The Emperor's Dauntless

My next dumb little project is to bring this heathen Revell SBD Dauntless into the Emperor's service.  The Dauntless was a cool plane back in the day, a successful dive bomber and (most impressively) about 16.00$ at Michael's Hobby Store, and they always always seem to have it. I think I've been considering this project for like 5 years, now.  The 1/48th scale means that a 33mm fig ought to suit it nicely, but it looks like my plans might fit a little bit... Tightly.

For your comparison, the original pilot, here next to his IG Sentinel replacement

A cool thing is I get some free flight crew but they look a little weak and slight compared to their chunkier brethren.

I plan to magnetize this puppy up for various swaps out. I don't know why - the thing will never get play but I want to do it as a conversation piece and a homily on kit bashing; and of course it will be relaxing and fun.

I'll probably have torn out my hair by the end of it but wish me Luck.

Edits:  took a couple of hours an there's glue everywhere but here she is:

Ol' Betsy or Delilah or Daphne

A SBD-Harpy in the service of the Imperial Guard, Home Defense Force patrol squadron, call sign SBD-HH

Captain Hank Hadrian (call sign "Henry")

Gunner/Spotter Alfred Alfgrim (call sign "Grouse")

Bomber Francis "Fuligin" Goreson (not pictured, below)

It's been a good long time since I've put together a non-chunky model, and there's a good deal of flash and poor design (taking it off the sprue with nippers should eat a part of the seam where the wing joins)

Lots of bits and greebles to add tomorrow night or something, but I'm gratified in that the magnetic tape strips fit nicely inside the wings, so the neodymium magnets sit on the surface as tight as a harpy's, uh, beak

Also, the landing gear retract and deploy. That's pretty cool.  Now to figure out some flight stand and to affix the purity seals and strike the rotary engine runes

Let the Litanies of Liftoff commence, and warm the Blessed Promethium!