Scale aviation modeller international

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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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