First Post & Question on P-40

[Modelbuilder60]

Hello, fellow model building enthusiasts! I am currently building a Guillow's Series 400 P-40. It is my first Guillow's kit and it has been going together fairly easily although I have hit a snag and this is what this post is about. I'm having difficulty with attaching the front plastic cowling to the fuselage. All of the pictures I've seen at Virtual Aerodome look like the cowl fits over the fuselage and the instructions seem to indcate that also. Could anyone give me some tips on how to do that as that cowling is definitely smaller than the front portion of the fuselage. Sanding it would seem to destroy the front stringers. I'd appreciate any suggestions.Thanks

[Wildpig]

Hi Modelbuilder,
I have not built the 400 series P-40 but the process is similar on many of their kits. I see two options:
Sand away the front former. Yes, you will reduce some of the stringers.

or mate the plastic cowl flush with the sides of the Former, that is, no transition lip. To do this you will have to build up a balsa 1/16" reinforcement inside the plastic cowl. Sort of a smaller version of the front Former. (Probably labeled B1 in your kit). This gives the cowl something to be glued to.

This forum can be kind of quiet at times but, if you wait, someone else should chime in. Our resident 400 series model builder is away for several days. He's sailing on the ocean blue.

By the way, is this for static display or you planning on flying your model. If you are going to fly it, you may need to build a balsa nose block for that cowl piece.

[Modelbuilder60]

Thanks for the info. I suspected that might be the case, I was just wondering if there was any way to soften the plastic cowl enough to fit it over the front former. I'm building this as a static model chiefly to develop my building skills. I've been away from this since I was a young boy. Thanks again!

[Coloradoken]

My experience with these kits is that the nose cowl is always a really tight fit . I usually taper the mating balsa former to get a snug fit and then use a nail salon emery board (thanks to the wife) to get a seamless fit. No other easy way that I have found that works as well. Good luck.

[Bill Gaylord]

It's not too difficult to cut stringer lengths of around an inch or so, and glue them to the inside of the front stringers to thicken them. With gap filling CA and a knife it's fast and easy. Apply glue to the inside of the stringers and use the knife to poke the cut stringer lengths so that you can position and press them against the inside of the fuse stringers.

[davidchoate]

I used paper, and clear thin windshield material left from another plane. . Look at the photo.