There are fine gaps remaining which I filled with Kristal Kleer. The model builds up quickly, and mostly problem-free. A note on the engines: I drilled holes at regular intervals in to the crank case into which I cemented copper wire. I also drilled plug holes into the cylinder heads. The result - a very convincing engine ignition harness. Likewise with the landing gear, the addition of brake pipes can make a lot of difference. In the case of the F7-F, these are moulded onto both gear legs. From here I moved onto undercoat and pre-shading, after which a couple of days were set aside to allow adequate drying. The top coat was a mixture of black and tan. This produces a warm or 'light' black that allows the earlier shading to show through.


Twenty four hours later and the surface is dry enough to accept panel toning and exhaust stains. Because the paint is applied in such small amounts, it's dry enough to have a decent layer of gloss varnish. It doesn't need to be a piano finish, but smooth enough to allow decals to go down well.