In this part of the tutorial we start the actual assembly of the model.

Let's take another look at the assembly instructions. We had used to to get the color codes for painting the parts. Now we use the same instructions to know how to cement the various parts together.

An easy thing to see here is the pilot on the left.That part is number 21, and his arm is part number 43. Can you see those parts? So, glue them togetehr as the dashed line shows.

Making Sub Assemblies

You can see in the picture above that this step of the process is step 1. And this shows a very common process in making models. The process of making sub-assemblies. So let's go ahead and put together all these parts in step 1.

As you are building it you remove each part from the sprue. Best to use a sharp hobby knife. If you twist the parts off you can distort the part, particularly the small parts.

Inspect the part after you remove it from the sprue. There may be a bump of plastic remaining. You can remove this with a bit of sandpaper, a small file or an emory board. In the picture I am using an emory board. These excess bumps of plastic can cause difficulties in parts fitting together cleanly.

Before you actually apply cement to the pieces you should always try dry fitting them first. This is to make sure they fit together well, and you have them in the right orientatation. It will also show you any burrs that need to be sanded down.

Continue following the assembly step and build the complete sub assembly. This picture shows the completed cockpit assembly.

Once the cement has dried and set you can examine the assembly and do any touch up painting that you want. It might need some touch up because of the handling of it you have done and because the cement you used can dilute and distort the paint.

Note that the assembly instructions tell you everything you need to know. Even that some parts do not get any glue on them! This is the rotor assembly it turns the helicopter blade. You don't apply any glue to that silver part so it can freely rotate when the model is complete.

There are some clear plastic parts in this model build. It is the glass in the helicopter. Most models will have some. You should take special care when working with this clear plastic. It is very easily smudged by cement. Use the cement very sparingly and be careful when handling the glass. Any cement on your fingers or on your knife can smudge the glass.

For these glass parts they do make a special cement. I typically just use an extra thin cement that is applied with a brush.

Testors Clear Parts Cement 1 oz.

And then we start to put the actual model together. In this case of this helicopter as with many models you add sub assemblies into the fuselage. Here I am putting the cockpit assembly into one half of the fuselage.

Then we cement in the rotor assembly.

Then we seal it up by cementing on the second half of the fuselage. The helicopter has now taken shape.

From here we add the various external parts to the fuselage.

Okay, we have built the model - let's apply the decals

Tamiya Extra thin cement

Testors Plastic Cement - Testers is made in America, quality since 1929 Testers plastic cement is used for DIY projects, model kit building and craft projects The value pack includes two tubes of cement with 4 precision glue tips.