Grant, true but I suspect that it was a matter of keeping things simple whilst providing the strongest join for the undercarriage.
That said, the wing attachments are far from simple. As mentioned above, it seems Trumpeter botched the attachment detail and this was mentioned in at least one other review that I read. A box is provided to secure the wing and the box slides into a corresponding opening in the wing. A springy clip on top of the box is supposed to engage a lip inside the wing to pull things tight. Great in theory....
Here's the box attached to the fuselage. Take good note of the angle that the box makes with the outline of the fairing for the wing.
Looks odd, doesn't it? Well, that's because it is! The box is placed at a distinct angle to the wing chord and there is no way that the box can be incorrectly placed as locating pins are provided and the right and left boxes are identical parts. Below is the corresponding opening in the wing that the box fits into. The lip for the spring clip can be seen on the inner surface of the upper wing half. Note how the opening pretty much parallels the wing chord.
A dry fit reveals that the fit of the box into the opening is extremely sloppy and that the spring clip doesn't engage with the lip on the wing. This make the box almost entirely irrelevant. In the following pic, note how the wing contour, as expected, doesn't even come close to following the fairing outlined on the fuselage. And this is despite the fact that, with the 3-4mm up and down slop at the leading edge, I've come as close as I could to the fairing contour.
Very, very naughty Mr. Trumpeter. Off to the corner with you! I will now need to investigate which is correct: the fairing outline on the fuselage, or the wing as placed over the box. The two little square patches on the fuselage at the trailing, which represent external access points to first aid boxes stowed inside the fuselage, might provide a guide clue.
In other news, the starboard wing halves have been brought together:
This will enable me to finish off the last few details in the wheel well that could only be done with the halves mated. I've also begun addressing the fuselage seam which displays some minor imperfections that need attention. On the underside, the bulky beam approach antenna (I think) will be removed to allow access to the seam.
That's all for today. Back when I have either more progress or some epiphanies.