Since I won't be catching any 3-wires at the field, I build my arrestor hook static, not operational. But, ya still need a nice scale hinge mount for it to connect to the fuse. So I started by building the framework out of aircraft ply sheeting, then glassed it with .75oz cloth. Inside this piece there is a cross section of ply with a hole drilled in it to recieve the shaft of the arrestor hook.

I then added a few scale details such as bolts and some sort of "strap thingy" that I saw in scale photos? This was all primered and glued to the fuse underside.

The Shaft & Hook

I built the shaft of the hook out of a wooden dowel rod and sanded it to taper it slightly at one end. At the hinge end, I built the "universal joint" of sorts out of styrene, part of an ink pen and a ring of copper wire. A little putty and that end looks pretty convincing. To finish this piece, I carved the interesting hook shape out of a balsa block, sealed it, drilled it and glued it onto the end of the rod. A little putty again I gots me an arrestor hook!

The Guard

Tre was a plate and rubber flange that stretched across the fuse right in front of the tailwheel on the SBD. This "guard" was there so that the arrestor hook would not rattle against the bottom of the fuse in flight, or bounce hard of the deck back into the metal fuse. I simulated this from good ol' styrene again.

Once this was all done, the arrestor hook was primered, tested for fit and set aside to be painted later before permanently gluing onto the plane.

Additional fuse details & hatches were then added from styrene fabrication. These included the storage compartment hatch, life raft hatch, gas hatches and ammo hatches. The rear towhook was carved from a piece of hardwood and glued to the tailcone.