Looking nice, my friend @airbum, closer to reality.

Erik, @airbum
The additional work you have done here is a definite improvement over the kit supplied parts. It makes your 109's look much more authentic. I especially like how you open the cooling slots in not only the engine cowling, but the ones in the spinner too ! BY far my favorite item you have done with your various 109 builds, is when you carefully sliced open the canopy and made it look like the sliding portion of the side window was open on one of your Emil builds. I don't think the canopy hood has a slider window on the Dora though... That's such a cool touch.

I am definitely going to be using this build journal as a guide when I get around to building up mine... Thank you very much for posting such detailed descriptions on the work you do, along with how you do it.

I will be anxiously awaiting your next installment. 🙂

A well deserved relaxation after an 8 day working stint.
Seems to have given you some real motivation.
Great progress, Erik.
Nice illustration on that canopy.

Love the illustration too, my friend @airbum!

Erik, @airbum
Thank you for posting the canopy picture and letting me know about the slider window. This is valuable information to know.
I can relate to how you feel with work interfering with our hobby... Not counting my military service, where we routinely spent 30-45 days at a time in the field, there was a time when I worked for 18 days straight without any time off in between... Needless to say when I finally got back home I was exhausted, and building something was the last thing on my mind. Instead I got something good to eat, took a good shower and went to sleep...

Having some plastic parts and a scalpel with you is a good idea. You just never know 😉

Pressing on

I did not get to the PE just yet, but sort of closed the nose and added a pair of legs.

And with the legs duly hardened after a few days at work, it is on its own legs!

The legs in this kit are nowhere near other kits I’ve made in terms of ease and strength. That said, they look nice, and the links are a separate item, easing the adding of chrome on the oleo a lot

I did fill some LqS around the bases and let it harden for 4 days

That should make it last on the shelf.

Now – the positioning of moveable parts

The pedals are centered, and so the rudder will be centered too. The tailwheel is castoring and may yet be located at an angle. The stick is pulled back, a bit to the left, so ailerons will be deflected accordingly, and the elevator will be up.

next up I hope to have added a few PE items and moving surfaces, but what happens when the knife, gluepot and such gets going is difficult to tell

Erik, @airbum
It looks like you have been busy, and the progress you made looks very good. It is always a good sign to see the model standing on it's own legs... I like how you used the LQS to stiffen up the landing gear.