Well I've spent 2 nights cleaning, trimming plastic parts, carefully removing resin from casting blocks, dry fitting and doing background research.

This isn't my first CA kit. but it is far and away the crudest. Its really a Jekyll and Hyde Monster. Wonderful PE and decals assuring you a beautiful build lies just over the horizon while the resin cast into giant blocks laughs at how much time you'll need to remove them. Worst of all the actual plastic is really really poor (even by limited run kit standards).

I started working with the cowl first and that is where I realized that the cowl will not meet my expectations. It just doesn't have the correct shape or surface texture to a Saetta. The engine cylinders too are nothing like those of the Fiat motor.

Late last night I succumbed and ordered the Tamiya reboxing of the Italeri kit. I figure I can use the PE and some of the resin from the CA kit. I feel bad setting the CA kit aside but I really wasn't happy with a couple of the shortcomings of it.

Already read the reviews of the Italeri molds. Most are positive but some are critical of the vertical stab shape. I'm even prepared to splice the CA stab (or even one from a Tauro kit I have if need be but I think the result of kit switch will be a more enjoyable experience overall. Two nights of pushing a boulder uphill with the nagging feeling that I won't be satisfied with the net result was silly.

Cheers,
Fred

Ran into a small challenge. The directions say to assemble the cockpit and capture it when you put the fuselage together. I might wait and try to assemble it from the bottom after the fuselage halves are glued together.

Cheers