Welcome aboard, friends
@ Isaac - you know that I almost always assemble the canopy in the closed position. It is an option and your suggestion is good. I left the canopy open in the Vindicator and it was a good choice...
Despite the V-type engine, the fuselage is rather deeper than, for example, on a Spitfire. A good consequence is that the cockpit floor, in the kit, is a solid card part. The pictures show the fuselage structure ahead of the cockpit. It includes space for the pedals.