Hi All,

My Trumpeter 1/32 Me-262 arrived with a badly warped L upper wing, so badly warped that it warps the lower wing.

I have contacted Stevens Intl, the Trumpeter importer her in USA. They placed an order but told me they can not tell me when, or if, I'll get the part. That was more than a month ago, and no wing yet.

I wrote Trumpeter. They said to contact Stevens.

Repeated hot water, hair dryers, etc., have not unwarped it.

Anyone have an idea what to do next--other than accept a wing with a 1/4" warping at the tip?

ADDENDUM As I archive this build, I will supply hotlinks to the build's other posts:

ME-262 Cockpit References

Trumpeter ME-262 Decaled & Gear

Trumpeter ME-262 Painting

Trumpeter ME-262 Wing-Fuselage Fit

Trumpy Me-262 Progress--Nose & Fit

Trumpeter Me-262 Progress

Trumpeter Me-262 Warped Wing

Trumpeter ME-262 Guns, Cockpit, Engines

Trumpeter ME-262 Gun bay

Trumpeter ME-262 with In-box Review

Hi Fred!

Too bad about the warped wing...

1 - Did you buy the kit in a store? They could replace it. If it was online, maybe you could write to the online shop for replacement... usually they don't want to loose a customer and it's easier for them to get another one...

2 - If this doesn't works, then maybe it is possible to put a small metal stiffener inside the wing to get it to the right shape...

3 - If it still don't works... maybe you could use the model for a diorama of a damaged Me 262 straffed by a Mustang!

I hope something like solution n°1 will happen though...

Jean-Luc

Fres, if ya got it from Squadron they will send ya at least 2 for freee then they make ya buy a new kit. Great models does the same. Don't know about any other companies though. I had that issue with my U- boat from revel. I hope steven's come through for ya. STUG

Hi All,

I got it as a birthday present. I took it back to the local Hobby Town where it was bought from, but they said they couldn't help, to contact Stevens International.

Hi Fred

Sorry - I read your e-mail before I logged onto Armorama - my advice to contact Stevens will be a fat lot of use!

I guess it's a question of waiting - but, judging by the work you've shown us on the '262 so far, the wait will be worth it!

Keep us posted - it could be useful info for anyone else seeking Trumpeter spares in the USA.

All the best

Rowan

My response would have been, "This is the last money I'll be spending in here and I'll be letting the home office know as well. Further, I'll be posting this on the web at Armorama, Aircraft Resources and anywhere else that's interested in learning of places with poor service." Amazing how places refuse to provide customer service.

Even if it's a franchise, the home base will want to know that a franchisee is giving HobbyTown a bad name.

Al, Hobbytown is at a disadvantage there. Even ordering parts from Tamiya USA is hard deal for them. Repacement parts that come from most ONLINE retailers are nothing more than caniblizing another kit for the parts. A franchise store or any other would be doing the same. When ya look at the cost fo the kit it would be a toital lose for them.
Fred try this as after i read your stiory I went did the wing on mine. I noticed for me it was the right wing and it was totally my fault on repacking the kit i let the other parts sit on the top of the wings. I checked the warp and found it to only be serious on the leading edge and "massaged the forward half back to the proper place. I used a leading edge slat as a guide for the twisting. I did however split the thin palstic alittle, but the glue when assembling the halves filled my over zealous error. HTH STUG

Hi All,

Well, I have managed to warp it in the other direction slightly enough to glue a piece brass on it. It is now glued to the lower wing and, 12 hours later, appears to be holding its shape straight.

Thank you all for your comments. Now I can finish the bird and post further progress reports.

Yes Fred! Show this piece of plastic who's the boss! :-)

I'm happy you managed to get the wing right... hope you took some pictures of this surgical operation... I'm curious to see how it looks like!

Jean-Luc

I wasn't talking about just the part. A good dealer would have taken the whole kit back and sent it back to the distributor for a replacement and kept his customer happy. Sorry for the confusion.