Chuck, that’s going together quickly and very nicely. I love the aotake. I have the life color version - but I like the look of this very much.

That's a nice progress, Chuck! Your Val is taking shape. Nice late '30s shape!
Thanks again for sharing your progress in such nice and extensive manner.
All the best!

Going along nicely Chuck, guessing it won’t take you much longer to get it painted

Using True Detail Resin wheels to replace the kit wheels will be an improvement. The Fujimi wheels are ok but lack details. The TD wheels are also weighted. But that would be the only advantage over the kit wheels as the details are hidden under the spats.

Removing them out of the package. The hubs are painted Vallejo Aluminum.

Then Tamiya Rubber black is used for the tires.

Then carefully removed from the resin block.

Next to add some details under the airframe.

The radome is attached in place in a well just forward of the rear wing to fuselage mounting point.

The bomb racks are attached to LH/RH outer wing panels.

I believe these are support studs for the swinging bomb rack that tucks under the center fuselage. These are attached in place on the lower wing.

The wheels are sandwiched between the wheel spats halves and will leave them to spin freely with in. This will also allow the weighted part of the wheel to always be touching the ground in place.

Once the wheel spats are set. Will do some minor seam work before attaching them to the wings. The whole wheel hubs are completely hidden with in the spats.

After clean up each spat is attached to the mounting stubs on the wings. The alignment pin is a bit loose so make sure each spat is aligned straight. If not careful the cement can set at an angle or turned a bit.

With the tail wheel and main gear attached, She is up on her legs. The Val is taking shape.

More to follow.

Thanks Spiros, yea a consequence of the spats that covers the whole wheel. Unlike the Stuka shows half the wheel hub. The kit itself is not bad, just lacking interior details. Otherwise the overall shape and size is pretty accurate.

Hi Chuck @uscusn!
I was very happy with my Val's Hasegawa wheels: despite plain hub detail (that wouldn't show anyway) they looked adequately weighted and they just clicked into the assembled spat - no traumas. With just tiny droplets of glue in their center holes, job done was super!
Still your wheels are a small work of art and even if their great details are hidden, you know they are there.

Thanks Louis, nice that this is a long term GB and slowly getting this Val closer to the finish line. Next up will be the Jill and then the Fine Molds Judy. Still rounding up some AM stuff for both kits, not much for the Fujimi Val.

Spiros, the TD resin wheels are loose yet firm within the spats, so the weighted part of the wheel will always sit correctly.

Erik, TD wheels are much better now than they once were. Always a good choice but there are some that may have been exaggerated in the weighted appearance. These are just right.