Less and less I think of Squadron as a model company and see it as a pre-made toy company. I have better luck with Roll Models in terms of having them tell me when they expect items to come in. I have Squadron hold onto my credit card number so long I forget I have items out there. I am tempted to send a check as I believe Squadron must produce inventory or provide a refund within a certain time period. When they have to cough up your cash maybe it will light a fire to move.
They used to talk about having the items in stock. Fujimi, Eastern Express, are two recent disappointments where there was NOTHING from the Squadron catalog in stock.
Conversely Roll Models tell you you have to wait. They also pull items out of the catalog if they are no longer available . So I don't mind waiting in this computer day in age is someone give me an accurate turn around time. I do not know why catalogs are filled with references to things either unavailable or with no production lead time.
I resent being offered, even having pre-made toys shoved at me when I am a model builder. If Squadron wants to be a glorified Franklin Mint they should stop pretending to service the plastic modeler.
The whole thing reminds me of when as a kid I went into a "stamp and coin" store to get stamps. back then as a boy I felt I should indulge the owner who barely had any stamps that I made the trip to the store to get. So I started a penny collection half heartedly. I was a pushover kid then.
You won't see me buying diecast. I hope every one of us on a building budget let assembled metal sit on their shelves. It costs a fortune relative to a kit. I think it impacts the plastic inventory they are not refilling, I used to feel loyalty to Squadron . back to 1972 both to Sligo Avenue in Silver Spring and Michigan. Now it is just and internet place that is running a distant second to Roll Models in terms of filling my requests. Yes Roll Models takes a while, But, they let you know how long things will take.
Sincerely,
Big Al Cherer