1. These are the basic plastic parts included in your kit, make sure you have all that is shown here. If for some reason you come up short send us a quick e-mail and I’ll get a replacement part right out to you. That also holds true if you mess something up beyond repair, all I ask is that in this case you cover the shipping costs.

 

  1. First identify and gather the parts shown above. The parts with the red shading will need to be filled with a mixture of Micro-Balloons and 30 min epoxy. Mix a thick batch using plenty of Micro-Blalloons to epoxy. Fill only the shaded areas shown. You may fill other parts if you want, like the oxygen regulator, it’s up to you.

 

 

  1. After the filler dries I like to cut the parts out with a hobby knife. Just make sure the blade does not climb up the side of the part, for some reason it likes to do this.

 

 

  1. I like to cut the parts out while the epoxy filler is still a little soft. It cuts much easier this way. After they fully dry, us some sandpaper folded into a manageable size and sand the corners. Some corners should be rounded, like the grips on the gun sights. If the filler did not stick to well, wick in a very small amount of thin CA, this will make it permanent.

 

 

  1. Install some 1/8” dowel in the tallest of the formed seat tubes. This is for the pilots seat support. Use Medium CA and then sand the plastic and wood seam to smooth it out.

 

 

  1. For the gun sight pivot point you have 2 options. 1. You can leave the part as is (right side), or you can add a small amount of ¼” balsa and sand it to shape for a very much improved look. It takes a little more time but it’s well worth the effort, it’s up to you.

 

 

  1. Using your Dremel and a 1/8” drill bit, router out a hole big enough for the gun sight pivot point to fit in.

 

 

  1. Glue the parts together as shown above with Medium CA. Next cut out the gun sight lens part as shown above.

 

 

 

  1. Here is the completed upper gun sight mechanism.

 

 

  1. Next we’ll do the seats, shown here are the basic plastic parts needed.

 

 

  1. Cut out the three seat bottoms using the very tip of a pair of scissors. Leave about 1/8” of overhang on the edge.

 

 

  1. Cut out the pilots seat back exactly as shown. The small ledge on the bottom will be used to rest the seat bottom on. For some extra detail you may want to open the two dimples on the seat back.

 

 

  1. Cut the small circular seat mounts. To do this you will need to make a line around the bottom. Block up a standard pencil 3/8” and turn the part so that the pencil marks a cut line around the bottom.

 

 

  1. Here you can see a perfect line, just where it needs to be. Carefully cut these parts out for the next step.

 

 

  1. I’m installing 2 gun sights, not all aircraft had 2, but I like the detail. With two the Radar Operator could take over on the turret if they got a bogie on their tail. Here I’ve positioned the seat support on the Radar Operators floor piece. You will need to do this so that you can have the seat facing the rear of the airplane.

 

 

  1. To get a good bond, CA and Micro-Balloons is a good combination. I like to add some Micro-Balloons to the top of the lower seat support as shown above before I glue on the top piece with Medium CA. Make sure the top piece is as straight as possible, if not you may have to shim it up with balsa later. When you glue the tip piece on just move the part around and the M-B will stick to the inside of the part welding it together.

 

 

  1. Next we’ll do the pilots seat. This one is a little tricky so take your time and test fit everything before you start gluing.

 

 

 

  1. Glue the seat bottom to the seat back as shown. Use some Micro-Balloons and CA on the bottom of the joint so that it holds together well.

 

 

  1. Test fit the side pieces and rest the seat on it’s mounting block. Notice that I cut very small notches into the center tube on the side seat supports so that the seat back will fit. Do not glue the seat to the floor yet, use Medium CA and glue the side rails on first.

 

 

  1. For some added detail you can add a small section of retract air line to the top of the seat. This is entirely optional and is not included in the kit. I found that Century Jet air line is easiest to work with, but I have used the Robart stuff also. With a very sharp hobby knife, very carefully split the tubing and glue it on with medium CA, one section at a time.

 

 

  1. Cut out your cockpit floors and test fit those now. Either file the hole for the nose wheel or cut some plastic to get the gunners floor to fit. Now we can glue the pilots seat to the front cockpit floor, make sure it’s straight and glue it in with Medium CA.

 

 

  1. Use the small piece of plastic tubing provided for the shoulder harness attachment point. Lightly bend the plastic until it holds it’s shape and then glue it on with Medium CA. There should be a small gap between the seat back and the middle of the plastic rod.

 

 

23. Te help anchor the control column and the manual hydraulic lever, add some balsa to the two mounting areas as shown A.

 

 

 

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