Just chiming in to note that I'm actively following this thread.
I'm definitely NOT a DH.9A expert so will have ears firmly cocked.
Jan has had a WNW fuselage sprue forwarded, which finally arrived just before the holidays. I
think there is enough basis there to derive the substitute parts. I was surprised (being unfamiliar with this particular kit) that the rear sides are separate pieces (on another sprue of course), and unfortunately the gun ring etc are also on different sprues.
As far as the fuselage conversion goes, I've a thought of mixing some very new, as well as some not so new modeling methods...