Scale aviation modeller international

C29 and C30, onto the cameras,

then glued Part C16 to the hoops

and the bulkhead before attaching

Parts C31, C32, and E12. The vertical

TriMetrogen camera was then

mounted into its frame. I found this

procedure to be a much easier way

to build this complicated assembly.

(Note that the kit part numbers I

have used are in the 2201-1 kit).

Next to be assembled were

the two cameras in the aft bay.

The vertical camera was an easy

install, but the oblique camera

required a bit of fiddling to get it

positioned correctly; when installed

as shown in the instructions, the

lens end sits too high relative to the

window. So I replaced Part E5 with a

representation of the threaded rod

and adjustment handle of the real

thing, which enabled me to lower

the lens to align with the window.

Despite much research, I have

never found any photos or other

documentation showing this

camera bay’s details. Another

modeller who had done a build with

the covers up kindly provided his

reference photographs, but these

were all black and white, with no

cameras in the bays. Thus any

detailing I added was subject to

much speculation and “that looks

about right” scratch-building.

I progressed to the tasks of

fitting the camera

bay bulkheads,

alignment of the

cameras, and

scratch-building the viewfinder

under the cockpit for the scope. The

nose camera glazing is moulded

as part of the clear part that

makes up the nose of the fuselage,

so in order to pose that glazing

opened, I cut the glazing out of

that part, then sourced it from

one of my old Heller RF-84 kits.

The other glazing doors,

moulded with frames, and the

fuselage openings for them,

required a bit of cleanup of the

edges during dry-fitting. At the

appropriate time, the glazings

were masked inside and out,

and held in place with white

glue, pending painting. Once

the build was complete they

were removed and re-attached

permanently in the open position.

THE COCKPIT AND EJECTOR

As mentioned above, I used the

AMS Resin cockpit set for these

areas. This includes the cockpit

tub, forward cockpit bulkhead with

rudder pedal wells, instrument

panel, control stick, Martin-Baker

ejection seat, rear tank housing,

and instrument panel cover/gun

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