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Builder's notes:

• On the serious side, it doesn't hurt to check the work you have done by jumping ahead a bit to be sure it fits the work to be done. Here we were able to check the initial placement of the landing gear, and the plywood wraparounds for the rear cockpit instrument bay, and for the main fuel tank bay (just aft of the firewall). The engine mount has also been preliminarily fitted to make sure we hadn't made any gross miscalculations. We hadn't.

• Note the cutaway section above the starboard landing gear. This is the entrance to the front cockpit, with a door later being constructed from the section cut away after the fuselage is at this stage.

• Historically, the door and wing walk area in a biplane are constructed on the port side. This comes from the horse calvary tradition of getting into the saddle from the left. If I'd wanted to be in the army, I'd have joined the army! The door stays on the right, Jim!

• Speaking of the military, did you know that military product specifications (mil specs) can live on for centuries and have an impact even to this day? It's true! Check out this sidebar.