The door hinges are hand-made knock-offs of the original. The non-opening passenger doors' upper hinge doubles as the receiver switch. The model is built (except as noted above) according to the instructions up to the point of covering.
The plane is scale paneled with a .015 mil styrene skin. Individual panels are cut to shape, rivet-stressed, and CA'd to the balsa sheeted model starting from the lower rear up and forward. The panels don't contain rivets but have the stressing that rivetting causes. This is done by pressing a small tube firmly into the styrene panel resting on a scrap sheet of balsa. The back side of the panel is then sanded to remove the embossed protrusions which would prevent good adhesion the balsa-sheeted model. The model was primed then color coated with white PPG Acrylic Urethane. Masks for serial numbers and the small SKYLANE script were reproduced in vinyl at a local sign shop. These were applied along with stripe masking and red, black and gray color was then applied. The model sports scale nav, tip strobes, rotating beacon, and landing lights. All wiring was routed prior to balsa sheeting. The wings red & green nav lights and xenon strobes (RAM) are powered by batteries contained in the wings' center panel are operated by a switch which is disguised as one of the two fuel caps. The rotating beacon on the tip of the vertical stab and the white nav light on the tip of the tail cone are powered by 3 AAA batteries accessible by a hatch in the interiors floor and are operated by a switch disguised as a GPS antenna located on the top if the fuse just aft of the rear window, again, placed according to photos. The landing lights are operated by a toggle on the transmitter (Futaba F8UAP) and are powered by the same source. First dusk flight 12/2/01. Far too cool.
The models' interior was approached with the same attention to detail as the exterior and is quite astonishing. Guages were obtained by capturing screenshots from Terminal Realities' FLY!, flight simulator. The guages are much better than the supplied decals. All vents, grills, access hatches, elevator trim flap, etc. are modelled. None of the supplied decals were used for these details. Micro screws and bolts were used extensively to add detail to the skin prior to painting.
