Viggie #4
2013-01-03 Project start

Once Viggie 2 reached the end of it's usefulness as a conversion platform, the task was passed to this kit. In addition to serving as a scaffold to build the conversion parts on (which off course invloved removal of most of the top of the fuselage), this kit also served as a donor for the new canopies I'll be casting and using. That meant cutting slots along the "panel" lines marking the edge of the canopies, taping the fuselage halves together, and then applying solvent only to the parts of the fuselage that represent the canopies. Once fully cured, the canopies were then separated from the rest of the fuselage by cutting through the rest of the "panel" lines with a foto-etched saw. Finnicky business, I assure you. The part of the fuselage behind the rear cockpit was glued up in a similar fashion, and then joined to the upper deck replacement. Finally, this was cut loose from the fuselage halves, resulting in the somewhat reduced fuselage halves shown below.

Apart from the occasional dry fitting, this is probably all I'll have to use Viggie 4 for during the construction of the fuselage replacement. Given the current state of Viggie 4, I think it will eventually become the first A-5A conversion actually finished. Until the resin parts are ready, this kit goes on hold.