What a great progress, my friend @uscusn!

Time to get back to work on the Beau as the year winds down. This session will start on the engines.

The engines on Tam's Beaufighter are very simple in assembly yet have just enough details with some washes that will make those details pop a bit more.

The crankcase hub will have the poly cap inserted and then attach to the engine.

Then the engine assembly is then attached to the engine nacelles.

Next step is attaching parts to the air frame. Starting with the horizontal stabs.

Like the first Beaufighter, the 2nd Beaufighter will also have the V-tail configuration. I wish they would give you the option to build a straight tail variant. Without buying a resin conversion set. Now Revell has finally produced a version with the straight tail. The stabs are assembled and would have to be cut if you wish to drop them.

A nice firm fit allows perfect alignment. Inserting the tabs into the slots in the tail.

Now to the front of the Beau, will be the standard what I would call the "Roman Nose" type radome is placed in front of the fuselage.

Next the oil cooler intakes are attached just outboard of the engine, one on each forward leading edge of the wings.

The RH side is also attached to the leading edge.

This version of the Beau will have the smaller style upper air scoops attach to the top of the nacelles.

The basic airframe is completed. Once the scoops are installed.

Next is to paint the copper forward edges of the engine cowls. Some minor seam clean up and then attach the clear parts.

More to follow.

Amazing progress, my friend @uscusn! The Tamiya kit looks very well engineered; maybe it has been superseded by more recent kits detail-wise, but it looks to be pleasantly built and produce a well detailed model. As usual, your detailed build thread is a joy to follow, clear and informative.

Before getting to the cowls. First to attach the clear parts. Starting with the observers blister at the rear section of the fuselage. Again to note the nice clear parts that Tamiya always provides.

Now the canopy is installed.

Next is the landing lamp window. 1st lamp housing is painted flat black, with the lenses picked out with Molotow Chrome. Then the window is attached over the landing lamps, located over the LH outer wing.

Next is to paint the cowl rings Copper. On the first Beaufighter the copper looked to bright like a US copper penny. This time I mixed in a bit of Gun Metal to tone it down. First was to clean up the areas of the cowl rings before laying the paint.

Next to airbrush the Copper over the cowl rings and the exhaust port where the porcupine manifolds will attach to.
The interior of the cowls are RAF Grey/Green.

Once dry, the cowls are then installed to the nacelles.

Finally to mask off the glass components using Eduard's canopy mask set.

Again the easy to apply masking off the clear parts. Canopy, observers blister and the landing lamps.

Next up, airbrush the interior color of the frames. And start the paint process.
More to follow

That’s actually a very good mix to obtain that elusive look of cowl front rings of the Bristol Hercules engines. I’m noting your mix for a future occasion for sure Chuck! And nice progress btw 😉

Chuck, @uscusn
Wow... Where do I start ? I have been watching this build from the very beginning, and it now looks as if you are getting close to calling this one done. The shiny plastic surface finish, (being molded in gloss black plastic), easily shows up any and all imperfections. The fit looks to be spot on, and with a little bit of polishing work, you could possibly leave it in the unpainted bare plastic ! It's that good ! I know you better than that, but seriously, this one looks to be a very fine fitting kit, and it will look even better once you spray it.

I'll be looking forward to seeing your next steps.

Hi Louis, black plastic isn't always the best to work with. Though it eliminates the black out steps especially in the interior where depth under the interior color shows up much better. Fortunately the black scheme will be easier to apply.

Looking fantastic, my friend @uscusn!
Amazing painting!