Dunny

Alistair, Nice work - the cockpit is looking suitably busy! Cheers, Roger

I couldn't agree more Chris - sadly my bank manager does not...

Adrian, All looking very civilised - you have the measure of this one! Cheers, Roger

Thanks Alistair! I am optimistic at this stage...

Mark, What a great idea - as a past master of DSD I wholly ascribe to this approach! Said undersides looking lovely, Cheers, Roger

Thanks Mark - real life is so inconvenient, don't you think?!

Hi All, Some progress on the Beau after what has been a rather busy week of preparation and job interviews (which will hopefully bear fruit!) First job of the day was the instrument panel. I'd fluffed up applying the decal yesterday, so I repainted the base colour black, dry-brushed with white and then applied gloss coat to the instrument faces: I reckon that'll do seeing as it won't be seen! Here's the cockpit starting to come together: And here we are mostly completed after an oil wash: Before joining the fuselage halves I added the beam hatch (on my previous Mk.I build I'd left this hatch open), and added the tail wheel bay, central bulkhead and Elsan. Here's the lot ready to go together: Aaand all buttoned up: Not looking too bad! Next I thought I'd better double check the fit of the turret in the Mk.Ia fairing (which is not noted in the instructions). Here it is: It all seems to fit okay, but I did need to remove a small pip at the base of the turret structure in order for it to sit down on the mounting ring: You can see that I've chosen to paint the entire turret black (the glazing will also be this colour). No doubt someone will now pipe up and prove me wrong, so there's still time to correct it! The last thing I've done today is apply the glazing, and Airfix really are to be congratulated on the fit of these components - a lovely, vice free operation for a complex glass house! Tomorrow I'll get on to the wings and empennage, Thanks for looking, Roger

Crikey Alistair, This is frying pan to fire stuff with all that PE after the Stringbag! Let's hope the Meteor can provide some light relief, Cheers, Roger

Alistair, Sorry to hear your woes. With the wing joint do you need to remove the existing pieces or could you position the fold pieces over them? Hope you can resolve it - in the mean time I'd do as Mark suggests and bash out a quick mojo restorer, Cheers, Roger

And the civilized world breathed a sigh of relief that the master craftsman had overcome his bout of procrastination

Alistair, That's a lovely build of this unusual type (also explains why you have been quiet of late ) Cheers, Roger

Seafire looking lovely Chris - leave the Sea Hurri be! Cheers, Roger

Alistair, Very nice - you are making a jump from WW2 to early jets even more tempting! Cheers Roger

Rob, I shall just @bigbadbadge here. Chris is the acknowledged master of the hairy stick and I'm sure will be happy to impart some tricks, Cheers, Roger

Thanks for the kind words Russ! Thanks very much Troy - gold dust as ever, Cheers, Roger