After so much time spent wrangling over dimension and proportion, eventually, I just decided that the best course of action would be to start afresh.
I had a few offcuts of MDF rescued from a skip hanging about the house, but only the one that was wide enough to accommodate a 41 inch wide main panel. Before cutting this to size and shape, I made another shock panel.
The shape, dimensions, and instrument cut outs of the previous iteration were out of whack when compared to the absolute truth of the Cessna manual's illustrations. It was duly scrapped.
This new version was shaped just as accurately as possible with close reference to that manual. When I was satisfied enough, it was used as a template for both ends of the new main panel.
I purposely cut slightly wide of the mark at the curved ends. This was done to provide a cushion against error there.
You can always take away from MDF but you just can't give it back...
The troublesome missing inch of height which had foxed me for so long, was included at bottom. The board was cut down to exactly 41 x 11.5 inches because these measurements were now absolutes in my mind.
I then set to the task of drawing the instrument positions of the pilot's-side shock panel onto the raw MDF. Again, this was done with close reference to the manual. You can see above that the clock actually does fit under the glare shield and runs over the edge of the panel.
That's the clarity of detail that I like.
It took a long time to make, but it was a pleasurable long time and the final result actually pleased me.
Satisfied, I then cut out the slots for the control wheels shafts, propped the whole assemblage upon a trestle, sat back, and for once, just enjoyed what I had done without any niggling doubt — for I could see quite plainly now, that this was going to work despite that other troublesome inch of width that I have to resolve...
Somehow.
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