I hate to be the bearer of possible bad news. On another forum, a buyer of two kits was excited to get his new kits. Upon opening them, he found that BOTH kits have a cracked forward canopies in the exact same place. Best he can tell, it has something to do with lack of bracing, not sure what he meant by that, but you might want to check yours out.

 

Here is the thread containing the information.

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235032041-135-bell-ah-1z-viper-by-academy-released/&tab=comments#comment-2919393

 

I really hope it is not a kit wide issue and he just got very unlucky. I will ask him to post pics so I can share them with you guys over here.

 

Anthony

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45 minutes ago, Stalker6recon said:

Hey Dave, I hate to be the bearer of possible bad news. On another forum, a buyer of two kits was excited to get his new kits. Upon opening them, he found that BOTH kits have a cracked forward canopies in the exact same place. Best he can tell, it has something to do with lack of bracing, not sure what he meant by that, but you might want to check yours out.

 

Here is the thread containing the information.

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235032041-135-bell-ah-1z-viper-by-academy-released/&tab=comments#comment-2919393

 

I really hope it is not a kit wide issue and he just got very unlucky. I will ask him to post pics so I can share them with you guys over here.

 

Anthony

All of my kits are fine, no need to post photos of his parts. Other modelers can simply check their kits.

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On my two kits, one is fine and on the other, the center panel had broken off, but it was at the sprue attachment, with no damage to the actual part.  The design of the part, with only one sprue attachment, and being unprotected on the outside edge of the clear sprue, makes it a little vulnerable to breaking.  Just check your kits.

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12 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

center panel had broken off

Looks like you dodged a bullet. My question is simply this, if I can't buy the kit at the store, and this turns out to be an issue, then sadly until further notice, I have to pass. If you can buy it from store, you can at least check the kit with the store personnel before you leave, which at this point, probably the safest way.

 

I don't have the money anyway, so I will see how this plays out. Looks like a very nice kit though, would be a shame if this is a widespread issue.

 

To those who have ordered already, I will cross my fingers for you.

 

Anthony

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1 hour ago, Stalker6recon said:

Looks like you dodged a bullet. My question is simply this, if I can't buy the kit at the store, and this turns out to be an issue, then sadly until further notice, I have to pass. If you can buy it from store, you can at least check the kit with the store personnel before you leave, which at this point, probably the safest way.

 

I don't have the money anyway, so I will see how this plays out. Looks like a very nice kit though, would be a shame if this is a widespread issue.

 

To those who have ordered already, I will cross my fingers for you.

 

Anthony

 

That is a bit dramatic. You can email KH directly for any issues. Email Sophia Lynm at sophialynm@gmail.com 

With most kits, keep your receipt even from eBay, you can email the vendor or manufacturer for part defects and if in stock most seem willing to help.

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2 hours ago, Stalker6recon said:

Looks like you dodged a bullet. My question is simply this, if I can't buy the kit at the store, and this turns out to be an issue, then sadly until further notice, I have to pass. If you can buy it from store, you can at least check the kit with the store personnel before you leave, which at this point, probably the safest way.

 

I don't have the money anyway, so I will see how this plays out. Looks like a very nice kit though, would be a shame if this is a widespread issue.

 

To those who have ordered already, I will cross my fingers for you.

 

Anthony

 

That’s your choice, but a number of people have gotten the kits already, and the Britmodeler post is the only one I’ve heard with this problem.  Both of my kits survived international mail from Korea to the US.  There is always a risk of getting something damaged through the mail.  

 

1 hour ago, Tank said:

 

That is a bit dramatic. You can email KH directly for any issues. Email Sophia Lynm at sophialynm@gmail.com 

With most kits, keep your receipt even from eBay, you can email the vendor or manufacturer for part defects and if in stock most seem willing to help.

 

This is the 1/35 kit from Academy.  Different company and scale.

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5 hours ago, Tank said:

That is a bit dramatic.

 

5 hours ago, Tank said:

vendor or manufacturer for part defects

As already addressed, different vendors, but if people would follow the link, then you might understand my hesitancy. This person reports that he contacted Academy as soon as he noticed the defect, and for whatever reason, Academy appears to be unwilling to assist him.

 

If that holds true (and that is a BIG if), then I would be stuck with broken kits and no real solution to get them fixed, save buying a new kit as spares. Nobody should be put in that situation. Buying from eBay offers protection, but it does not get you the parts you may need, and if that is the case, you just wasted time and money only to be disappointed in the end, who wants that?

 

I posted this specifically for Dave Roof, as I saw the pile of kits he bought and was unsure if he had opened them. I debated telling him via PM over posting on this thread, but I considered the information valuable to anyone/everyone, so my effort is/was too help.

 

Anyway, hope this helps people to understand why I posted in the first place.

 

Anthony

 

 

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If no one else has reported the issue to Academy, then the issue is not with manufacturing. The individual needs to seek rectification from the vendor. If it later is revealed to be an issue with manufacturing, the vendors can take it up with Academy. This really isn't a big deal.

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2 hours ago, Stalker6recon said:

 

As already addressed, different vendors, but if people would follow the link, then you might understand my hesitancy. This person reports that he contacted Academy as soon as he noticed the defect, and for whatever reason, Academy appears to be unwilling to assist him.

 

If that holds true (and that is a BIG if), then I would be stuck with broken kits and no real solution to get them fixed, save buying a new kit as spares. Nobody should be put in that situation. Buying from eBay offers protection, but it does not get you the parts you may need, and if that is the case, you just wasted time and money only to be disappointed in the end, who wants that?

 

I posted this specifically for Dave Roof, as I saw the pile of kits he bought and was unsure if he had opened them. I debated telling him via PM over posting on this thread, but I considered the information valuable to anyone/everyone, so my effort is/was too help.

 

Anyway, hope this helps people to understand why I posted in the first place.

 

Anthony

 

 

 

I do appreciate the effort to assist. However, having worked with Academy in the past, it would have been relatively easy for me to address and correct had any of my parts been broken. For what it is worth, anyone can easily get new parts through MRC here in the states.

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3 hours ago, Dave Roof said:

For what it is worth, anyone can easily get new parts through MRC here in the states.

 

I had worked with them in the past, hence the keeping the receipt advice.

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9 hours ago, Dave Roof said:

For what it is worth, anyone can easily get new parts through MRC here in the states. 

I will let that guy know about the MRC contact info, maybe he is like me, relatively new to modeling and unsure of the process, I really don't know. All I do know is that I received a kit with damaged decals (just really old) by Hasegawa, I have tried to contact them from the Philippines and got nowhere. The contact information they have for my region is a dead end, the place is out of business. So, I am stuck for the moment, until I find an aftermarket set anyways.

 

9 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

.  I find it difficult believe they just blew him off. 

I agree, sounds strange, but what I just told Dave applies here as well. Most of you guys have been building for years, even decades, you know people, the right people in fact. For us new guys who don't know the business and how to get replacement parts, this can be a nightmare, and when we get treated us simple minded or suspect, it makes asking for info that much harder.

 

I give him the benefit of the doubt, unless he is performing corporate sabotage, his story is likely true. I have asked him for more details and pictures, just waiting for his reply. Will see what happens.

5 hours ago, Tank said:

hence the keeping the receipt advice. 

This day and age, most stuff is bought via online so keeping records is not that difficult, unless you live in the Philippines of course, nothing is typical here, and often times you buy something and no "official" receipt is offered, locally anyway. In that respect, it is sort of (dare I say it) safer to buy via eBay than from a local shop.

 

Anyway, I will let you guys know if anything changes regarding the issue he is having, but for the most part, seems everyone is in the clear, which is a good thing.

 

Anthony

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