[ChairmanMilo]

Good evenin' gents.

I'm counting on your collective experience to help me out. I bought a brand new RCAF Lancaster from Perry's Aircraft Hobbies and it was not cheap. He shipped it lightning fast, its box and the box for the Corgi Galland Bf 109 were in mint condition, things were great. I open the Lancaster's box to get it out for display and I am in COMPLETE awe of the size of it, the weight...

... and BOOM, right outboard engine falls off. It was loose. The metal bit that keeps the nacelle attached to the wing appears to be broken. Not wanting to accept defeat (considering how much it would cost to ship the brute back and how much frustration it would cause the retailer and myself) I used hot glue to stick it on - hot glue can always be taken off if it doesn't work out, but it seems to be holding now. Everything else - the landing gear, the plane itself, the stand - was in absolutely mint condition, so it wasn't dropped during the shipping process so far as I can tell. Could this be a manufacturer's defect?

Consider the following.

a) If I send it back to Perry's, I lose $30 or more in shipping costs and then more for him to ship me a new one. Only reasonable considering the size of the bugger.

b) I keep it the way it is, eventually figuring out a way to connect it more permanently, and end up having to keep it forever because it won't gain as much value as a mint specimen.

The second option isn't going to kill me because I never want to sell it ever ever ever. However, if hard times hit, I may have to sell it off and it would help if it were in mint condition.

Your thoughts, gentlemen? I have emailed Perry's to ask for there assistance in rectifying this matter.

Is there a way to more permanently attach the nacelle without damaging the resale value of this item?

Should I send it back and pay even more for another one to be shipped to me?

[PappyB]

I'd probably see if Perry's would give you a discount and keep it... If it's going to bug ya though, things like that bug me so I understand. I think I might bite the bullet for a replacement, considering how much you paid for it, you should have a perfect specimen. (I suspect that's a manufacturing error, or the result of a hard drop during ship...?)

[smartd]

Tough one Milo. Only one engine fell off right? It will look ok when glued on right? No other damage?
I would probably wait until Perry's gets back, perhaps he has encountered similar situations and has a protocol he follows.

[Hurriup!]

It depends on whether or not you can live with it Milo, I rather agree with Pappy's thoughts on this. If it were me considering how much I spent on the model and that it is a signicant piece to me I would want it to be A-1 so I would contact Perry's and see about getting another one to replace it with as little cost to me as possible.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by PappyB

, or the result of a hard drop during ship...?

Feel very sorry for ya = Corgi Lancasters ain't cheap; & that's the 1st one I've heard of that's lost an engine.

Sincerely Hope it all works out for ya in the end

[no4mkit]

Milo - was there a screw in the hole that mounts the engine nacelle to the wing? Is it that mount inside the nacelle that is the broken part? If returning the model To Perry's is not an option I suggest contacting Corgi USA for a replacement nacelle. It should be free of charge in your case, just explain the circumstances to them.

[ChairmanMilo]

Originally Posted by no4mkit

Milo - was there a screw in the hole that mounts the engine nacelle to the wing? Is it that mount inside the nacelle that is the broken part? If returning the model To Perry's is not an option I suggest contacting Corgi USA for a replacement nacelle. It should be free of charge in your case, just explain the circumstances to them.

The mount for the screw that is used to mount the nacelle has snapped; I don't know that a replacement nacelle would help, because I wouldn't know how to remove the broken mount from the wing and how to install a new one. I think the safest bet is to keep it for now and wait to hear back from Perry's... it looks good and the hot glue is working fine at the moment.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Mmmmm . . . tough bit of luck on that one. I'd probably go for a replacement, regardless of the hassle. Once you get a perfect one, all this will be behind you. Regrettably, this guy is the only game in town for the Mynarski Lanc that I'm aware of.

FYI: I contacted Bob back in January, as I was considering one (which I didn't in the end), so he called me with the shipping costs. He did offer to trim it down for me. At the same time he mentioned he had quite a large stock of these (I'm sure he said over 50 anyhow), so him getting you a replacement shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck.

JPN