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I received the Canadian Pacific SD70ACe military tribute diesel today.  Does anyone else have this yet?  I’m very surprised at the huge discrepancy between the model as depicted in the catalog and what they ended up producing.  

Here's what the catalog showed.

20-21499-1

Here's what UPS delivered an hour ago.  I know that catalog photos may not be a 100% true representation of the colors in the final product.  But to me this isn’t even close!  LOL    This looks more like a tribute to the boys down at O'Malley's on St. Patty's Day than a tribute to the members of the Canadian Armed Forces.  

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Who else has ordered this?  Does this look like what you were expecting???

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Last edited by mike.caruso
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Mike,

The CP site states "CP 6644 wears the camouflage colours applied to Royal Canadian Air Force "Spitfire" fighter planes flown at the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944." The picture of the actual engine at their site (below) shows the drab green.

Frankly, I would try to return the engine to the seller especially if you were planning to have this engine lead other drab-green military cars in your collection. Your engine doesn't look like the one in the catalog nor the one in real life!

Screenshot 2021-03-26 201509

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OMG, imagine how the olive drab CP 7020 Army green would have looked if MTH had made that one!!!  This is a really _bad_ outcome with the 6644 D-Day unit.  How disappointing to have ruined a beautiful paint scheme for those of us willing to shell out nearly $500 bucks for this particular CP engine knowing that it isn't the right prototype model (SD70ACe instead of the SD70ACU (SD90MAC rebuild).     These should be recalled immediately by MTH and repainted correctly to the colors that properly honour the D-Day veterans as CP intended and that we buyers wanted and expected.

Photo is from CPR.ca Media page of public use images

Last edited by RidgeRunner

It’s off a lot.  I would give the same advice to return it or see if MTH is going to address the issue. Unfortunately with their “closure” there may be no fixing it.

Just shows that it can happen to anyone. What the response from MTH is will be the telling part of this thread. This is a rare color mistake from MTH.

Last edited by MartyE

Got mine, also not happy with the green.  How does one go about contacting MTH to say something about it?  If they will take them back to repaint, or do a shell swap for the right color, I'm all for it, as long as I can see an example of the repaint first (Don't want it to come back looking even worse.).  If they will only do refunds, then I'm keeping it as I'd rather have one with the wrong colors over not having one at all.

@mike.caruso posted:

Just a heads up for those who ordered this.  MTH does not plan to correct the color.

Hey Mike, would you elaborate on the source of this info?  Was it a 'no' from someone who was actually empowered to say 'yes' ?

I sure wish the community could raise enough concern that MTH would actually give buyers the outcome they deserve.   Sad way to exit the business by leaving a bad taste with the customer... 

Bryan

@Wrawroacx posted:

I saw the real one 2 weeks ago in Unionville OH leading CSX eastbound intermodal Q166. Yes, that color on the MTH model is way off on that camo green. Also, 6644 is an SD70ACU which MTH should of put the paint on an SD80MAC or SD9043MAC mold to at least give the same type of design.

PXL_20210313_173547565

Now I feel even worse.  LOL  what a shame, the real thing looks so awesome.  

@sinclair posted:

Got mine, also not happy with the green.  How does one go about contacting MTH to say something about it?

Hopefully MTH is monitoring their specific forum here on OGR and will respond.      Hullooo...Andy?  Rich?  Mike???

If they will take them back to repaint, or do a shell swap for the right color, I'm all for it, as long as I can see an example of the repaint first (Don't want it to come back looking even worse.).  If they will only do refunds, then I'm keeping it as I'd rather have one with the wrong colors over not having one at all.

This may be a little off target and not of much help, but with or without the invasion stripes, I believe the colors as applied by CP and shown in the MTH promo artwork constitute what the RAF called its Temperate Land Scheme camouflage pattern. If you watch the engine fade away against the winter trees in Wrawroacx's  video posted above, you can get a feel for how effective it may have been. And if you watch the trailing green containers, you can see how intemperate the MTH model's colors would have been.

- Mike

Last edited by Mike Casatelli
@mike.caruso posted:

Just a heads up for those who ordered this.  MTH does not plan to correct the color.

What a hideous locomotive! It looks like a Saint Patrick's day tribute. I think customers have every right to cancel these orders when it is such a strong deviation from the catalog, much less a deviation from reality!

MTH will not fix these because it would be difficult to do so when you no longer exist.  These are strong candidates for the repaint industry.

If this is the worst thing that happens to you in 2021, consider some of the alternatives .  Stuff happens.  Keep it, have it repainted or discuss options with your dealer.  Obviously some folks actually like it or will keep it for various reasons. Perhaps your dealer knows someone who wants one?  Or sell it on the Bay, as MTH stuff seems in demand due to panic buying right now.  Not perfect solutions, but some options that come to mind.

Last edited by Landsteiner

This may be a little off target and not of much help, but with or without the invasion stripes, I believe the colors as applied by CP and shown in the MTH promo artwork constitute what the RAF called its Temperate Land Scheme camouflage pattern. If you watch the engine fade away against the winter trees in Wrawroacx's  video posted above, you can get a feel for how effective it may have been. And if you watch the trailing green containers, you can see how intemperate the MTH model's colors would have been.

- Mike

FWIW, the Canadian Pacific's book "Proud Colours" (by Adam Meeks) notes the Royal Canadian Air Force used the Spitfire as their primary fighter.   From page 68,

"The paint scheme for the World War II locomotive was based heavily on the camouflage patterns applied to Spitfires in the latter half of the Second World War.  After employing green and brown shades for the early part of the conflict, the colours were adjusted in 1942 to the iconic green and gray liveries that the planes wore for the duration of their services lives.  CP's team worked diligently to ensure that the RAF Ocean Gray and RAF green paints used on the locomotive were faithful to the original colours used during World War II.  The black and white striping matches the 18" widths specified for Allied fighter aircraft during the Normandy invasion, and safety appliances on the locomotive were painted RAF Roundel Yellow to echo the accents on the leading edges of Spitfire wings.  The road numbers and class data were rendered in WWII-era RAF standard font, and the locomotive received a unique identifier - CP 6644.  Numbered for the 6th day of the 6th month of 1944, the locomotive is literally in a class of her own."

Sadly, there was not similar diligence to the faithfulness of the original colours for this $500 version.

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Last edited by RidgeRunner

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