Dear all, Vendor or manufacture bashing is disheartening. But, when my money, as well as those of my club mates are at stake, I cannot help it.
Last year, MBM Models of Bulgaria, run by Vassil Milev contacted me asking me for possible vendors and sales reps in Japan. I had no knowledge of the company, so asked them to send me a sample of their kit. They sent me a kit of Big Fips Flexible wings. It is one beautiful sailplane. 1.8m span, 2-channel V-tail with beautiful arched wings. Like a Hobbie Hawk. Fiber glass winglet completes the job. I built and flew her, wrote a VERY positive kit review of the plane and submitted it to R/C Technique magazine. R/C Technique magazine is a monthly magazine here in Japan, with 10,000 copies sold. The reveiw is scheduled for publication next month or in August. After seeing my Big Fips fly, my friends asked for one. So, I ordered five and they arrived without a problem. AND THEN.......... On April 17, 2002, I sent my payment via electronic bank trasfer to MBM Models of US$518. This was a payment for five more Big Fips and one Shark Sloper and air amil S&H plus insurance. The exact amount MBM Models has quoted me as payment for the kits and air mail postage and insurance. I even payed for all the transactio fees. n May 5, they responded via e-mail saying they have sent my order three days ago. This was after I have sent them few e-mail mesages asking if they have received my payment and my kits were sent. In the past, orders usually arrived in abou two weeks or so from Bulgaria. So I waited until May 20. No plane. So I sent them messages repeatedly, because they were slow in responding. May 23, Vassil responds asking me to be a bit more patient. This was their last correspondece. I have e-miled them four times since then, and they have ignored me completely. The six kits I have ordered still has not arrived. Come Monday, and it will be two months after I have sent them my payment. I seriously doubt their business practice and ethics. The fact that they are not responding to my e-mail messages only makes me anxious and ANGRY. If they have indeed shipped my order using air mail, it should have arrived here by now, and in the hands of their new owners. Some may be flying by now. Because I had to pay in full in advance, I have collected money from my club mates in advance for the five kits. Although they understand the situation very well, it is getting harder and harder for me to go flying. MBM Modles has deprived me of my pleasures of flying R/C sailplanes, and the camaradery I enjoy at the flying field, at least for the moment, until, and IF, the six kits arrive. MBM Models does make nice kits, but judging from the way they have handled my order and communications with me, I will have to think twice, before placing orders to them in the future. There is yet another cruel twist to this story. When my kit review appears in R/C Technique, I know that I will receive numerous e-mails requesting Big Fips. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO. One unhappy soarhead in Tokyo, Japan Toshiro Saruwatari RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
