All markings are now complete, the matt clear coat is on, the masking has been removed from the lamps and wheel bay, and the exhausts, gun sight and windscreen are in place. Just about ready to start on the remainder of the construction and detailing.
PIC 1. Shows the exhausts painted, stained and fitted.
PIC 2. The gun sight was adapted from a clear part from the spares box, with the reflector screen from a piece of clear sheet. The kit's canopy had the windscreen removed with the aid of a razor saw, and this has been fitted after painting the internal frames. Once it's totally set, the joints will be sealed and the external frames repainted. The open canopy will be fitted later, using either my own, heat moulded item, or one of the 'Squadron' vac-formed canopies, which will need separating from it's integral windscreen.
PIC 3. The Woodpecker cartoon nose art has been hand painted, as close as I could get to the original in this small size.
PICS 4 to 6. How the model looks to date. Note that the white 'spot' on the underside of the fuselage is the 'Micro Kristal Klear' lens cover for the amber I.D. lamp, which will be perfectly clear when dry.
PIC 7. Next step is to clean, prepare and paint the 'True Details' resin wheels, which will be fitted once the kit's stub axles have been shortened, and holes drilled in the reverse of the resin hubs. These are the correct, later style four spoke hubs, and one of the kit wheels, a simplified moulding of the early pattern five spoke design, is shown alongside.
Once the wheels have been matched to the axles, the gear legs can be cemented in the down position, and the retraction struts, braces and doors fitted.
Thanks again for your continued interest and complimentary comments, and I'll post some more progress pics soon.