Last of the surface preparation
Returning to the tail, the horizontal stabilizers and rudder are next for attention. The Belcher Bits tailplanes are direct replacement for the kit parts, so mount similarly with slotted tabs. These appear a bit of a weak joint for me, so I added a couple of brass rods for support.
Drilling some corresponding holes into the tailplanes they mount reasonably well, however there are significant gaps that need filler to make good.
The rudder has some unsightly bubble depressions from casting, so these need to be filled and smoothed over before fitting.
The end result is again worth the effort, and a quick prime shows up any remaining defects in the surface.
I canted the rudder to starboard a little, just for interest.
Pre-shading was only needed at this point on the upper areas that will be camouflaged. The initial colour area was then masked off in readiness for paint.