I've just spent a couple of day fiddling with this one and I'm happy to say were now well underway and she is all closed up.
The ejector seat (resin) and cockpit housing which had to be modified to fit the seat. The arm panels are PE parts and as you can see the whole unit sits upon the nose wheel bay.
Looking at the nose wheel bay, it is somewhat ordinary so I decide to liven it up a little. I have no references for within the bay so this is just me taking modellers liberty!
Next up is the instrument panel. The model though a GR3 is from the earlier production aircraft so there is a bit of scratch building with a map screen added in the centre and other panelling and such along the sill of the panel. The reflector sight will be fitted later.
Once everything was set, I closed it up. Sadly this was not without a few problems which will need attention. In essence, one half of the mould is slightly longer than the other by about 0.5mm and 1mm in width which certainly knocks out the central line. The vertical tail fin is also taller and wide in one half than the other and in parts the joining edges are rolled down which creates a nice little furrow for filling. So tomorrow will be fill and file day.
While I was waiting for the two halves to set together I took a look at the clear plastic which was still in it's original wrapping. To my horror the front canopy screen has three small bulging blobs on the inside. At first I thought they were bubbles in the Perspex but luckily not.
I must now make a confession. In the past I have encouraged others to clean up scratch or mark problems like this by using graded filling but in effect I have
NEVER BEFORE DONE IT MYSELF. Now I had no choice, so in for a penny in for a pound. The results you can see for yourselves which was finished off with a final polish using car cutting polish cream. The little "Q" tip file is from a set that is graded from 100grit to 12000grit in 12 stages.