Next victim

[PittsburghJim]

Well, you know. I guess it's now "And away we go".

 

[urumomo]

The real fighter we should have right now

 

[rastanz]

Oooo, I was just looking at purchasing one of these.

 

[PittsburghJim]

So, my initial reaction to opening the box was "What have I done?". That said, this, so far as I've gotten (I'm still building the cockpit), is an AMAZING kit. I have a couple of pics so far, but nothing spectacular. I did initially forget to put the side panels in the cockpit, and when I realized what I had done, it was too late to rectify. That said, I've been able to install them "in the wrong order", and this is a pic of one of those panels dry fitted while I was dry fitting the canopy locking rails. I stopped working on the panels when I realized I messed up, but seeing as how I can use them after all, I've committed to doing them, they are NOT completed in this pic.

 

[smokeriderdon]

Yes, an absolutely fantastic kit. BUT, the join between the nose and the fuselage is a bear. Be warned. Here is mine and pics of the issue.

 

[PittsburghJim]

Looks like that's in a wonderful place to try doing bodywork. What did you do to minimize the problem? The completed kit looks fantastic, by the way.

 

[smokeriderdon]

What did you do to minimize the problem?

Well, lots of cursing and sanding. If I do another, I will try spread the end of the nose section with thick sprue. That didnt occur to me until after I got done.

And thank you sir!

 

[PittsburghJim]

I minimized the gaps there with a woodworking clamp. There's no vertical gap anymore but there is a horizontal "step", and I think I'm just going to live with it. I haven't posted any updates, because so far I'm dissatisfied with how my paint is turning out.

 

[PittsburghJim]

Now that I'm at least partially happy with the paint, here's a teaser or two. I still have a lot of details to tend to, but it's coming along.

 

[PittsburghJim]

Well, as much as I feel like I've been working at a snails pace, she is coming along. I feel like I still have a very long way to go. But here's a few WIP shots.