The sixth step in the build is the outer wings. This step took 2 hrs 1 min.
Assembly
The slats are not a perfect fit. All of the diagrams in the instructions and pictures don’t give much guidance. It seems that the best fit is for the slats to be forward a bit so that the structural supports are visible.
However if you look at things from the underside, that means the underside of the slats are visible. The issue is that each slat has three prominent injector pin marks. Instead of CA glue, I chose an approach I saw on a model builder’s YouTube channel that used acrylic (i.e., water based) filler.
The advantage with acrylic filler is that you can wet a cotton swab and rub away the excess. A problem I found is that because the cotton swabs are rounded, it ends up removing some of the filler in the injector pin depression.
I refilled the new gaps and used sanding sticks which have more of a flat, flush surface and was pleased with the results.
If you look closely, the port (left) slat is pulled back more than the starboard slat. I optimized for the outermost part of the slat lining up with the wing. In reality these parts are farthest away from one another, so it’s a detail I doubt most will notice.
This step called for some smaller components to be attached to the wing tips, specifically the radar warning antenna and position lights. Those will come after the main painting and weathering.
Next step
Step 7 involves assembling and painting the exhaust.