Finally another update! Time at the bench has been scarce lately making for a lengthy time between updates.
Been fiddling with it here and there and I figured I finally had enough to report on my progress. Without further ado...
I modified the landing gear legs by shortening them about 1mm. I used the gear covers as a gauge as to how much to shorten them.
I modified the kit prop and spinner by scribing a panel line forward of the blades. I drilled out the center and added a hucks starter hub from plastic rod that I drilled out to match my references. I added styrene and putty behind the blades to enclose the propeller blades and give the proper impression of a hub back plate. There are three holes, one between each blade that was for being able to spray deicing fluid on the prop pitch control parts. This detail was absent also so I marked and drilled them out.
The landing gear covers were glued to the legs and the pair received a coat of gloss black enamel followed by alclad airframe aluminum. After drying they received a generous coat of future finish applied by brush. The oleo boots were painted raw umber. I added brake lines from .010 beading wire and lead wire. The connectors I made from plastic cotton swab sticks stretched over a flame to the desired diameter then cut to size. This is exactly the same technique used to stretch sprue. I have no hypodermic needles or microscopic brass tubing so this comes in very handy.
I made the Type 100 reflective sight from pieces of styrene, copper wire and soda can aluminum. I counted 23 separate pieces total to make it!
This part was definitely a test of patience but I think it was worth it. The most tedious part? Making the cross hairs for the ring and bead backup sight out of copper wire! I used future to glue them together as anything else would have filled in the ring.
That's it for now. Things are wrapping up, I am already in the beginning stages of weathering. See you guys next time, hopefully sooner than later, and thanks for looking in.