Hopefully by the time Skywarp rolls out the cracks will be a thing of the past isolated to MP-52. Since they’re pin assembly issues, the factory would probably have already addressed them by the time they work on Thundercracker. Just to be on the safe side though, if I want them I’ll probably just wait for reviews and order after the 1st few weeks to see if they turned out fine, rather than preordering.

 

It's NOT ok, but the 3rd party alternatives are ugly, so...whatcha gonna do?
If you don't like it, don't buy it...or buy a KO (just make sure you don't cry if/when the officials stop getting produced due to lack of sales from being undercut by KO'ers).

Sidenote: I'm sure you're aware, but you come across as extremely obnoxious.

 

What about the chest piece’s screws stripping and falling off haha… I also had the purple paint come off with my yellow windows. Just left it be, it’s not too noticeable luckily.

 

Not sure if I should make a separate thread or what, but I'm gonna ask about it here first.

For those of you that have returned your MP-52 for the specific issues like the various cracks and have already received replacement,

• does the replacement still have the same issue(s) ?
• does it have a new issue(s) ?
• which shop did you used ?

Your input are appreciated.

 

@Sam here ya go bud I took close-ups (slightly too close some are blurry) for you. Five faces of darkness! (Well six if you count the one he’s wearing!)

 

Man I love when figures can pull off a double handed gun grip!

 

I’m assuming Amjp made you send back the first copy of 52 BEFORE they sent you a replacement?

 

Not to mention, didn't that MP-36 barrel break happen to like one person who admited it was his own fault? But shouldn't let reality get in the way of making a nice TT bashing meme!

I mean coulda just used Hound instead and it woulda been legit slamdunk truth and put us all in our place! Missed opportunity.  

 

I always think about that when I watch Optimus spit out teeth in ROTF.

 

Nope - they send out the replacement first, and if they don't receive the original within 30 days, they charge your card for it.

 

I've been thinking, with all the reports of issues with this new SS I'm getting curious to find out if this is such a wide spread thing or just isolated cases flamed up buy the buyers disappointment (with reason).

Is there a way to create a pole where buyers can vote if their figure has issues or not, right out of the box?

 

Mine is still as it was when I took it out of the box (as in, no issues) and everything is great.

Impossible as most MP52 buyers may not even be aware this site exists. We like to think TFW makes for 99% of Tf collectors in the world but sadly, that's not the case. We are lucky if we are even the 1%, IMO.

 

MP-52 Starscream Flaw Tracking And Fixes Thread

Take into account, many of the reported cracks from the ankles are right out of the box. Also the amount of people that have voted in the poll to date. Not everyone that has the figure here has voted and not every lurker who reads it will sign up here and take part in the poll. With the cracks beneath the vertical stabilizer, if they aren’t cranked out of the box, the initial swivel to transform them for robot mode will show whether the cracks will form or not. Right side on mine cracked after carefully and gently swiveling it for transformation the 1st time but hasn’t cracked further despite repeatedly swiveling it back and forth quickly.

With the reports here and elsewhere, the ankle cracks and cracks beneath the vertical stabilizers are common. Parts missing or broken off are not. If you’re on the fence and found a place to order from, YMMV but I think the issues are prevalent enough that these aren’t isolated to just a few copies.

 

MP-52 Starscream Flaw Tracking And Fixes Thread
Got this so far.

 

Even so, with all the talk around this on this thread, I was curious to find out what was the rate.

@Shin Densetsu @Nova Maximus thanks for sharing the link. Already casted my vote  

 

Yep, @GX9901DoubleX and @Liampope are correct. That pin SHOULD rotate with the ankle. Liam's illustration shoes it correctly.

But, @WinstoBot, you're also correct, that applying some tightening agent to the rivet head will still work, and it could work better than on the inside. Since you're still adding more resistance to the rotation, just in a different spot. I did put some there as well, and had decent results, but still not quite what I was satisfied with. But the pin does still need to rotate, as it should be acting like a solid piece along with the ankle, rotating around the cylinder attached to the leg.

Stealing Liam's drawing, the real place you want the liquid to get into is the space between the post and cylinder, the green lines. However we're only able to access where they meet, the red lines.

Now, in the vast majority of my experience, applying your preferred joint tightening liquid to the red lines is more than sufficient, but it's not working to well on Starscream. I'm guessing it's be because the liquid is not always making it's way into the post, and there's not enough surface area otherwise.



I do agree, a screw would have been much better! But that said, for as much surface area is inside that post, the ankle joint should, in theory, be nice and snug to begin with.

Yeah, Sam, I'm not sure what you're seeing either. All of your eyes look painted, and exactly like mine.

Haha, sorry! I couldn't unsee it either once I noticed it.

I think you will find that every single one of us would rather NOT have to apply any fixes, tweaks, etc to our figures, or deal with any QC issues. And to me, it doesn't matter if it's a $20 mainline deluxe, or a $200 MP.

But, in my decades of collecting, from a huge array of companies, properties, etc, I just quickly learned that is is just not the reality.

I do understand that everyone will have a different threshold of what is acceptable or not. But for me, to actually enjoy the hobby, I found it's just better to accept these minor little things, and fix them myself. Especially if I think it's an excellent product, despite the issues.

If I returned, or didn't buy, every figure that had a tiny stress crack, or loose joint, or paint chip, or weak ratchet, etc, etc, I'd have about 20 figures. And I think I'm being generous.

 

I completely agree. If I need to do a little bit of fixing to make a figure that to me looks perfect to feel perfect, I would gladly do it. Changing minor constructions and tolerances is much easier than changing a figure’s aesthetics. Same with paint. As long as the sculpt is there, if I am unsatisfied with the paint, as a mad titan once said, “I’ll do it myself.”

 

Yeah, looking at Liam’s drawing, it’s right. But as you said my attempts at Futuring the outside rivet head DID give me more results than doing it to in inside. It shouldn’t work so well but it does.

One word of caution for everyone. Don’t over tighten the (side to side) ankle tilt. I gave that joint an extra dose of Future and it’s scary tight. When I try to tilt the ankle, I can see the entire ankle cylinder twist and bend. That same cylinder prone to cracking is taking all the twisting. Bad idea.

 

So friction between the dark gray pin and the light gray of the leg is the only thing keeping the ankles from moving?