About time I entered here
Decided on this:
Am includes Aires wheels, cause Trumpeters are the size of Mac Truck tires, Masks, Master Model pitot tube, and not pictured are Aires cockpit and exhaust Nozzle. I gotta say this looks like one of Trumpeter's better 1/48 kits. Rivet detail is not over done and the panel lines are crisp and even. Just never mind the kit's own inaccuracies...
First up is the Aires cockpit. It's more accurate than the kit pit but the seat is still a bit off. It sits in the tubular frame a little weird and the ejection rails are a bit too short. I also think the back rest padding isn't supposed to be there? Anyway its all painted up and awaiting installation:
I got the cockpit fitted with lots of fuss and grinding. It has to sit on top of the intake trunking and there is no positive locating means at all. Lots of dry fitting was in order. Same goes for the exhaust pipe. The fusleage halves fit almost perfectly. The only issue with them and the rest of the kit parts is the sprue attachment points. They are thick and overlap the edge of each part, making trimming a pain. Here's the fuselage with everything stuffed inside:
Cockpit close ups:
Intake seams sanded:
Not much putty at all needed on the top and bottom seams:
There was a long, raised mold line that needed to be sanded out along the edge of each fuselage half. I did some rescribing afterwards.
The stabilators attach solid with a slot molded in the fuselage halves. I wanted to pose mine down so I filled the slot and added a aluminum rod in the stabilator end:
A look down the backside:
Now to fit the wings to the fuselage. This jet is gonna be pretty large once the main assembly is done. More on the way!