Mouldings first, channels after

By now I have also fitted a few mouldings on the port side. The channels are still dry fitted, so here and there it looks a little odd, with a channel not quite meeting the moulding.

What I would advise after these weeks: do not fit the channels first, holes and all, as the manual says. I have already had to move them several times relative to what I had measured from the drawing. Those drawings simply differ too much from the model as it eventually turns out to place the channels to the millimetre. In my case there is the added fact that the gunports sit a little too low, but even without that kind of personal deviation it does not line up exactly.

The order that works for me:

1. First lay the mouldings at the right height, dry fitted.
2. Then mark the channels onto the mouldings.
3. Cut the moulding away at that spot, so the top or bottom edge comes off and the channel drops in.
4. Glue the moulding.
5. Only then fit the channel. Still dry fitted, but now drilling the holes for the pins, because the position is fixed.

That way everything sits right relative to each other, rather than relative to a drawing that the model no longer entirely is.