Forge World Thunderbolt Assembly – A Guide

All the bits, looks like a lot, actually it’s not that complicated of a kit.

The first one I biult (at Mr Zzz’s house for both that and this are his) was a real pig, and I originally blamed the kit for that. – on my second time through I am happy to revise that – dont get me wrong, this was still a pig, but I now realise its not the design of the kit, which is sound, but the age of the kit, and the deterioration in the molds over time.

A lot of the parts have these huge vents, but that;s nothing new for FW, razor saw and dremmel later..

These images are in sequence on pretty much each stage of the build, I thought this might be useful as tbh the instructions kindof aren't.

So first thin is nose to fuselage,

and here's the issue with the kit – as its aged and been recast, there's been some drift in the components, probably due to repairs to the master and straining on multiple molds, so that now some of the cast pieces aren't quite the flushfit you would hope for.

This top engine peice is next

and then the rear fuselage upper, you can see the fit issue again, some fenegling is required to get to best fit, thereafter some filler and sand before paint would be needed.

you can pop the tail sections in now, they wont be in the way. I also dropped in the cockpit and pilot.

Then fit the rear equipment locker covers, these need some finessing into place.

The engine pods are next, these snap into place reasonably well so long as they arent warped. protip, theyll be warped. use a hairdryer to resolve this issue, or warm water.

Then the wings. I pit the engine cover on here too, it might be easier to do the pipes without, but it wasn't an issue either way for me.

Use epoxy here, and be patient, they take a while to set up and have to be held.

we can then pop on some of the lower details, like the VTOL thrusters

These rear engine pods have to be cleaned up well to fit as they go in quite flush.

 

Voila

Engine intake fronts..

Pipes

Zzz opted for landing gear up (Flyer, see, not Lander) so those hatch covers have their hinge cut off and fit to the open compartment, after de-warping with a hair drier of course

rear Ailerons, also warped, fit into place. along with the flying stand mount, I placed it over the landing gear covers, which inst the best aesthetically, but its on the bottom of the vessel, and I figure stability is more important than the bottom looking good the 8th time it falls over in a game…

 

When all the above it done, you are left with this.

And this – the bad of vents and scrap resin you've clipped away to build the thing :)

I post this in the hopes of helping someone who is building one of these things, as the FW supplied instructions aren't really, they are just like four pictures of one being built..

So if this does help you.. let me know below. :)