Engine cowls/fuselage sides
A dry test-fitting of these separate left and right engine/fuselage side panels didn’t look too promising but I felt that it was going to be easier to get a good fit but gluing the side panels together and dropping the completed sub-assembly onto the engine later when fully dry. The earlier fit issues became even more apparent now as there were unsightly gaps at the lower leading edge of the sub-assembly and the cockpit side panels leaving the only option to fill with Milliput to smooth everything into place.
I also used Tamiya tape to pull the fuselage sides in slightly to the bulkhead and headrest – this was going to help the canopy fit better too – we’ll see later if I’ve done enough!
When all is dry the tedious task of sanding and cleaning up all the joins ensued, but it worked and the end result is now at a stage where everything looks good and true. You can see here I am applying a small amount of Humbrol filler to the right wing join – only a little is needed but this will eliminate the join.
Canards and fins
The instructions suggest that the forward canards are fitted before attaching the gun cowl but see that sanding was needed in this area I decided to split the canard assembly and attach them later. We’re at that point now and they slot home leaving a very neat join. The twin fins are an equally excellent fit and at last my Shin Den is starting to look the part.
