ALT 1977 1/400 [6]

I have finished the forward section of the SCA. I decided to leave the wing root section for later and started with the tail section. This is near finishing, it just needs the APU tail cone and the tail planes.
And still I am not really happy about how the model turns out.
It's not the model itself, the fit is good and the parts all are well designed. It is mainly the size I work in and the amount of parts that make up the hull. The more segments, the more seamlines you get. And all the lines look equally visible in 1/400 as they are in 1/144. It is just that in 1/144 the seams are wider apart and the parts all are bigger. This results in a smoother looking surface, but not in 1/400.
I guess I will just go on with this build now just to see what the end result will be. Maybe after finishing, it won't look too bad all together.
I sure hope so.
Here's the batch o' pics for today (more after the jump):

The 'bulge" is attached to the forward section, and I added the structural reinforcing where the front attachment point of the shuttle is situated.

 

A look inside the forward end, I used bulkheads with holes so I could tinker with their positioning.

The tail end under construction.

Bulkhead with an opening for the tail section

Top view of the tail section. Upward facing is the starboard tailplane opening. Complex shape; it starts up front as almost circular, then changes into a horizontally flattened oval shape and then becomes a vertically positioned rectangle with rounded squares. It still looks a bit crude but after the tail planes are added I think it looks much better.

Watching glue dry.

A bit wobbly still, but that soon will be over.

Thanks for watching and see you soon!