Tamjets Rafale Build

First Impressions
All I can say is this is by far the best looking ARF that I have ever seen come from any of those factories in china. All the glue joints are nice and bonded, all fillets are even. Landing gear are the best to date that I have seen from anyone, all machined… the paint job is awesome with lots of detail like hand drawled rivets, must be thousands on rivets. All the body parts fit without bind. In all at first glimps this ARF is A+++. “Now to the build Hope that’s good as the visual” I could not wait for the manual so I started putting her together.

Retracts
I started with the retracts since this should be a drop in and bolt processes, but this is not the case. I test fit the first main and the mounting plates were no ware wide enough to even drop in to get a bolt pattern started. This required cutting off some of the plate insides about 3mm on each side. Then I was able to drop the mains in and get a bolt pattern for final mount. After that I needed to cut out the gear door area for strut and wheel clearance.
Now on to the nose retract. As with the mains the nose retract does not just drop in either is requires about 3mm on each side as well to make it seat in. There is also a delima with a brace up in the front area that needs to be cut down for that retract to clear, and add bracing to beef it back up.

Nose install
This is straight forward, there are three hex head bolts with washers and they bolt on just as it looks.
About 2.5 hours to do all this so far
More to come