Paul@yellow10 many thanks for the comments. The thing about invasion stripes is that they look dead simple, but once you are masking around curves it can get a bit frustrating keeping everything paralell!
Superb post on the Spanish School - loved the artistic insight... one of my all time favourites !
I like the Spanish Schoolers - modelling heretics !

Just a few snaps of paint in progress

5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Wonderful progress David. I especially like how you have captured the look of the invasion stripes.

I was online earlier today and ran across these 486 Squadron Tempest pictures.

I found three of N for Nancy, one on each side and an in flight photo.

I also noticed that some of these had stripes in various configurations. Some had full stripes top and bottom, including the fuselage. Others had just lower stripes while others had no fuselage stripes. This probably was due to the time frame that the picture was actually taken.

Then I noticed another peculiar thing. On some occasions it looks as if the stripes were reversed. These also had the black stripes painted on thinner than the white stripes. It almost looks as if the black stripes are half as wide as the white stripes. This next photo shows that fairly well.

One other odditie I found was that 486 Squadron occasionally painted the Squadron code "SA" first, on the starboard side, with the machine letters following.

These next three photos show this.

I really enjoy the research part of the building almost as much as the actual build.

I hope that these photos will help you along the way. If not for anything else, maybe these will help you with the camouflage patterns that were used.

Please keep us posted with progress and I'll be looking forward to seeing your next installment.

Your Tempest is looking fantastic David !

Yes. full invasion stripes only used until last week of June 1944, undersides only until end of August, underside of fuselage only after that. All Allied aircraft (RAF, USAAF, etc.)

Thanks Mark, I appreciate it, I have managed to make a bit more progress.

I decided to invest in a set of masks for the roundels...

The masks are a thin latex and are tricky to position correctly... grrrrrr... but with a little perserverence...

With the masks in place I spayed a white undercoat figuring this would help with the red...

[Pic #1]

The MRP marking red looked a bit orange/terra cotta to me, but what do I know, I'm sure it will spray fine - all their other stuff does!

It sprayed beautifully, but still looked quite orange/terra cotta...

[Pic #2]

I sprayed more MRP which made the colour more dense, and oversprayed with a thin mix of MRP/Tamiya flat red about 10/90.

[Pic #3]

I think that this has got the red about right but to my eye could do with being a bit darker.

For now I will leave it alone and see I can get this rright with a bit of post shading and weathering.. if all else fails I can still use the decals !

Next time around I would - not spray the white back ground and paint over the black.

I did learn however that Tamiya seems to be able to co exist with MRP ( with care and test spraying needed first.

Next finish the markings and the camo!

3 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Greg thanks for your comments.
I enjoyed your posts about the aircraft your Dad flew very much,I will be digging out the Voodoo and the Thunderchief out of the stash and aiming to get them done next year!
A bit more progress on the Tempest tonight.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

A reminder for next time- spray the roundels first!

1 attached image. Click to enlarge.