Enerjet by Aerotech, Arreauxbee-Hi, Part 13, Paint Planning Ahead

Here's the instruction copy on how to paint the model.

While the instructions are basically correct, befoe masking, plan ahead. You don't want to paint white over orange fins. You don't want to paint silver over an orange base color.

I would recommend an overall gloss white coat before other colors. 

Mask off all three fins and the upper body (right at the top edge of the tunnels) before painting the body orange. 

Then paint the body orange.

Mask off the two white fins and body tube. Paint the remaining fin black.

Mask off the area below the upper tunnels ends. Paint the upper body tube silver.

Notice the launch lugs must be behind in the cover picture.

Using that lug placement, plan which two fins will be white and the third black.

Here's my build, with the white undercoats applied.

I've marked the fins for white and black paint.

Note the position of of the launch lug. 

Enerjet by Aerotech, Arreauxbee-Hi, Part 12, Upper Channel Tunnels

The upper channels pieces are cut to 10" long. 

Again, I cut mine a little longer to 10 1/16".

The upper end was set down 10" from the bottom of the upper tube. This left 1/16" overhanging the bottom of the tube.

The extended tunnel ends were sanded to the bottom of the upper tube as before.

This leaves a tight butt joint of the two tunnel pieces.

The tops and sides were sanded to match the sides of the lower tunnels.

 

The tunnel ends got a shot of filler/primer, directing it at the tunnel ends.

After sanding a bit, I was left with a good joint.

Enerjet by Aerotech, Arreauxbee-Hi, Part 11, Channel Tunnels

While the instructions say to cut the tunnel extension pieces at 1 3/4" long. 

I cut mine 1/16" longer so the final length ended up at 1 13/16".

I used the aluminum angle to align the two pieces.

Here you can see the piece extended beyond the end of the tube.

Sand the extension down even with the top of the tube.

This ensures the tunnel is full length to the top of the tube. Sanding down the tunnel with a flat block will make for a better "mate" of the upper tunnel coming up.

Enerjet by Aerotech, Arreauxbee-Hi, Part 10, Channel Tunnels

Square up the tube ends before fitting the long wood tunnels.

You can do a CA glue wipe on the inside and ends of the tubes before sanding square.

With the fins in place, 

Extend pencil lines from the root edge of the fin tips all the way down the body tube.

You are supplied with a wrap around tube marking guide, but I simply drew pencil lines using an aluminum angle.

Some 220 grit was wrapped around a dowel.

The tunnel gluing line was sanded down to the tube the entire length of the lower body tube.

The wood tunnels are glued onto the body tube.

I used the aluminum angle to align the tunnels. 

The length of the tunnels fall short of the tube length by about 1 3/4". You will piece together another piece of tunnel to go the entire length of the lower tube.

Before cutting the short fill pieces, 

see the next post.