The Little World

With your fingers crossed. This is the normal mode of operation when cabane and inter-plane struts are concerned. With Czech kits the legs are also intertwined and you run the risk of falling sideways off the stool in the workshop.

Matchbox made the process a little less fraught by sectioning the upper wing in three parts. You attached the centre section first on four large struts. The upper section of these slid into the nacelles and eventually butted up against the underside of the top wing and trapped the strut. Then you gingerly lowered the struts into the rectangular slots on the lower wing and held it until it set.

I used Mr Cement Special cement for these tougher jobs. It’s viscid and can cling to the parts while you move them about. One brush coat to each fitting surface…wait a minute..then another quick dab on one surface and put them together. The grip is quick but there is wiggle time. If you’ve planned supports for the parts you can leave them for a half hour with the confidence that you can handle the assembly when you come back to it.

But a half hour is the minimum – I left the centre for two hours and then attached the outer panels. The dry-fit and careful preparation of the pegs into the holes was the secret. You don’t want a baulk when you are finally coming into registration.

I’m pretty proud of myself – that’s 6 struts per side and no blood on the workbench.

Question: was this the vilest of the Matchbox colour combos for the kit? I think the Percival Provost in orange and white was the least palatable… I built one and my left eye still aches in wet weather.