[shrike]

A quick mini-review first

The kit consists of 4 A4 pages to be printed on card, 2 pages of paper to be laminated to 1mm stock, 4 pages of instructions and a one page description in Polish. There are also high resolution .jpgs of the front and back covers.

The graphics quality is spectacular. with light weathering and paint effects that promise a high level of realism.

Construction is CardPlanes traditional former heavy style. The wings will be a treat.


Moving on to the beginnings of the build.
The aft fuselage structure is straight-forward. The prototype aircraft had many stringers rounding out the fuselage shape and this is reflected in the formers which are faceted, and will be in the skins which have numerous score lines. Allowances are made in the formers and keel for the thickness of the joining strips as well.

The Cock pit is one of those jewels that makes a photo thread worthwhile. Marvelously detailed down to the tie rods in the fuselage structure, it will all be barely visible through the cockpit opening, but we'll all know its there<g>

The fuselage side frames have strips to face all of the cut edges. The tie rods are made of 32ga beading wire stretched straight then cut to length.

The tubular seat frame supports are supposed to be rolled, but I cheated and used peeled Q-tip (ear bud) sticks. I used the same for the control stick, one of the control torque tubes and for the big lever that is probably a parking brake (no, really).

I printed a second page of the cockpit on regular paper to make some of the rolled parts easier. I also used it to make the floorboard/ heel plates. it's easier to cut out the bottom frame without them and add them as separate pieces. That also let me pierce them with many tiny holes. I figured with the level of detail in the cockpit it was only right<g>

The throttle levers are wire, with blobs of tinted glue for knobs.