The Little World

I’ve given up a lot of things in my old age: marathon running, ballet, and regular bathing. But I have not given up dry-fitting models.

As a kid it was a major part of a build, with gradual dry assembly taking weeks before any cementation. I’m faster these days ( no school homework ), and the kits are sometimes much better, but the step is still vital. I can tell when a job is going to be a sod of a thing before I am into the glue pot.

Italeri kits – like Tamiya and Hasegawa ones – are nearly always guaranteed to fit well. It takes a great deal of bad storage to warp one out of shape and there are few short shots. Some details may be simplified, but it is to the advantage of an average modeller, rather than otherwise.

The dry-fit also lets you check the nose weight before closing the fuselage.

This aircraft will probably need very little filler – the under-wing seams seem to be the only intrusive thing,. The tape is to allow it to hang together are each component is added.

Note that Italeri have provided more than just a choice between one-or two-man versions. There is a dogfight, anti radar, and anti-shipping load-out in the weaponry, and even open or closed afterburner vanes. Bet that doesn’t stop the after-market firms from bagging up everything else.