I think youre right Jim. If there was a gun nose on it it was a very stubby one. I would bet all there was just was the firewall there.
Been struggling with the engines to get them glued on and aligned right and believe I've succeeded with the starboard one. Will have pictures after I get the port one on.
using the sprue sticks for attachment as well as a mount for the props will help with the nacelle alignment and also make for a very sturdy attachment.
I finished getting the engines on and started work on the new gunn nose. I had the drop tank from a 1/48th scale Monogram Hellcat in my spares box that looked to be the correct width so I cut it up and began putting the nose together.
Picture 1) More work on the nose and here it is test fitted. I'm very happy with the shape I'm getting from the Hellcat tanks. It still needs a lot of filler and sanding.
Picture 2) I used the rear 1/2 of a drop tank from a 1/48th Monogram P-40C kit for the upper rear nacelles. It worked out better than I had hoped. I'm not going to have it so easy when I tackle the 1/48th version without all these drop tanks available as they would have to be in 1/32nd scale and I don't have anything like that in my spares box.
Picture 3) Work started on the lower nacelles. I have no idea where these parts came from but I had them in the spares box and they looked like they could be made to work. The long sprue stick is not for the landing gear, I just left it there as a temporary handle. It's just a spacer to hold the rear of the nacelles open wider. it will be cut off and filed to shape the more abbreviated rear end of the nacelles.
I like it !
It's great to see another devious mind working out how to do things, and what to use to do it! A very good demonstration of what the spares box is there for !