The HUGE number of really poor viper kits out there is astounding. I got a "Studio Scale" kit recently for a song, but I should have known that it wasn't going to be a good kit. I got it for less than half of what a well-done kit usually goes for, so I should have been suspicious to begin with.
The kit is horrendously molded. The parts look as though they were made from masters that had been torn apart (quite literally!). The connection points between the wings and the body were about as ugly as they can get... and when I dry fitted the pieces, the gravelly part on the wing actually matched the gravelly part on the body! So whoever made this kit just tore the original apart and dumped silicone over it without bothering to clean up ANYTHING. The nose of the viper was also wonky. It is bent to one side an not straight like it should be. Whether this is an artifact from the original that wasn't corrected or if it's a flaw in this particular casting, I cannot tell.
In all, its a really rotten hunk of resin. So I'll most likely attempt to turn it into a "Early Viper" like in The Long Patrol.
But there you have it... caveat emptor! Buyer beware!
In my case, it wouldn't even be worth the trouble to try to return it, so I'll attempt to salvage it into another ship. In your case, I think you were well served by returning the one you got. For $100 or more bucks, you should be getting a studio scale kit. If not a sweet one, at least one of the second or third gen recasts.
-Gordon
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Liberal, Atheist, and just as Patriotic as you. 
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