I'm building a Monogram 1/48 F-4 Phantom and I have a question about mounting the stabilizer fins on the rear of the fuselage.

When I slide the tabs of the two fins through the slots in both sides so that their stair-stepped sides can engage and the fins can be angled, the only part of either fin in contact with the fuselage is the small part surrounding each tab. There is such a significant gap between the rest of each fin and the fuselage that neither the front or rear portion of the fin facing the fuselage touch the fuselage.

Should this gap be there?

Do anyone else sand down the region around each tab to reduce the gap and allow at least some of the rest of each stabilizer fin to contact the fuselage?

The gap is there, but not nearly as large as Monogram would have it. You could sand down the tabs, or add shims to the inboard of the edge of the stabs. It should look like this.

Jessie,

Thanks for your lightning quick response. From what I can tell, it looks like it is okay if the very front and very rear of the inboard edge touches the fuselage correct? From both a stability standpoint and an aesthetic standpoint, it would be nice to have those two additional points of contact with the fuselage.

On the full sized aircraft you can just about squeeze your fingertips through the gap. On the model it ought to be just visible.

Thanks for that info. Even if I sand the area surrounding the tabs almost flat with the rest of the inboard edge of the fins, I think I'll still have at least that much gap in scale with the rest of the inboard edge.