I Agree that there should be some level of resposibilty of the retailer or the manufacture, but we dont have an NTSB to investigate the cause of a crash. Yeah, if we find a defect on the ground we should either fix and be happy with it OR be able to send the model back. Once the model is in the air and something happens it is hard to prove what REALLY happened...Lets face it guys, the mfg has an out on ANY model that gets destroyed because it is too hard to prove what really went wrong and who is to blame.... I just watched a video of a large model at an IMAC event loose the whole tail section during a snap... It was all captured on video and it was obvious that the tail came off.. WHO IS TO BLAME?? After reading the entire thread, the plane had a rough ride in the trailor("and was subjected to extreme force") long before the crash... The modeler could have blamed the manufacture, but the manufacture could blame the modeler for overpowering it, was it damaged in a previous crash hence weakend?, Mid-AIR?, Radio failure??? Who knows... The manufacture can go as far as calling the modeller a liar and say he just crashed it and is trying to get a new plane for nothing out of the deal..... I know of modelers who pull that crap all the time and I persoanlly feel that they should be kicked out of the clubs and the AMA and have their thumbs cut off..... I know for a FACT that I have lost planes do to structural problems, but it is really down to two people blaming each other... and that is ALWAYS loose-loose situation for both parties involved.... As LDM pointed out, instead of debating amongst ourselves we should figure a way to "gang up" on a manufacture and prove to them that they have built/sold a faulty kit, part, engine, electronic, ect.ect.... If enough people get on the bandwagon and can show that said model has a weak tail sections or like the China models KATANA that has wing webing going horizontle instead of verticle and there are MANY cases of wings coming apart... Enough people spoke up and the mfg has fixed the problem... NO they didnt send new planes to everyone that complained but at least they redesigned the wing....... I guess that is more than my 2 cents worth......

Myron