Ok, my Lublin R.XIIIter Hydro will be my first build of 2016 (well, at least the first one I'm starting. I may build another simultaneously).
So far, it's a lot of PE madness. I glued the wing together. It's four parts, and just like the real thing, Mirage molded this single wing as left and right halves. So I have a bit of seam cleanup ahead, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the parts fit.
The floats went together well for the most part, but will need some seam cleanup. More importantly, it looks like Mirage molded deep panel lines where there should be a smooth surface with rivets. All my reference photos show a slick surface, so I plan on filling all the lines, sanding them smooth and then hitting them with my new rivet tool.
The kit cockpits basically include two seats mounted to bulkheads, and instrument panel with little detail and a control stick that just goes into the floor. Some framework is molded on the insides of the fuselage.
In short, I'm glad I ordered the Part PE set, even though its instructions are rather vague.
The only part of the kit cockpit I will be using is the control stick, as the PE set comes with the control wheel. When the Polish Navy ordered the last of its R.XIII hydros (numbers 714-719), they ordered them with standard control columns. As I'll be building 714, I grafted the kit column onto the PE linkage.
That's all for now, but I am already liking this subject, and this group build. I think it is always fun to get away from 109s, 190s, P-51s and Spitfires and build the less-storied planes. Floaters tend to fit the bill nicely.
-BD-