Me, too
I ended building this as my first paper model (I've been plastic since I was five) I wish I had read your thread first, however - that trick with the sockets would have eased my engine work. I also double-walled the engine exhausts, but I used extra printed parts (the exterior was used for the interior as well...) and it looks great. I attempted to use wallboard paste as a putty because the nose had some issues, as you probably noted. That experiment wasn't so successful...
I didn't attempt the gear, just mounted it on the cat tracks using the provided skid channels - it was a nice friction fit. I thought of doing a cockpit, but just went with some other 3-d lamination 'grebblies' and such, following the kit parts basically just as you did. I will try and remember to take a picture and post here so you can see how I did, too.
After that build, and being somewhat disatisfied with the 'scale' result, I'm endeavoring to draw a more accurate model using Web research materials and the Monogram kit as references. With luck, I'll get it done before I croak!
Thanks again for such a nice build post, I really enjoyed it.
Regards,
Robert