1/35 Trumpeter Challenger II (#00308) = Trouble

[Old Wombat]

OK, it's probably just me but I couldn't find anywhere else to put this.

I have a 1/35 Trumpeter Challenger II in the following boxing;



Bought it at the 2012 SAPMA Expo for $20. Looked good in the box. Then, today, I took it out of the plastic bags!

OK, probably not horrendous but certainly the worst case of flash & ejection pin problems that I have ever had to deal with!

Almost every single part has thin ridges of flash everywhere, some parts have raised ejection pin marks up to 2mm in height, then others have depressions of up to 1mm in depth - including on the outer faces of suspension parts - & dry fitting some of the major components showed gaps & parts which wont fit until I've chopped out chunks of plastic to get the right shape.

Up here on the Island I build armour kits to a point where I need access to the better equipment &/or paint I have at home to finish them off, I'm looking to my limited building opportunities to be therapeutic. Last contract I part-built the M41 &, so far, this contract I've part-built a Tamiya M13/40 & M26 Pershing. I'm not looking for a challenge.

Unfortunately this Challenger IS a challenge!

Guess I'll have to move on to the Dragon Sherman Mk.1c Firefly Hybrid.

Just so I know what to do with this kit in the future; does anyone know how it builds up OOB (after clean-up)?

If it's pretty good, then I'll build it as an Australian Army version, if not, then I'll probably kitbash it into a Sci-Fi tank of some sort.

Sorry for the rant but, well, you know how it is.

[rickshaw]

I built the dozer version with my young son about 6 years ago and it had none of the problems you've encountered, Guy.  It went together reasonably well and had few pin marks or flash.  Perhaps you just got a bad example?  Mine built up quite well.

[Dizzyfugu]

Is it an original or a copy?

[Old Wombat]

I'd be inclined to say original but possibly from the end of the production run (I believe this particular kit isn't currently being manufactured).

Box & sprues seem to be original to me, & the decals & instructions are definitely original.

Like I said, it's not really horrendous, it's just the worst I've ever had in my possession (& I'm not a great lover of pre-build clean-up work).