I didn't realise I hadn't posted in so long - progress has progressed! The fuselage sidewalls were far too bare for a 1/48 aircraft, even with the canopy closed, so I added some bits and bobs based on photos of the restored ZK-LIX:
Ark Models 1/48 Lavochkin La-9 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
The cockpit (with added throttle and propeller levers replacing the 3D decal's blobs) was installed along with some styrene bits to act as alignment tabs as the kit's joining surfaces are all smooth:
Ark Models 1/48 Lavochkin La-9 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Fuselage joined. Note the hole in the spine aft of the cockpit: this appears as a clear-glazed area on drawings and the restored La-9, but is not present on the kit. I also replaced the kit's gunsight with a crash pad.
Ark Models 1/48 Lavochkin La-9 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
For some bizarre reason my SIX attempts to upload a photo to Flickr have failed, but the wheel well in the kit is very bare with one junction box the only extra part to be added. But as seen in these photos of ZK-LIX taken by Phillip Treweek you can see the well's rather busy:
Lavochkin La-9 ZK-LIX by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Lavochkin La-9 ZK-LIX by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Lavochkin La-9 ZK-LIX by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
(note the abovementioned junction box)
So I set to work with stretched sprue and gubbins from my spares and I'm happy with the result:
Ark Models 1/48 Lavochkin La-9 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Ark Models 1/48 Lavochkin La-9 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Unfortunately Flickr's autosizing does my scratching work no favours but I am very, very pleased with the outcome. The wheelwell is now mounted in the lower wing.
Stay tuned for another update, hopefully in better time!