I sold on all of my old
Airfix 1/24 aircraft because of the issues involved dealing with old moulds - flash, warping etc. I'm beginning to wish I'd sold this thing on too!
There are no positive location points on the airframe for either the inlet or exhaust pipes that come from the cylinders - only a small pin and locating hole at the cylinder end so assembly of the engine is going to be fiddly to say the least. While I was pondering how to sort this out, I thought I'd have a look at the undercarriage.
There are no location points for the doors on the tailwheel assembly other than the link arms that pull them shut when the gear retracts - only some tabs on the doors themselves which locate inside the fuselage. But you need to attach them to the tailwheel mounting before adding the assembly to the airframe because there are no location points on the fuselage for the tailwheel assembly itself!
That's after you've fixed the ejector pin marks inside the doors of course. I cut some thin card to the right shape and size and fixed it in the recesses rather than fiddling about filling and sanding.
The main gear legs have a pivot rod which slots into a u-shaped mounting block on the wing. This is the BEST fit I have been able to get so far without starting any modifications:
View attachment 96813
View attachment 96814
The whole mounting block in the wing is turned through 15 - 20 degrees so the wheels don't face forward and the base of the u/c leg catches on the mounting block when the leg is only at about 70 degrees.
There's a support strut to be added somewhere too, although the diagrams only show how it attaches to the u/c leg - no indication whatsoever of where the other end goes!
I've looked at some white metal replacement parts, but the problem is the mounting block in the wing itself so they wouldn't help. I could add bits to the existing mounting or remove it and build another but both are big jobs and very tricky as there's very little room to work between the u/c bay walls.
Maybe I could do a 'wheels-up version - use the pilot supplied, scrap the seatbelts and repaint the seat, then I could make a stand to fit the huge slots in the bottom of the fuselage which hold the slipper tank which I can't use ......
I already know I'm going to do the flaps closed because there's so much work involved correcting the actuators ....
.... and it looked so good in the box!
.... and why am I having to wait while my 'puter tries to keep up with my one-finger typing?
Bedtime methinks!