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The main issue with the newer Airfix 1:72 and 1:48th Canberra kits tailplane really needs to be understood for it to be corrected properly. The real Canberra tailplane has a 10 degree dihedral which it maintains across each half span from the fuselage joint. Airfix have made the fixed stub part molded on the fuselage level (ie no dihedral), this in effect raises the upper tailplane surface join position too high on the fuselage, even though the main mounting slots and the tailplane are pretty much in the right position. The stub also looks completely wrong when compared to an actual Canberra as it lacks the leading edge sweep back, by removing the stubs you eradicate these issues. Why Airfix did this is a mystery as no other Canberra kit, including their old classic B(I).6 kit features this. To the eye the actual tailplanes appear to simply butt up to the fuselage tail assembly, in reality, it's a bit more involved than that though. The tailplane assembly is hinged at it's forward spar and has an electrically actuated drive at the rear to allow it to travel up and down to adjust trim of the aircraft in pitch. The rear fuselage has a cutout to allow for this movement which is why you can see a clear gap under the tailplane when it is in neutral - to trim up position, usually when the aircraft is parked. The small section of fuselage above the tailplane is mounted to it, and moves with it, but has a slot in the top to avoid the fin rudder assembly. There is a tailplane leading edge root fairing fixed to the fuselage. Hopefully these pictures illustrate what I mean, you can see how a small section of the aft upper fuselage section moves with the tailplane, from the hinge point just ahead of the national markings on the fin - to the break point with a white painted aft face. The fuselage tailcone assembly adjacent to the elevators is fixed. Canberra T.4 WJ874 by James Thomas, on Flickr Canberra T.4 WJ874 by James Thomas, on Flickr Canberra PR.9 XH135 by James Thomas, on Flickr Canberra PR.9 XH135 by James Thomas, on Flickr As said, the Airfix tailplane/fuselage junction stub is molded into the fuselage, this can be completely removed as it is solid plastic, and the remaining area shaped to conform with the correct fuselage contours. At this stage, an easier fix would be to butt join the tailplane halves into the existing slots. The tailplanes themselves will then need plasticard adding at the join area to compensate for the loss of span with the removed fuselage plastic. The slightly more involved, but ultimately more satisfying and correct, route is to make the whole tailplane assembly as English Electric did. The tailplane can be made into a single assembly by making up a new box structure between the two halves (the included kit tailplane tabs will help you here), and between the tailplane front spar (the tailplane hinge point) and the elevator hinge line. Cutting out the corresponding section in the fuselage is the next step. This will allow for both a more life like appearance and to be able to mount the tailplane at a desired incidence. Back of envelope sketch, 030 (2) by James Thomas, on Flickr

Having recently finished a TSR2 and now getting close to the same problem with an Airfix Lightning F2, what do you guys use to support tailplanes that have a wobbly fix while the cement sets? I'm looking for something other than pots, bits of sprue etc and already have my trusted Berna clamps which are good, but don't help measure the angle of the dangle... Suggestions?