Scale Aviation Modeller International — November 2017

aligned, there’s a noticeable

misalignment of the nose

panel and bow chine. The

solution is to sand off the

front of the chine so that the

plastic spray deflector will fit;

from head-on, however, the

misalignment can still be seen.

It’s not just at the front

that work is needed. All the

longitudinal seams need careful

alignment, filling and sanding,

as do the transverse seams where

the two-piece top deck attaches.

As usual, I used superglue

in lieu of filler, and there’s

inevitably some re-scribing of

panel lines and detail needed.

With the basic fuselage

complete, the tail surfaces can be

fitted. The stabilisers attach part

way up the fin and there are PE or

resin control horn/counterbalances

to add, the whole lot attaching

with a butt joint to the fuselage!

Serious dry fitting of this joint is

needed, and I also added a wire

strengthening pin to add some

strength. I also left off the poorly

moulded bracing struts until after

painting to simplify masking.

Courtesy of the PE upgrade

set, the outside of the fuselage

has a number of panels, hooks,

and handles. These are bound

to be vulnerable, so careful

handling is the order of the day.

The brass wheel well inserts

add significantly to the visible

detail. The tiny U-shaped

brackets, apparently intended

to locate the undercarriage

arms, are neat, but to be honest

they’re more trouble than they’re

worth, given the clunky nature

of the plastic u/c arms; another

time I’d leave them off.

The short-run nature of the plastic

is reflected in the fact that almost

every seam needs filler.

The central wing pylon has some sink marks

which need filling.

Joining the fuselage halves leaves

a mismatch at the bow. The

solution is to sand off the detail.

The resin engines build up reasonably, although the cowlings need a

fair amount of work to get them looking tidy.

The rear hatch is a blank lump. I made a new

one from plastic card and strip.

Surprisingly, the wing tips are separate, and

don’t fit very well. References show the wing

tips should be slightly upswept.

WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • NOVEMBER 2017 • 23

1/72

020-25-FEAT-TheBoat-1117.indd 23 16/10/2017 15:27