Douglas SBD "Dauntless" for PSS - new (quick!) build

The SBD was a pretty sturdy and effective aircraft from WW2.  Not only a dive bomber, they were used as scouts for the carrier fleet and due to their overall ruggedness, the pilots took no crap from enemy fighters and engaged them aggressively when threatened. 

Hobbyking do a lovely all-built-up ARTF SBD for not a lot of money, and I splashed the cash a week or so ago for one.  Of course, they are set up for IC / EP with an undercarriage etc, but they also come with impressive dive brakes and centre flap; some lovely scale detailing on the covering; a decent cockpit set; a glassfibre cowl; and of course retracts.

Hefty all-electric retracts:

Lovely split dive brakes: 

An FG cowl:

A fattish semi-symetrical section:

Nice detail all over, really: 

So, to work!  Retracts out, centre flap servo hole boarded up (I will do this differently), e-flight bomb release slot added:

The retract wells get covered up by some lovely heavy-plastic gear doors (not shown yet).

Wings joined with wood glue on the heft quarter inch ply joiners:

Cockpit detailed up, re-painted, and weathered where necessary.  I converted the single-piece cockpit to the four-piece type as shown in the full size photo above, and as used in combat:

9 cylinder radial drawn-up and printed, pushrods added, ready for primer:

So she's about like this at the moment - servos and control rods just going in, then some more weathering, and then the serial decals etc.

More to follow!