The kit comes with a four piece base of clear parts on the same sprue as all the cockpit glazing windows turrets and nav lights. I want to build a beaching dolly so I thought I would start with the base the kit provides. It fits the hull rear of the step when assembled which didn't look right. I taped all the parts together as it would be completed and this baby is a major tail sitter ! The fun part, nothing says I'm doing serious stuff like flames heat and smoke where the War Dept is concerned. Melted down some old battery terminals to make some ballast weight and it needs a lot !
Air gun pellets are a good source of lead weight, and they can be flattened, with a hammer. to make them fit !
I also use strips of lead roof 'flashing' - although someone told me that roof on the local church now leaks ................
Well I have to say I haven't had as much time to work on this as I would like being summer and all and all the outside things that go along with it shaking off Canadian style cabin fever. I did manage to get some painting done. The curious thing. Most of the kits I looked at that others have built it appears the camouflage has been painted 70/71/65 ? To the best of my knowledge marine planes were 72/73/65. The instructions also call for this combination so that's where I went. The wing is done as are the engine nacelles. I have still yet to drill out the exhaust stacks but it's coming along a little bit at a time. Thanks for all the kind comments, I can't wait to see this finished, such a cool looking plane !