You're too kind chaps - it's not that good !
In fact, it's a bit rough in parts, compared to my usual standards. I'm having real problems getting my hands to work, and even picking up a tool from the bench is a major exercise - it's really p*ss*ng me off!!
Anyway, I've made in-roads with the gun pods, and I think they might work out reasonably well. They won't be totally accurate, but they should look acceptable, unless compared to a photo of the real thing.
Apologies for the poor photos - they were taken in a rush, in a combination of weird natural daylight and desk lamps, and the camera sensor does not like the green cutting mat!
PIC 1. The Hurricane tanks were first cemented together, and then the bands were removed, with the aid of a modelling chisel - and I've still got all my fingers!
PIC 2. Next step was to remove the unwanted plastic at front and rear, retaining the ends, which had already been roughly filed to shape.
PIC 3. A length of soft plastic tube was inserted into the tank body, to help reinforce the joints on the end pieces, and also to provide a 'base' for the gun barrels to rest in, once the slots have been drilled and shaped.
PIC 4. With both end 'caps' cemented in place, and the joints reinforced with 'superglue', the basic shape was created, involving lots of elbow grease with various files, followed by scraping and sanding, a number of unprintable phrases, and quite a bit of pain and discomfort!
PIC 5. The slots for the guns have been drilled and filed, and the ejector ports for the links and spent cases cut, along with the rear (gas relief?) vents. There's still a long way to go yet, and this is only one pod, but once the various apertures are perfected, and some more sanding done to improve the overall shape, the whole lot will receive a fine sanding, followed by polishing, before the blisters are added, and the panel lines and hatches engraved and deflectors and links chutes fabricated. The gun barrels will be added after painting.
That little lot, on one pod, took around ten hours, about three times as long as it should have taken, had my hands been working, so I'm now totally b*ll*xed, and going for a lie down!