REVISED:
Assorted pictures of the fuselage details. Some of these photos are Kevin's. We live 20 minutes apart, and got together a few times to compare notes, and work on "stuff". In the pictures of the fuselages together, Kevin's is on the right in the "upright" photo, and mine is one the right in the "inverted" picture, (it is truly remarkable what sanding does to transform the fuselage). Wait 'till you see the upcoming pictures before the top, side, and nose blocks are sanded!!
In the pictures of the engine compartment, Kevin and I both chose to build ours with the engine compartment open like Ed did. As mentioned earlier, the plan makes provision for either an OPEN or ENCLOSED cowl area. In the corners you will need to add pieces of filler balsa...even so, there are places where the balsa is pretty thin in the corners...especially if you go for a "sleek" look, (which I did). Hold the nose up to a bright light, and watch for this possibility if you want a sleeker look.
Admittedly, I did a great deal of final sanding, taking as much off as I could to give the leanest, sleekest look I could on my prototype, especially on the top and bottom nose blocks. You will notice in the balsa, (unfinished) side view up above that the plane has a decided "Taurus" look to it, and it needed to be more slender. After that early picture was taken and I studied the side view, I "sanded the heck" out of the nose blocks to try as much as possible to achieve this more "Simla" look.
In the final plan revision, small changes were made by Jeff to narrow the nose section, and give that more "slender/sleek" look to make it look more like the Simla, and less like a large Taurus.
About the open engine compartment, I had never done this before, and originally was against the concept of "letting it all hang out", but I really warmed to the idea as time went by. I really like it now, and hardly even think of it, it's quicker and easier to build, the engine and nose gear is easy to get to, and best of all...it's the way Ed did it.
More to come.
Duane