The inlet houses two separated ( bifurcated ) air ducts. The left side will feed the forward engine below and aft of the cockpit in the center fuselage and the right duct goes up a bit and to the right of the cockpit all the way back to the rear engine.
To achieve this, and provide the illusion of both air ducts going into the fuselage, there is a need for some structure.
Here is the frame assembly
multiple dry fits done into the forward fuselage skins.
The framing will not be glued into the skins yet. It will be done when I add fuselage sections aft.
going aft
Here is a view of the gun port. Not one of my better ones, but could use a bit more dirtying ....
Isaac