A few months ago the ASMC (Anchorage Scale Modeling Club) had the opportunity to sell off a rather largesh collections of aircraft and car kits. I picked up most of a 1/32 Tamiya F-15E for $6.It was missing the instructions, decals and about two parts, including the lower fuselage.

On line I found enough info to email Tamiya to ask about purchasing the missing parts. They sent me an email make listing the part numbers and asking that I call the US office to order the parts. It also said that due to personnel shortages, to leave a message and an agent would call back. So I called.

Two months later I called again, since I never got the call back, and finally got the parts ordered. They arrived today. No instructions and the one part I needed was the wrong number!! I got another set of weapons instead of the lower fuselage!!!!!

One one hand, I should have checked with the info from on line to make sure I had the right part identified. On the other, I sent a scan of the page with the missing part and described to them what I needed.

Well, with only about $28 spent on a kit that retails for $130 plus, maybe I shouldn't bitch so much.

Tamiya USA located in the Los Angeles area is pretty good for parts replacments to their products. I knew quite a few RC guys who break their little RC cars go online there or call tool free for a fairly good service. You pay for it...and have to buy the intire sprue but they seam pretty thurough.

I had a simular situation with a Hasegowa / Mincraft 1/32 F-16A that I aquired from a modeler who suffered the misfortune of blindness from Diabeties complications. He was going to toss his intire kit collection. So some of his kits were started upon and had missing parts. My kit was missing all the clear parts. Like the clear canopy and such.

The USA conection for Hasegowa parts replacement can be done through DragonModels USA located in City of Industry California. They are the USA importers. It can done all on-line. www.dragoncare.com I think is the URL. Be very detailed when your looking for the parts by mentioning the models kit stock number, part number and if needed and requested a picture of the damged part...they will replace it for free. Since mine was missing parts and explaining its circumtances they argeed to sell the parts with Priority Mail added. That was only fair enough.

BTW it was about 200 kits that this poor fellow had to part with. Mostly aircraft. I passed most of them off to my local model club members and kids who where into the hobby.

DLM

Thats still better than "Dragondoesntcare" who asked for a photo of a missing part before they would provide a replacememnt...

Tamiya responded back to my e-mail on Tuesday and in yesterdays mail was the correct part and the instructions. Cool.

At least with Tamiya I have had contact and progress to get the parts for this F-15. When I bought this kit, I also bought a Academy 1/48 F-111 that is missing parts. I e-mailed the U.S. contact for Academy and gave all the details.
The response was this
Dennis,

Sorry for delay we had inventory.
We will be glad to help you replace any defective or missing part from
kits purchased with in the United States. All kits purchased out side of the United States please contact Italeri or Academy at the web sites listed here. http://www.Italeri.com or http://www.academyhobby.com

Please mail in the bar code off the box and a kit number also let us
know whether it is Academy or Italeri kit. Please include your Telephone number and e-mail

Did they even read the message?

Needless to say the F-111 still needs a cockpit and nose section.