@johnb Do you know what exactly is causing the tight fit of the cockpit within the fuselage? I am probably going to join this group build with a Zero of my own for the 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor (I better make it a simplified build) and am using your builds as a guide for fit issues.

Hi my friends @wkubacki and @johnb!

My cockpit seemed a tight fit at first, so I decided to attached it from underneath and gradually work the tightness: a at places seemingly tight-ish fit was not tight-ish at all, the only key point being making sure the aft fuselage "hidden" seam under the rear anti-glare area, where the rear cockpit bulkhead will "bed into place", is totally cleaned and the area leveled (easily done with a hobby knife and mini file): this way, the cockpitaffixed itself nicely:

Looking forward to your build Woody!

Splendid camo choice, my friend @wkubacki! Yes, Hasegawa treated modelers with a splendid kit, back in the 90s!
Meanwhile, I applied some putty to my Zero...

Looking really nice, my friend @johnb!
Those bands did the trick!

You guys are doing really nice work on these two kits.

Myself, I am going to wait on a Zero for eight weeks, until the review copy from Eduard touches down on my porch.

Thanks my friend @tcinla!
Looking forward to see your "latest and greatest" Zero built!

A wonderful looking engine, my friend @johnb!

@fiveten, @lis, thanks for your comments

Canopy masking
Eduard masking set was used to make it myself a bit easier on the canopy painting.
Masks were quite easy to apply.