It's getting more confusing, as there was a SEAC fuselage roundel that was more like the RAAF one, and a Pacific Fleet roundel and bar that had a white outline to the bars, but yellow outline to the roundel. The upper wing SEAC roundels have also been seen with the same proportions as the fuselage roundel, and the white outlined SEAC roundel was only normally seen on aircraft that were blue, mainly Corsairs.
Then there were aircraft that joined the Pacific Fleet from SEAC, but retained the SEAC roundels, like the Avenger I'm doing (according to the FAA Archive, FAA Officers Assoc and other sources), which have appeared in pics and paintings. But, these dispensed with the SEAC white stripes on wings, tailplanes and fin!
And then, of course, there was the two-tone blue SEAC markings, mainly, but not just, RAF, also used in the Pacific!!
Thank whoever I don't normally model this theatre!
Anyway, I've had to change plans regarding the build sequence.
Because of the fit problem with the bomb - bay doors, I've had to disassemble them, with some cost to the paintwork (Grrr!), and fit the hinge and actuator mechanisms into the bay, along with the upper pair of doors. I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to get away without fitting the lower (inner) doors until later, as the assemblies are still setting. I'm not touching anything until they are totally 100% firm, otherwise they'll end up crooked.
This will make the masking and painting a little more tricky, and there's the possibility of some slight runs in the paint around the doors and the outer edges of the bay, but I'd rather risk that than totally f**k up the overall paint finish by trying to position and glue the whole assembly later, now that I know it'll flop about like Lucky after a long session!
If anyone is considering building this excellent kit, I'd reccomend lots of trial fitting, and probably ignore the instructions re the bomb doors, and fit them the way I'm now doing. The reason being, the hinges and associated mechanism assemblies are to scale, which means they are thin, and therefore move about under the weight of the doors as they are being positioned. Superglue can't be used as a first fix, as the whole gubbins needs to be manouvered and positioned. I'll confirm my modified method once I know it's successful, and I'll post some pics once it's done.
Because EVERYTHING is to scale, some of the locating and fitting has to be spot on, but it does mean that joints, for instance at the wings and tailplanes, are true to life. The scale is so good, that even the sliding canopy rails look right!
So, that's enough waffel from me, I've got some bomb doors to bash... I mean carefully locate and cement!