Lee - thanks. The lower half of the cowl (everything but the domed top) comes off and the domed top is fastened to the lower portion of the cowl, so it does come apart. It will ultimately be hinged on one side and held on with staps (leather shoe laces) . The dummy engine is removable too, but the way I did it is that the lower part is wedged between a stringer and the skin while the uper part is attached with two screws. The problem with this method (which I now discover) is that it needs to pivot into position so the rocker arms clear. With the exhausts glued on, they will get in the way, preventing it from pivoting in. I figure I will not have to remove the engines once it's completed, and if I do, I'll just have to break the glue joint for the exhausts. Please let me know if you have any ideas. The easy solution would be to enlarge the opening in the skin, but I don't want to do that.

I cut out the very front end from a piece of thick birch ply. I was dreading this process but I was able to make the piece in less than an hour with my scroll saw. I'm thinking of epoxying the front end onto the lower part of the cowl (top part will still be removable) to strengthen the entire front end. But I'm going to hold of glueing it in place until I'm sure I don't need to make it removable! This front end piece will be painted brass and will have wire screen placed inside so you can't see in. I'll paint the inside of the cowl flat back as welll so you can't see anything except the prop coming out.

Steve