So I just built the XL machine today and there's something really wrong with it that I hadn't noticed in any reviews or pictures. The two 4M gunmetal armor pieces beneath the cockpit cannot be put on the set in the suggested way like in the instructions. When I do so, it forces a ton of stress on the gunmetal add-on pieces on the 5M yellow armor pieces on the shoulders, which in turn stress the horizontal grey technic beam inside of the model. The shoulder armor curves upwards and the grey beam curves to the rear, as seen from above.
Also, said gunmetal shoulder add-ons are interfering a little bit with the green cockpit seat piece. This is made slightly worse when the 4M pieces beneath are angled in the suggested flat V-shape. Does anyone else have this problem? At the moment I just move the armor pieces in a more traditional V-shape, with both middle ends of the pieces not touching each other beneath the cockpit. It doesn't look as good, but it doesn't put any additional stress on the already jumbled shoulder and cockpit construction.